Sociophonetic Project Module | LING3015 | University of Southampton

Module overview

This final year module builds on the theoretical grounding students gained in LING 2011 Variation and Change in English and the instrumental analysis techniques from LING 2008 Sound and Voice. In Sociophonetic Project Module, students will put the theory and techniques into practice by designing and conducting their own small-scale sociolinguistic project.

The module will be computer lab-based and structured around a series of sessions that will equip students with a sociophonetic ‘toolkit’. The sessions will combine taught theory and practical methods. Sessions will start with a taught element to guide students through the supporting theory, followed by practical methodological skills session where students will put the theory into practice.

Linked modules

LING2011 or LING2008

Aims and Objectives

Learning Outcomes

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

The ability to select and research suitable variables in order to test specific hypotheses
The ability to relate sociolinguistic theory to broader issues in language and society.
The ability to relate specific and testable hypotheses to wider debates within the field

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

Gain skills and expertise in data collection
Gain skills and expertise in transcription of spoken data

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

Gain skills and expertise in phonetic coding of sociolinguistic data
Gain skills and expertise in multivariate analysis of sociolinguistic data

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

The ability to engage with current sociolinguistic theory and use this to form original research questions

Syllabus

The module is likely to cover the following topics:

Quantitative linguistic variation
Sociolinguistic analysis methodology
Language and identity
Gender
Age
Ethnicity
Language change
Language across the lifespan

Learning and Teaching

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching methods include

Weekly 2-hour lab session consisting of lecture or demonstration followed by practical exercises which will contribute towards final project.
3 optional drop-in ‘trouble-shooting’ workshops
A number of formative assignments to ensure project workload is managed

Study time
Type	Hours
Teaching	28
Independent Study	82
Completion of assessment task	40
Total study time	150

Resources & Reading list

General Resources

Praat software. free computer program. Already installed on university network. http://www.fon.hum.uva.nl/praat/

Transcriber free computer software. Free - may need to be downloaded onto uni network. http://trans.sourceforge.net/en/presentation.php

Textbooks

Jack Chambers (2008). Sociolinguistic Theory. Oxford: Wiley Blackwell.

Sali Tagliamonte (2006). Analysing Sociolinguistic Variation. Cambridge: CUP.

Assessment

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Research project Report	60%
Assignment	10%
A lab report	10%
Analysis	10%
Analysis	10%

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Resubmit assessments	100%

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External