BA Linguistics and German

This course introduces students to the analysis of the registers of the English language and their internal linguistic variation. The course aims at providing an understanding of the concepts of register, genre, and style, as well as a practical ability in analysing texts using computational and statistical methods. The main topic of the course is the analysis of register and how language varies according to use. The course also introduces the students to the application of a multidimensional analysis to the exploration of register differences between text types. In addition, the course also focuses on the linguistic variation in English dependent on the characteristics of its author, thus exploring how style varies by social groups and across individuals.

This course is strongly recommended for LELA31632 Forensic Linguistics.

The principal aims of the course unit are as follows:

• To understand the notion of register, genre, and style
• To understand how English texts vary linguistically for register and style
• To know the most important advances in register analysis
• To be able to apply linguistic techniques to describe the register of a text

The syllabus below is an indication only:

Week 1. Registers, genres, styles

Week 2. Register analysis and the situational parameters

Week 3. The analysis of linguistic features

Week 4. The spoken registers of English

Week 5. The written registers of English

Week 6. Historical evolution of English registers

Week 7. Multidimensional analysis

Week 8. The register space of English

Week 9. Styles and text types

Week 10. Register variation and sociolinguistics

Week 11. Revision

The teaching for the course will include lectures and computer lab sessions. Lectures and supporting materials will be made available on Blackboard.

• Have an in-depth understanding of the concepts of register, genre, and style
• Have an understanding of the basic methodologies for register analysis
• Have a thorough understanding of the linguistic characteristics of the most common registers of the English language
• Know the main theoretical notions on sociolinguistic variation in style

• Critically evaluate the literature regarding register analysis
• Be able to describe the extra-linguistic context of a text
• Be able to describe the linguistic features of a text in relation to its context

• Apply qualitative and computational linguistic methods to identify linguistic variation
• Be able to use computational methods to apply a multidimensional analysis
• Be able to apply the essential statistics for the comparison of registers

• Develop analytical skills
• Develop verbal and written communication skills
• Be able to apply descriptive linguistic techniques to analyse real world texts
• Develop ability to use computational and statistical methods

Biber, D. 1988. Variation across Speech and Writing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Biber, D. 1989. “A Typology of English Texts.” Linguistics 27 (1): 3–43.

Biber, D., and Conrad, S. 2009. Register, Genre, and Style. Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press.

Cloran, C. 1989. “Learning through Language: The Social Construction of Gender.” In Language Development: Learning Language, Learning Culture, edited by Hasan, R. & Martin, J, 111–51. Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing Corporation.

Halliday, M. A. K., and Hasan, R. 1989. Language, Context, and Text: Aspects of Language in a Social-Semiotic Perspective. Oxford: Oxford University Press.