Language and its Importance to Modern and Past Societies.
A public syllabus on how language influences culture, behavior and learning.
The goal and purpose of this course:

Since the beginning of human time, language, specifically verbal language, has become the dominant form of articulation among individuals and even eventual societies as a whole in order to express the views/beliefs of themselves and their following groups. The function of language is to help facilitate communication and express one's own emotions and ideas to another individual or group, but as we have now figured out through extensive research and study, language has never been the same. Unlike the modern, technologically based means of communication and language that we have become accustomed to utilizing in this present day and era, language was never this sophisticated in some aspects but also never as dulled in other aspects.
Over thousands of languages have been discovered, researched, and analyzed by linguistics and other scientists alike and eventually made their way onto linguistic trees which ultimately portrays the cruciality of needing to study languages and past languages as they give us a view into the past that no other means of study could provide to us. This is what creates the mystery of language and its evolution, but also what makes it so interesting and crucial to learn and also master in order to have a much more influential and successful life.
Language is also a crucial aspect of one’s life to master because it is both the greatest facilitator and greatest inhibitor from the expression and spread of ideas, emotions, ideals, and knowledge. To put this in perspective, there are more than a hundred active languages in the world, most prominent being the largely utilized ones such as english, french, and arabic. When an individual only understands a single language, the challenge of truly and properly expressing one's own self in every aspect becomes all the more challenging. For instance, in a Ted Talk lecture that will presented to you later in the class, language can complicate even the most simplest of things and transform them into highly complex issues. In the same Ted Talk, individuals of many different languages were asked what color they see in a set of white color pallets. Some answered white, some answered whitish yellow, some even perceived it as having a shade of purple! Although not apparent at first, language is the major inhibitor in this scenario because in some languages, colors are expressed differently and as a result everyone will have a different answer to a question that would seemingly receive the same answer across the board- that being the color of the palate is white. This scenario highlights just some of the importances of understand and mastering not only your own language but others in order to have an overall more efficient life for many more reasons that will be discussed in later points in this course.

Week 1 - The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis

The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, its importance to human society and the how language has the ability to allow people of different cultures and countries of the world to communicate. The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis also explains how language is the biggest inhibitor of the native speaker and how it inhibits people to truly express themselves and their emotions fully.
Ted talk on language [primary source]
This Ted talk speaks about language, what its effects are and how significant it truly is in everything from our daily lives to the efficiency and proper functioning of society.
The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis [secondary source]
The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis is a theory which was subsequently developed by  Edward Sapir and Benjamin Whorf, stated that the structure of language and furthermore, language itself, determines a native speaker of a given language perception and categorization of all their experiences. It also ties directly into the notion that language is the means by which people all over the world have the ability to truly express themselves and their various emotions as well. The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis also depicts why language is a necessity for mankind and society’s culture, but also a major inhibitor as well. (More information on this to come during this week’s lecture)
The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis and its use in intercommunication [secondary source]
The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis is used constantly on the intercommunications between individuals of the same community and society as well as with people from other societies. For example, in this academic discussion, the announcer talks about how different people of different languages describing a set of “white” color slides. Some people said that the sheet is white, some people say its whitish-grey, some people see its slightly purple, etc. The point is that people have different perceptions and different ways of communication and language which both inhibits and facilitates their ability to express themselves, their thoughts, and their emotions.

Week 2 - Universals of language   

Since the start of language, cognitive scientists and professionals such as linguistic anthropologists alike have come to an agreement that all languages are built with a common core and that every single language that was ever created must have some sort of universal aspect in it that applies to every other language it is being compared to. Through the use of modern study methods and extensive/ in-depth research, experts have come to the conclusion that all languages have much more differences then they do similarities or “universals’. As a result, fields that focus heavily on the study of language and its individuals and society should shift their attention from the proven myths of linguistic universals to understanding and analyze the differences that make each individual language unique and separate than any other language in comparison.
Euroversals [primary source]
How a language can share commonalities. A look into the universal European language. Does it exist and if so can we find a consistent set of common concepts and phrases between them. A look at the topography of language concepts.        
Universals of language in terms of direct object  [secondary source]
The critical importance of how word order marks the direct object. A look into how languages can change at even the most fundamental level. With concrete examples, this video shows us that language may not converge to the same ideas and may even cross over each other in time and ideas.         
Myths about language universals. [secondary source]
Throughout the years, cognitive scientists and professionals like linguistic anthropologists, who specialize in the study of language and all of its aspects, were under the impression that languages are built with common aspects. After intense studies and comparisons of many well-studied languages that are still present in the world, experts have concluded that there are “vanishingly few universals of language in the direct sense that all languages exhibit them. Instead, every individual language and every level of that particular language exhibit unique and diverse characteristics that set it apart from any other language that it is being compared to. As a result, the idea of linguistic universals ultimately changes the study to focus more on the differences that each individual language possess, instead of looking for comparisons or universals that all languages share.


Week 3 - Evolution

Language is an innovation that changed radically the character of human society. How we got to where we are today and where we are going. A look into the roots of language and how they shape language as we know it today.   
How Languages Evolve: Ted-Ed [primary source]
This Ted Ed lesson speaks about how thousands of languages have developed from such a small number. Alex Gendler answers questions on how we ended up with so many and how we keep track of them all. He also explains how linguistic trees give us crucial insight into the past. He talks about how groups of people that shared a single language and culture split into smaller tribes, going their separate ways and encountering different areas caused them to turn their similar dialect into radically different languages.

The Mystery of Language Evolution [secondary source]
The roots of language are very hard to determine and although research on the evolution of language began over 40 years ago, we still have no explanation of how or why our linguistic computations and representations evolved. This article explains in detail the factors that do not contribute to the understanding of evolutionary change in language.
How The English Language Has Evolved Like a Living Creature [secondary source]
This article explains the evolution of the English language from a scientific perspective. A team of researchers come to a conclusion that natural selection and genetic drift had an impact in how languages change over time. Statistical methods were used to analyze how past-tense verbs in American English have taken the “-ed” ending, how the world “do” became a verb in Early Modern English, and how negative sentences were made in Old to Early Modern English.

Week 4 - Careers

Why should you study language? How can understanding language can help you in your career and everyday life. Why studying language is a booming and productive field and how you can find a carreire in language.    
Why Study Languages? [primary source]
When majoring in a language, you learn different aspects of different cultures and you get a feel of how different the world is. This gives you a competitive edge and will help you land a job more quickly than those who decide on majoring in something completely different.
Finding a Job [secondary source]
There are numerous amounts of language-based careers open to those who decide to major in language.  
Why Learning a Language Is Good For Your Career [secondary source]
On most job applications a question is asked regarding the number of languages you know how to speak. Speaking more than just one language gives you the advantage you need to get a certain job. Some business sectors are in need of workers who speak more than one language because they need translators to communicate with those who don’t speak their language. Mandarin Chinese, Spanish and German are the three demanded languages in the business world.

Week 5 - Body Language and Nonverbal language

Although verbal communication is the primary and most used for of communication between individuals, nonverbal communication such as gestures and body language are just as important in expressing one's self and portraying their emotions, perhaps even more efficient than standard verbal communication. Through the use of techniques such as “power posing” and extended hand gestures/ body movements, an individual can exponentially increase his or her abilities in expressing themselves to many more people without the restrictions that inhibitors like language barriers place on individuals,groups, and societies as a whole.
Your body Language may shape who you are [primary source]
Language in it of itself affects how others perceive and judge us, but it may also affect how we view ourselves. In this ted talk, Amy cuddy argues that “power posing”, which is presenting yourself with a confident posture, even when we don't necessarily feel confident about whatever it is that we are talking about, can boost our feelings or confidence and as a result, it might have a huge impact on our chances of success. For instance, entering a job interview with utmost confidence and eagerness in your posture could highly likely be what sets the individual apart in getting the job, compared to a more reclusive or shy individual that does not project any confidence in his or her stance whatsoever.

[secondary source]
As humans, we possess a very useful and somewhat unique ability to express ourselves, our thoughts, and our ideas through the use of nonverbal language and gestures. For example, a very common form of nonverbal language that we see constantly in our everyday lives and in society are forms of road rage. When we are attempting to convey feelings of anger while driving, individuals will resort to using their fingers to make certain hand signs and gestures instead of rolling down the window and directly screaming what they have on their mind.

The uses of nonverbal language and how to improve on it. [secondary source]
Nonverbal language is a skill that every individual should be able to utilize properly in order to be an overall better functioning member society. For instance, nonverbal language has many important uses in both the personal and professional aspects of an individual's life such as dating (romance) or in the workplace. The human face is highly expressive and in many instances, it can aid the individual in truly expressing themselves to a diverse amount of people where mere words simply cannot do this as efficiently or simply cannot  do this entirely (language barrier between people).

Week 6 - Slang and Dialect  

Depending on where a person lives or grows up their dialect and way of pronouncing words may differ than others living in different regions. Some may say words or phrases that mean the same thing in a different dialect however, are said slightly the same or completely different.

What Is The Difference Between a Dialect and a Language? [primary source]
Depending on whether a person can understand a different spoken language even though the dialects differ are considered dialects of the same language, whereas two languages where the speakers cannot understand each other are separate languages. Linguistics of  each language can make a distinction depending on the understanding of what some say and understand.
How We Identify Ourselves Through Language  [secondary source]
Robyn Giffen talks about her xenophobia fear of sounding american. This ted talk talks about linguistic identity, spelling convention, terminology and social identification through language. How does language play a role in identification?   
How Slang Affects the English Language [secondary source]
Slang language is usually informal words in a language that isn't typically accepted as the corrects uses. Certain groups of people can have their own way of speaking to one another, an example being teens who use slang terms only they can understand with each other. A logical explanation to why slang is a part of language in today's society is the continuously advancing language through texting. This way of communicating has become so known that some educators worry that it may damage a person’s literacy skills. The use of slang language is a big contribution to the evolution of the english language.

Week 7 - Texting and Electronic language

Even now language is changing. This is a look in to how language is evolving even today and how langues plays in to our lives. This week’s topic covers the new branch of language that has formed nearly worldwide as result of digital technology. From new lingo to new forms of dialogue and punctuation, as well as new grammar rules and complex sub-context.    
Ted talk on how texting is “fingered speech” [primary source]
“Texting isn’t the death of writing, texting is the birth of fingered speech.”   Speech and writing are very different. Speech is generally casual and is much looser than writing. On the contrary, writing is much more professional and formal in almost every aspect of its formulation. Through the years, there has been a bit of bleed between speech and language and in our current time period, we generally write like we speak, which is where texting comes in. For instance, texting is very loose in structure, such as not thinking about capitalizing letters or adding punctuation, which functions very similarly to how we speak, we never having to incorporate any of these through our speech.
Expressive richness as result of the internet [secondary source]
How does the internet changed how we communicate? Dr. Crystal explains how technology affects the form our dialogue takes in this short video discussion. Where language has been and where language is going, we take a look at the recent history of language.  
Enregistering internet language [secondary source]
“This article investigates the enregisterment of an internet-specific language variety and its features.”(the first sentence from the abstract)
this article is about how how we register internet language. It goes in depth in to the ways we go about this and the importance of of registering internet language.  


Week 8 - Gendered language   

Gendered language is a question of awareness. Although a non sexist person would say mankind or man power without thinking twice or giving any thought it still excludes and demeans women's contributions to society. Gendered language is most likely understood as a bias towards a particular gender. Also, the way words are formed in languages such as spanish show the distinction. For example, Spanish words are grammered to distinguish between genders.
Related image
How the language we use shapes our concept of gender [primary source]
How does gender shape who we are and what role do the language we use shape our concept of gender? In pink and blue: communicating gender to children, anthony schullo talks about how language and communication shapes the path that children are allowed to follow in regards to their own gender identity.  
Does gender have an intrinsic role in language [secondary source]
How does the language we use affect our understanding of gender? How do we speak? How are we different? And how are we the same? In her recent ted talk Sophie Scott talks about how gender and language are closely tied together.      
Teachers, what is gendered language?[secondary source]
Gendered language refers to using gender specific terms when speaking any way. English isn't a gender specific language unless there is a bias towards a particular sex. For example, fireman or policeman have the word man in them instead of women and that can sometimes give an idea to younger kids that such jobs are for men. However, there are acceptable gender neutral alternatives such as instead of saying man-made or mankind the terms “artificial” or “humankind” can be alternatives.

Week 9 - Symbolic language    

Symbolism in language can be using an object or a word to represent an abstract idea. An action, person, place, word, or object can all have a symbolic meaning. An example of a symbolic use in language is colors, for example black is mostly used to represent death or evil when describing anything.
Symbolism in Literature[primary source]
Using symbolism in language means a symbol is an object that stand for something else.Most likely it is not what it literally means but more of an idea or belief. This type of writing is sometimes used by authors sto give readers a deeper understanding of the text as well as giving text a deeper meaning. By using an object to represent an idea and give it a meaning that isn't the dictionary definitions can also be used by authors when using symbolism in their writing. Symbolism can overall be used for better storytelling when connecting a story to the theme.
Language is a System of Communication that Uses Symbolism
Symbols in language can have a hidden meaning in many in many aspects of writing. Such things can be illustrated using a variety of different factors, such as, words, images, body language, and sounds. Communicating verbally using symbolic language can require using a mix of symbols to better understand the idea quicker. Sometimes symbols are used as shortcuts in which adds complexity to our communication.  
A Symbol in Language and Literature  [secondary source]
Symbolism is a type of language that is used to add depth and meaning to the writing while getting the point across clearly. Symbols can also represent more than words, for example, a river as a symbol of time and the journey as a symbol of life and the experiences that come along with it.Another example can be how in the movie “Hunger Games” katniss was described as the girl on fire, however, she is not literally on fire. The term fire is used loosely and is not meant to be taken literal but rather as symbolic.


Week 10 - The Importance of saving dying languages   

The last week of our look in to human language is a look in to how language can die and how we can prevent this from happening. We see cases of languages dying with their last speakers in small fringe countries surrounded by large socio economic forces. But we also see cases of language revitalization projects reanimating a culture with large community language projects.     
The last words [primary source]
Barry moses shares his personal experience with being one of the last speakers a dying language. In is ted talk he shares how he’s has grown to respect his culture and begin the process of saving his language.     


Why we need to save endangered language
In Mandana Seyfeddinipur’s ted talk she discusses the problems with language conservation, language evolution, human expressionism and multilingual cultures. But the core of her argument is the great language migration, as smaller speaker language populations give up their culture by forgetting their language and why we need to save them.            
Saved by song [secondary source]
In Susanna Zaraysky’s ted talk she discusses what she believes is the path to saving and conserving language. Though song we can save language.     


















Essay Assignment
Worth: 10% of your overall grade
Due date: March 28, 2018
For this assignment, you will choose 2 different articles, one on the evolution and the other on the origins of language and explain how the authors use different forms of writing such as ethos, logos, and pathos to better support the argument and include your own point of view on the issue. You are looking into meanings and details of the types of different ways that language has evolved. For example, by stating and explaining the psychosocial and cultural factors involved in the origin of language and the development of linguistics.
Requirements:
  • 3-4 pages
  • Double spaced
  • Times New Roman
  • 12 point font.
  • Include a works cited page.
  • All citations should be in MLA format.
Essay should explain below:
  1. Come up with an interesting topic that can relate to how language has progressed over the years.
  2. Formulate a good thesis regarding language.
  3. Explain the purpose of the articles for each author.
  4. To what audience are the authors writing to?
  5. How has language advanced over the years?
  6. Explain how language has evolved around the world.



Foreign Language Poster Board Project
Objective: Over the course of a few weeks we have touched upon the basics of language all over the world. For this project, you will choose a language, any one that you want, and create a poster board project outlining the basics of this language.

Requirements:
  • Must include the alphabet the language uses
  • If the english alphabet is used, explain how the pronunciation of some letters differ.
  • Include the important modal verbs.
  • Must include at least 3 pictures.
  • Include greetings, questions, and some essential phrases that would help someone get around in the country that uses your language.
  • Does your language use slang? If so, explain a few words or expressions and create a few sentences.
  • Does your language have a similar dialect to another language? Explain the similarities and differences.
  • Include how to count to ten and the colors in your language.
  • Up to 5 interesting facts about the language
  • Explain why you chose this language and the most fascinating thing you learned.
This project will be worth 20% of your overall grade. You will be graded on neatness and presentation. The total amount of possible points you can receive is 100, each requirement being worth 10 points. Your poster board will be graded while you present so if you do not present, your poster will not be graded. A google doc will be emailed to each of you and you must sign up for a presentation day.
Due date: April 11th, 2018

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