Lecture (LEC)

• COLL (CASE) A&H Breadth of Inq

• Above class meets first eight weeks only
• Topic: German language and society: Widespread stereotypes under discussion
• Above section meets with GER-G 625
• COLL (CASE) A&H Breadth of Inquiry credit

Topic: German language and society

German language and society: Widespread stereotypes under discussion. Course description: This seminar explores the intersection of language, culture, and society by critically examining widespread stereotypes about Germany and its people. Through a combination of linguistic analysis, cultural studies, and historical perspectives, students will investigate how stereotypes about Germans have evolved over time, how they are represented in media, and how they shape international perceptions. The course opens with an overview of the history of the German language in order to understand the roots of present-day varieties of German. This sec,on of the course will focus on the standardization of German, with an eye to understanding the historical and cultural factors that motivated standardization. We will then discuss traditional German dialectology, as well as more perceptually-oriented approaches to language. In this portion of the course, we will investigate the cultural status of various varieties of German, including the standard versions of German, some non-standard dialects, and German dialects abroad. In this context, we will also discuss German in contact with other languages, and the cultural and linguistic results thereof, as well as the cultural and political status of German in officially multilingual societies like Switzerland and unofficially multilingual societies like Germany. In the final portion of the course, we will explore German as an extraterritorial variety and learn in which countries German "language islands" exist. We will see how differences in linguistic behavior attain social and cultural significance, how social and political developments (e.g. the division and reunification of Germany) can motivate linguistic and cultural change, and how people change their linguistic and cultural behavior when confronted with a different political or social environment. We will also discuss the impact of stereotypes on German identity and intercultural communication. Most importantly, we will come to understand the role of language in shaping culture and society in the German-speaking world.