Winter 1993; Tuesday & Thursday, 4:00-5:30 PM; ML 349

Hagey Hall 247, x5362
Home phone (Moffat): (416) 854-1172
E-mail: raha@watarts
Hours: Thursday and Friday, 10:00-11:30; or whenever you can catch me.

We will look at some of the various styles, textures, and dialects of English.
 

Language is a mental phenomenon (you keep it between your ears) and a social phenomenon (you use it by passing it on to other ears and eyes). We will attend almost entirely to the social dimensions of language, which serve two complementary purposes: cohesion and power. People use language to bring them close to others, and to distance themselves from others by exercising or resisting power. Through most of the course, we will examine how English is used for bonding and dominating, but we will also look briefly at another language, Láadan, and at poetry.

Bailey, Images of English
Lakoff and Turner, More than cool reason

Midterm (11 February) 30%
Paper (due 1 April) 30%
Final 40%

Rules of the game

No late assignments will be accepted, no extensions will be granted, and no incompletes will be awarded, without very strong reasons.
Please have all readings done before class.