The study of Sociolinguistics has traditionally dismissed data from popular culture because it is neither spontaneous nor naturally occurring. More recent attention, however, has been given to the linguistic performance of identity within popular culture and the implications that various performances have within the expression of ethnolinguistic identity and language ideologies. This course will examine some of the important theoretical developments within the study of language and identity, including stylization, communities of practice approach, language crossings and the acts of identity approach.

CILO-1: Identify and analyze language variation from popular culture texts. CILO-2: Explain what innovative features of language typically appear in popular culture texts. CILO-3: Demonstrate an awareness of popular culture and its relevance to contemporary language in society.