ATS2944 · Language, culture and power

Overview

This unit explores the relationship between language and culture, and how this relationship impacts one’s place and social mobility in society. You will learn how one’s language and language use may be linked to social, regional and ethnic factors, among others, and then unpack tensions between these factors. You will discover how attitudes, ideologies and values influence the use and interpretation of language and culture and how language can be linked to concepts like the perceived attributes of speakers and groups. This enables you to challenge assumptions behind concepts like standard language and appropriate language and to recognise how the answer of who gets to say what how is often determined by power. You will then demonstrate the practical implications of language, culture and power for communication in the workplace and the wider community.

Areas of study: Linguistics

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Within semester assessment: 100%

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.

Learning outcomes

1. identify and discuss how linguistic features intersect with power and a person’s place in society;
2. analyse the impact that ideologies and world-view have on inter- and intra-speaker variation;
3. conduct and evaluate a research project to investigate language, culture and power;
4. apply knowledge by analysing and interpreting workplace (mis)communication, supported by a selective range of scholarly sources.

Workload

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.