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Course Description
This course is a general introduction to pluralism and diversity in American speech communication. Our accents, word choice and communication strategies are often influenced by factors such as our racial, religious, ethnic, sexual and regional identities. As a result, people in the U.S. speak many varieties of English (and other languages). This course will examine a number of culturally distinct speech communities and unpack the cultural logic of their speech. Topics will include: an overview of American English, Spanglish, Black English, deaf language, male and female communication patterns, the importance of naming in Jewish, gay and other identities, regionalisms, slang and resistive strategies used by non-dominant groups in our mass-mediated world. No speeches are required in this course.