Postgraduate Course: Bilingual Interaction (LASC11176)
Course Outline
| School | School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences | 
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences | 
 
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) | 
Availability | Available to all students | 
 
| SCQF Credits | 20 | 
ECTS Credits | 10 | 
 
 
| Summary | An advanced study of bi/multilingualism (hereafter 'bilingualism') as a sociolinguistic phenomenon. The course focuses on macro-societal patterns of language use in bilingual communities as well as on micro-interactional language choices. It also explores the applications of bilingualism studies to real-life issues. | 
 
| Course description | 
    
    Week-by-week topics 
Week 1: Definition and scope of bilingualism 
Week 2: Language choice in bilingual communities 
Week 3-5: Language choice in bilingual interaction 
Week 6: Independent study/flexible learning 
Week 7: Applied bilingual interaction studies: a background 
Week 8: Bilingual interaction in educational settings 
Week 9: Bilingual interaction in family settings 
Week 10: Bilingual interaction in workplace settings 
Week 11: Review of the course 
    
    
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites | 
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Co-requisites |  | 
 
| Prohibited Combinations |  | 
Other requirements |  None | 
 
 
Information for Visiting Students 
| Pre-requisites | None | 
 
		| High Demand Course? | 
		Yes | 
     
 
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |   
Learning Outcomes 
    On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
    
        - describe patterns of language choice in bilingual communities both synchronically and diachronically
 - collect and analyse bilingual interactional data
 - demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between language choice and the construction and expression of social identities
 - demonstrate an understanding of the role of language choice in the organization of bilingual conversation
 - demonstrate an understanding of the role of language choice in the accomplishment of various institutional goals
 
     
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Reading List 
An up-to-date list of readings week-by-week will be provided at the beginning of the course. 
 
Some general textbooks 
Wei, Li (2000) (ed.) The Bilingualism Reader. London: Routledge (available online) 
 
Myers-Scotton, C. (2006) Multiple Voices: An Introduction to Bilingualism. Oxford: Blackwell. 
 
Auer, P. and Wei, Li (2007) (eds.) Handbook of Multilingualism and Multilingual Communication. Berlin: Mouton de gruyter. 
 
Gafaranga, J. (2007) Talk in Two Languages. Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Mcmillan (e-book available). 
 
Some relevant Journals: 
International Journal of Bilingualism 
International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism 
Journal of Multilingual of Multicultural development 
Journal of Sociolinguistics 
Language in Society 
Language Problems and Planning 
Current Issues in Language Policy and Planning 
Multilingua |   
 
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills | 
Critical reading and thinking, clarity of expression, evidence-based argumentation, academic report writing | 
 
| Keywords | bi/multilingualism,diglossia,code-switching,language policy,language shift/maintenance | 
 
 
Contacts 
| Course organiser | Dr Joseph Gafaranga 
Tel: (0131 6)50 3496 
Email:  | 
Course secretary | Ms Sasha Wood 
Tel:  
Email:  | 
   
 
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