Why is the English spoken in New York City different from that spoken in Dallas, Texas? What is Ebonics and what is controversial about it? When, why and how do speakers in bilingual communities mix languages? Why do teachers tell their students that ain't isn't a word? Where might you hear someone say “I might could stay at the party until midnight"? Why do speakers sometimes say singing and sometimes say singin'? These are some of the questions that sociolinguistics, an approach to the study of language that focuses on the connection between language and society, seeks to answer. 　　　In this course students are introduced to the main theoretical frameworks and research methodologies, within current sociolinguistics. Additionally, we will explore a range of topics in the fields of sociolinguistics and dialectology to which these frameworks have been applied. The topics covered relate to worldwide language variation and change in English and could include: - language variation according to social class, age, gender and ethnicity; - variation in individual speaking styles; - geographical variation and the formation of dialects; - multilingualism; - creole languages; - standards and standardisation; - slang and taboo language; - language policy and planning. この授業では、社会言語学の主な学説や研究方法などが取り上げられます。そして、英語だけではなく他の言語にもかかわるトピックもあります。また、社会的な階級や性別などによってどのように言葉の使い方が変わってくるか、スラングやタブー、言語に関わる政策など、様々な視点から言葉の使われ方を見ていきます。