124641 VO BEd 04.1: Language in a Social Context (2018S)

This lecture forms the second part of a one-year introductory programme that aims at providing first-year students of Lehramt Englisch with an overview of the major areas of linguistic knowledge and its relevance for language teaching. It will complement the topics discussed in the course Introduction to English Linguistics. After revisiting phonetics and phonology, we consider how language varies in relation to different social and geographical factors (sociolinguistics) as well as historical stages (historical linguistics). We examine how language functions in communication and how humans use language to create meaning in interaction (pragmatics, discourse analysis). Furthermore, we describe aspects of children acquiring their first language and how further languages are learnt at later stages in life and in different contexts (second language acquisition).
Students will be familiar with the basic principles of phonology, sociolinguistics, pragmatics, discourse analysis, first and second language acquisition, and history of English. They will be able to apply their knowledge to English texts. Students will be able to read and write English in phonemic transcription.