122220 SE Linguistics Seminar / BA Paper (2017S)

This course offers insights into conceptual, sociolinguistic and descriptive research on English as a lingua franca (ELF). Together, we will review existing ELF findings and focus on spoken interaction among ELF speakers in various settings. In doing so, we will explore topics in the area of ELF pragmatics, such as accommodation, negotiating understanding, humor and building rapport, code-switching and language contact, and talking about culture in ELF interactions. At the beginning of term, we will also discuss theoretical, practical and ethical issues of collecting and transcribing spoken language data and examine key concepts of conversation analysis (CA) and interactional sociolinguistics needed for the study of face-to-face interaction.
On the basis of this input, students will work in small groups during the first weeks of term to collect and transcribe their own samples of naturally-occurring spoken ELF interactions (data collection and transcription assignments). These self-collected and self-transcribed ELF data will then be used by students independently in the second half of term for an individual research project that each student will present orally (presentation) and in written form (term paper; handout for presentation). For this individual project, each student will chose a particular aspect of analyzing interaction among ELF speakers and examine it in the data collected and transcribed by her/his group.

AIMS
After this course, you should have a good overview of the characteristics and terminology related to English as a Lingua Franca (ELF). You are familiar with general topics of ELF research, and in particular with topics related to spoken interaction among ELF speakers. You should be able to identify various concepts of conversation analysis (CA) and ELF research in samples of naturally-occurring ELF interactions and be capable of carrying out a focused, more detailed analysis of a particular aspect in your own set of ELF data. You should be able to formulate an appropriate and concise research question and to present theoretical concepts and insights from your data analysis in oral and written form. Furthermore, you will have experience in linguistic field work and be familiar with practical and theoretical issues involved in data collection and transcription.