Sociolinguistics and Language Change

6 ECTS credits
180 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 4020156FNR for all students in the 1st semester at a (F) Master - specialised level.

Semester

1st semester

Enrollment based on exam contract

Impossible

Grading method

Grading (scale from 0 to 20)

Can retake in second session

Yes

Taught in

Dutch

Faculty

Faculty of Languages & Humanities

Department

Linguistics and Literary Studies

Educational team

Wim Vandenbussche
Anne-Sophie Ghyselen (course titular)

Activities and contact hours

13 contact hours Lecture
15 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
75 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study

Course Content

This course discusses (annually changing) topical case studies related to language change and/or sociolinguistic themes that are relevant for the Dutch language and/or the Dutch language area.

Course material

Digital course material (Required) : Digital course material - scientific papers uploaded on Canvas

Additional info

none

Learning Outcomes

General competencies

The students:
-acquire profound and detailed insight in specific sociolinguistic case-studies
-acquire profound and detailed insight in specific case-studies on language change
-are able to work out the basic principles further from introductory lectures on the basis of self-study of (and joint discussion of) scientific sociolinguistic articles
-are able to apply the principles to their own environment, and on the Brussels/Belgian context in particular
-can produce a high-quality paper autonomously on 1 specific case study
-master Dutch on the academic level that can be expected of a MA-student

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
SELF Paper determines 100% of the final mark.

Within the SELF Paper category, the following assignments need to be completed:

paper with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 100% of the final mark.

Note: (1) 25% of the final mark: portfolio in which the students collect all media coverage during the semester of the position of Dutch between other languages in Belgium (e.g. opinion columns on the anglicisation of higher education, reports on potential issues with Belgian/Flemish language legislation, debates about multilingualism in primary education,...)
(2) 75% of the final mark: Paper targeted towards a non-specialist audience in which you 'fact check' a proposition about multilingualism in Belgium.

Additional info regarding evaluation

The result of the paper will be transferred to the second exam session, if this result was 10/20 or higher. Students wishing to submit a new version of the paper send an email tot the course titular (with the new paper) at the very latest before the start of the second exam session.
The result of the paper will be transferred to the next academic year, if this result was 10/20 or higher. Students wishing to submit a new version of the paper send an email tot the course titular (with the new paper) at the very latest before the start of the first exam session of the next academic year.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark

The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context