An Introduction to Sociolinguistics: Accents, Attitudes and Identity

Discover sociolinguistics and understand accentism and what attitudes to language say about society with this free online course from the University of York.

Duration

4 weeks

Weekly study

4 hours

100% online

How it works

Unlimited subscription

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Learn what your attitude to accents and dialects says about yourself and society

We all have preferred accents and ways of speaking, but what makes something ‘good’ or ‘bad’ English? On this course, you will explore where our attitudes to language come from, how they are formed, and what they tell us about society.

You will be introduced to a range of sociolinguistic research methods and learn what these methods tell us about our individual sense of identity. You will also study their impact on social factors like gender, social class, and national affiliation. Plus, you will determine the real-world implications of language attitudes on our society as a whole.

What topics will you cover?

  • Accents and language attitudes
  • Measuring language variation and attitudes
  • Language and identity
  • Why language attitudes matter

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