SPAN 6800
(Socio)Linguistic Labor
Embedded Files
La Plaza Internacional. A la derecha de los circulos está Uruguay; a la izquierda, Brazil.
Class overview
All languages that have writing systems today were at one point only oral. Dedicated scholars and authors expended great effort to create writing systems and literature in these languages. Many other languages around the world have gone extinct in recent years or are facing the threat of extinction. In these cases, some authors are writing their stories before the language dies. In this course we will consider the histories of Spanish, Spanglish, Portuñol, and Judeo-Spanish (Ladino) to illuminate the role of authors across the Hispanic world who do the sociolinguistic labor of writing their languages for the first, or maybe the last, time.
This course expects a high intermediate level from incoming students and strives to move you towards the advanced level. This link contains specific tasks that you should be able to complete successfully at the high intermediate level.
Note: There are readings in this class in English, Spanish, Spanglish, Portuñol, and Judeo-Spanish. Not all readings will be easy, but with some effort and a dictionary, all should be accessible. We'll talk more about language expectations on the first day of class. (This syllabus is in English as that is the language of the university administration, please feel free to ask for clarification if needed.)
What class will look like
SPAN 6800 is designed as a seminar. This means all students are expected to come with questions and thoughts to debate in class.
Students will present on key readings throughout the semester.
Students will be divided into cohorts who will specialize in one of the language communities studied over the course of the semester and will be able to bring insight about those communities to the larger group.
About me
Remy Attig - he/him, él/lo
@RemyAttig
Call me Remy, Profe, Dr. Attig, anything but "sir."
I'm a sociolinguist, which means I study how the groups that we belong to shape our language use. In particular, I'm interested in translinguistics (also known as code-switching or language mixing), the translation of TV/Film for international audiences, and queer and inclusive ways of speaking.
In my free time I travel, craft, game, go to the gym, and get really obsessed about random hobbies for about 3-6 months before moving on to something else with equal excitement.
I speak Spanish, English, French, Portuguese, and American Sign Language.
Office Hours
My office is located in Shatzel 212. My office hours are Tuesdays from 10:30-11:15 and Thursdays from 1:00-2:00. If these times don't work with your schedule, reach out and we'll figure something out.
During office hours, I'm sitting there waiting to help students. Take advantage of the time to get help with something you're struggling with, gain clarity on assignments, ask more about something you found interesting, or just say hi and see if I have candy. You're not interrupting me or bothering me. I've set aside the time for you.
I do recommend students email in advance if they think they need more than a few minutes, especially near major deadlines. You can reach me for office hours or with questions at rattig@bgsu.edu.
Course Materials
SPAN 6800 Canvas page – Make sure to set up Canvas notifications. We’ll be using this page a lot.
All readings will be on the Canvas page.
Online Resources
Wordreference.com – recommended bilingual dictionary with great forums that can help you find words in context if you're not sure which to use. (Resist the temptation to use Google Translate as a dictionary, it’s a lousy one). You may also want to use Word Reference for support when reading texts in Portuñol as the Portuguese influence may prove challenging.
https://www.soysefardi.org/2015/06/diksionaryo-de-ladino-espanyol.html - Judeo-Spanish (Ladino)-Spanish dictionary. It's not a great one, but it seems to be the best I can find online. A rather complete Judeo-Spanish to English dictionary will be on reserve for you at the library.
https://www.rae.es/ and https://www.dictionary.com/ - Words don't always mean what we think they mean. Look them up in monolingual dictionaries to see!
Spellcheck & Grammar check - This is an easy way to catch mistakes but many students forget to take advantage of it. Depending on whether you're using Word, Google Docs, Pages, or something else, how you use these editing tools will vary. Learn how to do it and run it every single time before you submit work. Both tools will help you identify errors that you might not catch on your own. They'll also do a great job of identifying made-up words. Remember, though, these tools are not always correct, and they are pretty terrible when it comes to navigating multiple languages in a text, so review their suggestions with a critical eye. You'll learn a ton this way.
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