SIJ06 Language in society

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/0/2. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
PhDr. Aleš Bičan, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Marie Krčmová, CSc.
Department of Linguistics and Baltic Languages – Faculty of Arts
Supplier department: Department of Linguistics and Baltic Languages – Faculty of Arts
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course aims to introduce students to a relatively new linguistic discipline which searches for answers to questions traditional linguistics did not pose. During the course a student will learn about basic theories and approaches of the field and that by studying classical foreign or individual Czech works. While foreign studies serve as the starting point for theoretical apparatus for future linguists, Czech studies should equip them for discussion of the topic of the linguistic situation in their home land and for evaluation of theoretical linguistic knowledge with reference to concretization in getting to know with speech.
Syllabus
  • The following topics will be particularly dealt with: 1. What is sociolinguistics? 2. Functions of language within a community. 3. Attitudes towards language. 4. Language policy and language planning. 5. Stratification of the national language. 6. Language situation. 7. Language as an indicator of a social group. 8 Gender and language. 9. Age and language. 10. Vernacular language. 11. Contact of cultures and how it is reflected in language. 12. Bilingualism and diglossia and their manifestations in specific conditions.
Literature
  • HUDSON, Richard A. Sociolinguistics. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996, xv, 279. ISBN 0521565146. info
  • Ondrejovič, Slavomír. Jazyk, veda o jazyku, spcieta. Bratislava : Veda, 2008
  • ŠVEJCER, Aleksandr Davidovič and Leonid Borisovič NIKOL'SKIJ. Úvod do sociolingvistiky. Translated by Jiří Kraus. Vyd. 1. Praha: Svoboda, 1983, 241 s. URL info
  • KOŘENSKÝ, Jan. Komunikace a čeština. 1. vyd. Jinočany: H a H, 1992, 89 s. ISBN 80-85467-92-5. info
  • HORECKÝ, Ján. Spoločnosť a jazyk. 1. vyd. Bratislava: Veda, 1982, 106 s. info
  • SGALL, Petr. Variation in language : code switching in Czech as a challenge for sociolinguistics. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company, 1992, xii, 368 s. ISBN 90-272-1548-0. info
  • Reader in Czech sociolinguistics. Edited by Jan Chloupek - Jiří Nekvapil. Vyd. 1. Praha: Academia, 1986, 344 p. info
  • Neščimenko, G. P. Etničeskij jazyk. München - Otto Sagner, 1999.
  • Antológia bilingvizmu. Translated by Jozef Štefánik - Viktor Krupa - Eduard Pallay - Michaela Palcút. 1. vyd. Bratislava: Academic Electronic Press, 2003, 294 s. ISBN 8088880548. info
  • ŠATAVA, Leoš. Jazyk a identita etnických menšin :možnosti zachování a revitalizace. Vyd. 1. Praha: Cargo, 2001, 156 s. ISBN 80-902952-1-5. info
  • Löffner, H. Germanische Soziolinguistik. Berlin : Erich Schmidt, 2005.
  • CAMERON, Deborah and Don KULICK. Language and sexuality. 1st pub. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003, xvi, 176. ISBN 0521009693. info
  • Varieties of Czech. Ed. E. Eckert. Amsterdam/Atlanta, 1993.
Assessment methods
The course is in the form of lectures with application of theories to languages spoken in territories known to the students. There is always space for discussion. There is a written test at the end of the course in which students are expected to demonstrate their knowledge of terminology and specifiky of terms ; and provide argumentative commentary to some rather vague definitions which appear in sociolinguistic studies and are used (and misused) by the media.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
Note related to how often the course is taught: přednášky, kontaktní hodiny.
General note: jen pro doktorandy.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: přednášky + kontaktní hodiny.
Credit evaluation note: určí ústav dle doktorského studia.
Information on course enrolment limitations: jen pro doktorandy
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Autumn 2008, Spring 2009, Autumn 2009, Spring 2010, Autumn 2010, Spring 2011, Autumn 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2025/SIJ06