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LANGUAGE SOCIALIZATION

Human Development 354, Psychology 255/355, Anthropology 276/356

Spring 1998 John A. Lucy

Class Meetings: TuTh 12:00-1:30, HD Seminar Room Phone 702-3517

Office Hours: Th 2:30-4:30, HD 301 E-mail j-lucy@uchicago.edu
 
 

Course Description: The course surveys research on language socialization with an eye toward understanding the role of language structure and use in shaping psychological and cultural functioning. Examples of research from a wide variety of languages and cultures and across different ages illustrate the diversity of issues that an adequate theoretical perspective must encompass. Two full ethnographic case studies serve to illustrate how the different topics intersect with each other and with other aspects of culture. Finally, the course considers the implications of this avenue of research for current problems in our own society.

Requirements: The course involves substantial reading. Class will consist of discussion of the readings supplemented by occasional background lectures. Students will be asked to bring to class each week a written discussion question or criticism arising from the week's reading. One third of the grade will be based on these questions. Students will also be required to write two short papers (10-15 pp each), the first involving observation and transcription of a verbal interaction involving a child and the second reviewing empirical research on a specific problem; the two papers may be combined into one longer paper (20-30 pp) such that the empirical and library work relate to one another. The paper(s) will represent the remaining two thirds of the grade. Paper topics should be approved in advance by the instructor. Both papers are due in my mail box in HD by 5 p.m. June 8.
 
 

Schedule of Topics:

Week Date Topic (pp)

INTRODUCTION

1 03/31 Introduction: First Meeting

1 04/02 <no class> Ethnographic Case Study I: Samoa (145)

BACKGROUND ON DEVELOPMENT

2 04/07 Cognitive Development (107)

2 04/09 Social Development (101)

3 04/14 Language Acquisition: Structure (75)

3 04/16 Language Acquisition: Use (64)

LANGUAGE SOCIALIZATION: CULTURE COMPARATIVE

4 04/21 Diversity in Language Socialization (44)

4 04/23 Early Input: The Motherese Hypothesis (80)

5 04/28 Early Input: The Mayan Case (41)

5 04/30 Social Routines: Language Use as Interpersonl Activity (89)

6 05/05 Affective Alignments: Teasing and Verbal Play (54)

6 05/07 Affective Alignments: Emotional Expression and Style (69)

7 05/12 Cognitive Configurations: Linguistic Shaping of Thought (37)

LANGUAGE SOCIALIZATION: SUBCULTURE COMPARATIVE

7 05/14 Ethnographic Case Study II: US (72)

8 05/19 Ethnographic Case Study II: US (117)

8 05/21 Identity Issues: Self and Community (52)

9 05/26 Narrative Development: Building a Shared Reality (105)

9 05/28 Literacy (73)

10 06/02 Schooling (82)

 -28 -36 -117 Reading Materials: The following books will be available for purchase at the Seminary Coop Bookstore. B. Schieffelin & E. Ochs (eds.) (1986), Language Socialization Across Cultures. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

D. Kulik (1992), Language Shift and Cultural Reproduction: Socialization, Self, and Syncretism in a Papua New Guinea Village. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

E. Ochs (1988), Culture and Language Development: Language Acquisition and Language Socialization in a Samoan Village. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

S. Heath (1983), Ways with Words: Language, Life and Work in Communities and Classrooms. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

The remaining course materials are on reserve in Regenstein Library. A master copy of each week's readings will also be placed on file in the Department of Psychology photocopy room. E. Ochs (1988), Culture and Language Development, is out of print at the moment because a second edition is forthcoming and so it must be checked out from reserve or photocopied. A photocopy master of the whole book is provided to facilitate the latter option; but notice that ch. 5-6, 11, and the appendices are not required.
 
 

Reading Assigments:

Week Date Topic

INTRODUCTION

1 03/31 Introduction: First Meeting

1 04/02 Ethnographic Case Study I: Samoa (145)

 E. Ochs (1988), Culture and Language Development (pp. 1-85, 128-188). [It is not necessary in ch. 3 to work through all the linguistic terminology and examples; however, the textual portions should be skimmed for the gist of the argument about the relation of linguistic form to social context. For those with a serious interest in language acquisition, ch. 5-6 (pp. 86-127) are highly recommended as well.]
 
  BACKGROUND ON DEVELOPMENT

2 04/07 Cognitive Development (107 pp.)

 J. Bruner (1976), Nature and uses of immaturity. In J. Bruner, A. Jolly, & K. Sylva (eds.), Play: Its role in Development and Evolution (pp. 28-64).

J. Piaget (1967 [1964]), Six Psychological Studies (ch. 1; pp. 3-73).

2 04/09 Social Development (101 pp.) W. Damon (1983), Social and Personality Development (chs. 4-5; pp. 101-202).

-37 -71 -102

3 04/14 Language Acquisition: Structure (75 pp.) P. de Villiers & J. de Villiers (1979), Early Language (chs. 1, 3-6; pp. 1-10, 31-95). 3 04/16 Language Acquisition: Use (64 pp.) J. Bruner (1983), Child's Talk: Learning to Use Language (pp. 17-19, 23-42, 91-115, 119-134).

L. Gleitman & E. Wanner (1988), Current issues in language learning. In M. Bornstein & M. Lamb (eds.), Developmental Psychology (2nd ed.) (pp. 297-349)

-53 -10-65 -3-20-25-16

LANGUAGE SOCIALIZATION: CULTURE COMPARATIVE

4 04/21 Diversity in Language Socialization (44 pp.)

 E. Ochs & B. Schieffelin (1984), Language acquisition and socialization: Three developmental stories and their implications. In R. LeVine & R. Shweder (eds.), Culture Theory: Essays on Mind, Self, and Emotion (pp. 276-320).

E. Sapir (1921), Language (chs. 1, 4-5; 3-24, 57-119).

D. Hymes (1974), Foundations of Sociolinguistics (chs. 1, 2; pp. 3-66).

-22-63 -64 -45

4 04/23 Early Input: The Motherese Hypothesis (80 pp.) J. Bruner (1974/75), From communication to language: A psychological perspective. Cognition 3: 255-287.

M. McTear (1985), Early conversational development, Children's Conversation, (ch. 3, pp. 59-74).

C. Ferguson (1977), Baby talk as a simplified register. In C. Snow & C. Ferguson (eds.), Talking to Children: Language Input and Acquisition (pp. 209-235).

Gleitman, L, E. Newport, & H. Gleitman (1984), The current status of the motherese hypothesis. Journal of Child Language 11: 43-79.

5 04/28 Early Input: The Mayan Case (41 pp.) Harkness (1975), Cultural variation in mothers' language. In W. von Raffler-Engel (ed.), Child Language-1975, Word 27: 495-498.

B. Stross (1972), Verbal processes in Tzeltal speech socialization. Anthropological Linguistics 14: 1-13.

N. Ratner & C. Pye (1984), Higher pitch in BT is not universal: Acoustic evidence from Quiche Mayan. Journal of Child Language 11: 515-522.

C. Pye (1986), Quiche Mayan speech to children. Journal of Child Language 13: 85-100.

Video segment of Maya caretaker speech will also be shown.

-33 -16 -27 -37 -4 -13 -8 -16 -52

5 04/30 Social Routines: Language Use as Interpersonal Activity (89 pp.) K. Watson-Gegeo & D. Gegeo (1986), Calling-out and repreating routines in Kwara'ae children's language socialization. In Schieffelin & Ochs (eds.), Language Socialization Across Cultures (pp. 17-50).

K. Demuth (1986), Prompting routines in the language socialization of Basotho children. In Schieffelin & Ochs (eds.) (pp. 51-79).

A. Peters & S. Boggs (1986), Interactional routines as cultural influences upon language acquisition. In Schieffelin & Ochs (eds.) (pp. 80-96).

E. Anderson (1986), The acquisition of register variation by Anglo-American children. In Schieffelin & Ochs (eds.) (pp. 153-161).

-34 -29 -17 -9 -92

6 05/05 Affective Alignments: Teasing and Verbal Play (54 pp.) B. Schieffelin (1986), Teasing and shaming in Kaluli children's interactions. In Schieffelin & Ochs (eds.) (pp. 165-181).

A. Eisenberg (1986), Teasing: verbal play in two Mexicano homes. In Schieffelin & Ochs (eds.) (pp. 182-198).

P. Miller (1986), Teasing as language socialization and verbal play in a white working-class community. In Schieffelin & Ochs (eds.) (pp. 199-212).

6 05/05 Affective Alignments: Emotional Expression and Style (69 pp.) P. Clancy (1986), The acquisition of communicative style in Japanese. In Schieffelin & Ochs (eds.) (pp. 213-250).

P. Miller & L Sperry (1987), The socialization of anger and aggression. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly 33: 1-31.

-17 -17 -14 -38 -31 -83

7 05/12 Cognitive Configurations: Linguistic Shaping of Thought (37 pp.) J. Lucy (1988), The role of language in the development of representation: A comparison of the views of Piaget and Vygotsky. Quarterly Newsletter of the Laboratory of Comparative Human Cognition 10: 99-103.

J. Lucy & S. Gaskins (1997), Grammatical categories and the development of classification preferences: A comparative approach. In S. Levinson and M. Bowerman (eds.), Language Acquisition and Conceptual Development (34 pp.).
 
 
 
 

LANGUAGE SOCIALIZATION: SUBCULTURE COMPARATIVE

7 05/14 Ethnographic Case Study II: US (72)

 S. Heath (1983), Ways with Words (pp. 1-72). 8 05/19 Ethnographic Case Study II: US (117) S. Heath (1983), Ways with Words (pp. 72-189). 8 05/21 Identity Issues: Self and Community (52 pp.) P. Miller, R. Potts, H. Fung, & L. Hoogstra (1990), Narrative practices and the social construction of self in childhood. American Ethnologist 17: 292-311.

M. Crago, B. Annahatak, & L. Ningiuruvik (1993), Changing patterns of language-socialization in Inuit homes. Anthropology and Education Quarterly 24: 205-223.

S. Heath (1993), The Madness(es) of Reading and Writing Ethnography. Anthropology and Education Quarterly 24: 256-268.

-20 -19 -98

9 05/26 Narrative Development: Building a Shared Reality (100 pp.) R. Berman & D. Slobin (1994). Relating events in narrative: A crosslinguistic developmental study (pp. 1-16, 39-84) (optional: 611-641). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

D. Slobin (1992), Two ways to travel: verbs of motion in English and Spanish. Paper presented to the Annual Conference of the Linguistic Society of Belgium, Antwerp, 26 November (pp. 1-15).

iA. Karmiloff-Smith (1993), From sentential to discourse functions: Detection and explanation of speech repairs by children and adults. Discourse Processes 16, 565-589.

A. Karmiloff-Smith (1986), From meta-processes to conscious access: Evidence from children's metalinguistic and repair data. Cognition 23, 95-147.

M. Silverstein (1981), The limits of awareness. Working Papers in Sociolinguistics, No. 84. Austin: Southwestern Educational Laboratory (pp. 1-30).

**Book reviewed by Hickmann***

**aphasics paper**

-30 -53 -72 -25

9 05/28 Literacy (93 pp.) C. Snow (1983), Literacy and language: Relationships during the preschool years: Harvard Educational Review 53, 165-189.

S. Michaels (1981), "Sharing time": Children's narrative style and differential access to literacy. Language in Society 10, 423-442.

S. Heath (1986), What no bedtime story means: Narrative skills at home and school, in Schieffelin & Ochs (eds.) (pp. 97-124).

E. Ochs (1988), Culture and Language Development (pp. 189-209).

B. Street (1993), Introduction: "The New Literacy studies." In B. Street (ed.), Cross-Cultural Approaches to Literacy (pp. **-**).

S. Scribner & M. Cole (1973), Cognitive Consequences of formal and informal education. Science 182: 553-559.

-20 -28 -25 -7 -117

10 06/02 Schooling (82 pp.) W. Labov (1975), Academic ignorance and Black intelligence. In M. Maehr & W. Stallings, Culture, child, and school (pp. 63-81). Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole.

S. Wortham (1994), Acting Out Participant Examples in the Classroom (1-28).

E. Ochs, C. Taylor, D. Rudolph, & R. Smith (1992), Storytelling as a theory-bulding activity, Discourse Processes 15: 37-72.

-11-28-64 -5 -16 -19 -91

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