|
Lehrende/r: Prof. Dr. Günther Lampert
Veranstaltungsart:
online: Seminar
Anzeige im Stundenplan:
05.008.200
Semesterwochenstunden:
2
Unterrichtssprache:
Englisch
Min. | Max. Teilnehmerzahl:
- | 30
Anmeldegruppe: Engl Ling 200
Prioritätsschema: Senatsrichtlinie
Zulassung gemäß Richtlinie über den Zugang zu teilnahmebeschränkten Lehrveranstaltungen vom 07. März 2007.
Nähere Informationen hierzu entnehmen Sie bitte www.info.jogustine.uni-mainz.de/senatsrichtlinie
Voraussetzungen / Organisatorisches:
This class is a seminar. Even if this designation implies that you have already attended a proseminar, I know that this may not be the case. So, I will first briefly explain what you will have to expect, especially how you may obtain credit, and how the class will be organized.
The major form of communication implemented in this class is via (written) text. This makes this class an alternative to the face-to-face form of communication prevalent in normal university classes.
Thus, after completing the seminar, you will (hopefully) be able to master certain skills you might need in the academic world. First of all, you will be guided to read different genres of linguistic writing: introductions, theoretical, and empirical studies—but, for this class, you will also have opportunities to watch serious (and not so serious videos) connected to the topic.
And, importantly, since the class is about very sensitive language issues; it will, by necessity, have to cover offensive language, too. So, if you think you can’t stand this, the class is probably not right for you. But rest assured: We will only mention those offensive words, but never use them (an important distinction, I think).
As I said, in the course of the semester you will (hopefully) be able to get some practice in various writing skills, involving different genres: answer study questions, write a reading report (or summary), and compose a scientific poster, which visually represents the major findings of a study. Posters are meant to be self-explanatory, they do not need a presentation, and are therefore suited to present scientific findings to a large number of people at the same time.
And finally, you will be asked to write a term paper (of 3000-3500 words). The paper is supposed to involve some small-scale empirical work of your own .
Also important in this respect is that you will continue practicing the obligatory formal make-up of a linguistics term-paper (outline, table of contents, structure, citation practices, bibliography, etc.).
Inhalt:
Language has sometimes been called a 'loaded weapon', for it contains a large number of words and expressions that should not be used because they may be considered offensive and cause harm. The use of language is thus never a matter of ‘mere words’, but it has profound influence on thought and behavior.
To cite just one example from the US: One of the editors of the New York Times was fired because he mentioned (not used) the famous ‘N-word’; on the other hand, the movies of the famous director Quentin Tarantino have been found to contain the ‘F-word’ over 900 times, while its use is banned from public American tv; and a member of the Green Party in Germany had to apologize because she had answered the question what she wanted to be in her life when she was a child: ‘ein Indianerhäuptling’.
So, it may indeed be that “Every sign is subject to the criteria of ideological evaluation … Wherever a sign is present, ideology is present, too.” (Voloshinov)
This class, then, is to provide some insight into different linguistic sectors and situations connected to this topic.
To this end, we will cover such areas as taboo language, impolite and rude speech, swearing and insults, euphemisms and dysphemisms, politically (in-) correct speech, racist and other slurs, ‘woke’ and cancel culture; but we will also treat (institutional) censorship that has tried to prevent the use of such words.
Empfohlene Literatur:
Digitale Lehre:
All information pertaining to this class will be found on the platform https://lms.uni-mainz.de, which you can access via your zdv account once you have registered for the class.
The platform is first of all meant to serve what is now being called asynchronous teaching, but it seems to have a potential for synchronous communication as well. Asynchronous communication means that you can study and work on the material offered whenever you like.
|
