Type of Credit: Elective
Credit(s)
Number of Students
This course tries to explore the correlation between social identity and language use within the multicultural and multilingual society of Taiwan, by means of an interdisciplinary approach, not limited to social psychology, communication, and linguistics. With the advance of various media platforms and discourses, certain learner-centered teaching practices, such as reading guide, panel discussion, independent study, and learning portfolio, are adopted to help students examine their own experience of identity formation and language acquisition, define the identity-language correlation, and then build up a more culturally, linguistically diverse and friendly media environment for Taiwan.
能力項目說明
Through the lenses of various social minorities and corresponding language issues in Taiwan’s media, this course expects learners to understand those critical determinants that shape social identity and language use on various levels, and to account for the potential correlation between the two attributes, namely how social identity impacts language use and how language use reveals social identity. By actively engaging in class discussions, assigned tasks, and individual reflections, learners should be able to (i) acquire better understanding of ideology-related conflict and language choice from an individual level, nationwide, to across the border, (ii) develop sensitivity to various minority topics and word choices, and (iii) help themselves assess their own identity development and language attitude. With these learning objectives achieved, they are expected to be better qualified for taking on media practices, enhancing cultural diversity and multilingualism in Taiwan’s media.
This course generally divides into three dimensions to examine the correlation between social identity and language use: (i) intrapersonal level, referring to individual experience of first and second language acquisition, (ii) interpersonal level, referring to language attitude toward various social minorities, and (iii) public level, referring to controversial language issues. On the intrapersonal level, the theory of social identity and the sociolinguistic parameters of language attitude are introduced first, followed by the case studies on first and second language acquisition to help learners conceptualize how social identity and language use are correlated through their own experience. The case studies of first and second languages might vary from Mandarin Chinese, Hakka, Southern Min (Taiwanese), indigenous languages, to other Asian languages and foreign languages, depending on each leaner’s identity and choice. Among all these interests, Mandarin Chinese and English are going to be highlighted. On the interpersonal level, Taiwan’s first residents (indigenous peoples), early immigrants (Southern Min and Hakka), and new residents (migrant workers and expatriates) account for the case studies on social identity and language ideology. On the public level, other social minorities (gender minority, ageism, and people with physical/ mental impairment) and speech freedom are focused. Based on the framework of social identity theory and language ideology, learners are required to understand key terms and critical implications, to discuss about relevant cases from various media contexts, and to reflect their own language use and attitude.
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Date |
Topics |
Notes & Assignments |
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Week1：9/3 |
Course Introduction: Syllabus, schedule, and requirements |
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Week2：9/10 |
Social Identity Theory: Taiwan Images, Identity Issues, Five Core Ethnic Groups in Taiwan & Intergroup Relations |
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Week3：9/17 |
Cultivation Theory, Stereotype/ Stereotype Threat, and Social Identity: Terminology, examples, and implications for social conflicts and identity development |
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Week4：9/24 |
Language Use, Language Attitude and Ideology: Taiwan’s ‘National’ Languages and Language Policy |
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Week5：10/1 |
‘Chinese’ Languages, Dialects, Mandarin Varieties, and Other Language Issues in Taiwan |
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Week6：10/8 |
Second Languages, Bilingualism, Bilingual ‘ |
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Week7：10/15 |
Independent Study I: Language acquisition, language use/ choice, language policy, or language attitudes |
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Week8：10/22 |
-First Nations & Indigenous Peoples: Stereotypes, social issues, mocking accents, and language revitalization (language nest) |
Mid-Term Week |
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Week9：10/29 |
-Early Immigrants (Hakka & Hokkien): Stereotypes, model minority, identity issues, and language ideology |
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Week10：11/5 |
-Late Immigrants/ WàiShĕngRén & New Residents/ Immigrants: Stereotypes, social issues, speech accents, replacement theory and identity negotiations |
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Week11：11/12 |
Independent Study II: Linguicism, non-native accents, or mock accents (i.e. Mockney, Mock Hakka, etc.) |
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Week12：11/19 |
Guest Speech on ‘Stereotypes and Cultural Identity of Foods’ by Prof Wu-Ken SHIH |
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Week13：11/26 |
-Gender Minorities and Gendered Speech Style: Stereotypes, social issues, and language personalities |
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Week14：12/3 |
-Aged Society and Language Change: Stereotypes, social issues, Gen Z, and politically correct terms |
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Week15：12/10 |
Independent Study III: Impacts of AI applications and current geopolitical dynamics on social identity and language use |
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Week16：12/17 |
Final Presentations on (i) the correlation between social identity & language use/ choice and (ii) the potential effect of AI applications & geopolitical dynamics on the correlation |
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(i) Class Participation & Panel Discussions: 20%
Attendance is not necessary only if someone can finish all class requirements in a timely manner. As one cannot attend some class, please keep the instructor/ TA informed via email before the class. Each one could have two excuses to be absent from the regular classes; otherwise, provide with a reasonable proof for absence. During the classes, positively engaging in class activities of various forms will definitely help establish a more ideal and comfortable learning environment for all of us.
(ii) Reading Guide & Independent Study: 30%
Each student is required to practice two individual presentations in class, one for briefing a paper selected from weekly required readings below and the other for conducting an independent study on relevant language issues that the presenter feels interested in or consider to be critical. The sign-up schedule for in-class presentations shall be announced online shortly after the add-drop period (Week 2).
The presentation of guided readings should include: (1) generalizing each full paper in a simple, perspicuous way, (2) explaining research methods used, analyses adopted, data and findings provided, and (3) providing 1 to 2 potential issues/topics for discussion or a follow-up Q&A session, ideally 15 to 20 mins long.
The independent study on relevant language issues could focus on: (1) descriptive analysis of various media contents (i.e., news article, commercials, live-streaming programs, short clips, movies, etc.), (2) presentation of one research article (i.e., public survey/report, academic paper, etc.), or (3) self-constructed study on some specific issue, ideally 15 to 20 mins long.
(iii) Assignments: 30%
-(1) Self Evaluation on Language Competence: evaluate one’s own language competence (i.e., communication and literacy skills) by means of various criteria (i.e., subjective and objective scales) in 250 to 300 words. Submission deadline: Oct 8th (Week 5)
-(2) Self Evaluation on Language Attitudes: evaluate one’s own language choices by means of various attitudinal dimensions (i.e., solidarity and status parameters) in 250 to 300 words. Submission deadline: Oct 29th (Week 8)
-(3) Reflections on Guest Speech: after the guest speech, please share one’s own reflections on the topic as an essay, highlighting at least three key takeaways and interpreting them in your own words (i.e., summary as a topic sentence, three takeaways and your interpretations, personal thoughts, and concluding remarks, 250 to 300 words). Submission deadline: Dec 3rd (Week 13)
(vi) Final Presentation: 20%
Based on your own language use and experience, (i) try to evaluate the correlation between social identity and language use on a five-point scale, with five indicating the highest degree and with one as the lowest, (ii) provide three to five arguments for such an evaluation, and (iii) predict two to three potential effects of AI applications on the correlation between social identity and language use in approximately 8 to 10 mins (Week 16).
Week02/03:
2-1: Tajfel, Henri. & Turner, C. John. (1979). An integrative theory of intergroup conflict. In William G. Austin & Stephen Worchel (Eds.), The Social Psychology of Intergroup Relations, 33-47. Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole.
2-2: Stangor, Charles., Jhangiani, Rajiv. & Tarry, Hammond. (2014). Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination. In Charles Stangor, Rajiv Jhangiani & Hammond Tarry (Eds.), Principles of Social Psychology- 1st International Edition. BCcampus OpenEd, Minneapolis: Open Textbook Library.
2-3: Wei, Jennifer M. (2008). Language Choice and Identity Politics. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Pub Inc.
Week04:
4-1: Marko Dragojevic , Fabio Fasoli, Jennifer Cramer, and Tamara Rakić (2021). Toward a Century of Language Attitudes Research: Looking Back and Moving Forward. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 2021, Vol. 40(1) 60–79.
4-2: Albury, N. J. (2020). Language attitudes and ideologies on linguistic diversity. In A. C. Schalley & S. A. Eisenchlas (Eds.), Handbooks of Applied Linguistics (pp. 357-376). Berlin/Boston: De Gruyter Mouton. doi:10.1515/9781501510175-018
4-3: Yeh, Hsi-Nan., Chan, Hui-Chen. & Cheng, Yuh-Show. (2004). Language Use in Taiwan: Language Proficiency and Domain Analysis. Journal of Taiwan Normal University: Humanities & Social Sciences, 49 (1), 75-108.
Week05:
5-1(CHS): Khoo, Hui-Lu. (2019). The Language Attitudes in Post Guoyu Movement Era in Taiwan- A Study of Taiwanese Young People’s Attitudes Towards Five Mandarin Varieties. Journal of Taiwanese Languages and Literature, 14 (2), 217-253.
5-2: Fan, Yu Cheng. (2024). Convergence or Divergence: Taiwanese Mandarin Speakers’ Language Knowledge and Language Attitudes Toward Beijing Mandarin Terms, Media Consumption, and Political Leanings (Unpublished master’s thesis). National Chengchi University: Taipei City, Taiwan.
5-3: Liu, Chun-Hung. (2018). Taiwanese University Students’ Language Attitude Towards English, Mandarin, and Southern-Min (Unpublished master’s thesis). Providence University: Taichung City, Taiwan.
Week06:
6-1: Rigby, Kaitlin A. (2021). Evolution and Impact of English Language Policy in Taiwan (Unpublished honors theses). University of Mississippi: Oxford, MS.
6-2: Ngangbam, Shantikumar Meetei. (2022). Taiwan’s Bilingual Nation Policy 2030: Concerned Issues and Suggestions. European Journal of Literature, Language and Linguistics Studies, 6 (2), 1-18.
6-3: Tu, Ching-Yi C. (2008). Language Attitudes towards English Code-Mixing in Mandarin Newspapers in Taiwan: A Study in Keelung and Taipei Areas (Unpublished master’s thesis). Fu Jen Catholic University: New Taipei City, Taiwan.
Week08:
8-1: Yang, Chen-Yi. (2018). A Study of Taiwan’s Junior High Students’ Language Proficiency, Use, and Attitude: Mandarin Chinese, Indigenous Languages, and English (Unpublished PhD Dissertation). National Tsing Hua University: Hsinchu City, Taiwan.
8-2: Chambers, Natalie A. (2015). Language nests as an emergent global phenomenon: Diverse approaches to program development and delivery. The International Journal of Holistic Early Learning and Development, 1, 25-38.
8-3 (CHS): Her, One-Soon. (2009). Language and Group Identity: On Taiwan Mainlanders’ Mother Tongues and Taiwan Mandarin. Language and Linguistics, 10 (2), 375-419.
8-4: Klöter, Henning. (2004). Language Policy in the KMT and DPP Eras. China Perspectives, 56. https://doi.org/ 10.4000/chinaperspectives.442
Week09:
9-1: Vollmann, Ralf & Soon, Tek Wooi. (2022). Convergence of Hakka with Chinese in Taiwan. Global Chinese, 8 (2), 211–229.
9-2: Chang, Han-Pi & Chang, Chen-Chi. (2020). The Generation Gap in Hakka Language Use and Ethnic Identity. Hakka Research, 13 (1), 51-96.
9-3 (CHS): Li, Song Shan. (2010). The Use of Southern Min (Taiwanese) Terms in Taiwan’s Newspaper Headlines: A Case in United Daily from July 2006 to June 2008 (Unpublished master’s thesis). National Taiwan Normal University: Taipei City, Taiwan.
Week10:
10-1 (CHS): Li, Song Shan. (2010). The Use of Southern Min (Taiwanese) Terms in Taiwan’s Newspaper Headlines: A Case in United Daily from July 2006 to June 2008 (Unpublished master’s thesis). National Taiwan Normal University: Taipei City, Taiwan.
10-2: Lin, Hsiao-Chun. (2023). An Exploration of Taiwanese Multilingual Students’ Linguistic Identities. Linguistics and Education, 78: 101248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.linged.2023.101248
10-3: Hansen, Fedrik. (2022). Non-native Mandarin Accents and Representation of Indonesians in Taiwan (Unpublished master’s thesis). National Chengchi University: Taipei City, Taiwan.
10-4(CHS): Chen, Chih-Jou & Ng, Ka-u. (2017). Public Attitudes toward Marriage Migrants in Taiwan: The Ten-Year Change, 2004–2014. Journal of Social Sciences and Philosophy, 29 (3), 415–452.
10-5: Li, Zhiyu. (2020). Inclusive or Exclusive: Dual Identity and Divergence of Attitudes Towards Immigrants in Taiwan. SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4235718 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4235718
Week13:
13-1: Popp, Danielle., Donovan, Roxanne A., Crawford, Mary., Marsh, Kerry L. & Peele, Melanie. (2003). Gender, Race, and Speech Style Stereotypes. Sex Roles, 48 (7/8), 317-325.
13-2: Chang, Heng-hao & Wang, Jing-yi. (2016). From “Handicapped” to “Disabled”: A Content Analysis of Disability Labels and Discourse in Taiwanese Newspapers. Taiwanese Sociology, 31, 1-41.
13-3: Halmari, Helena. (2011). Political correctness, euphemism, and language change: The case of ‘people first’. Journal of Pragmatics, 43 (3), 828-840.
Week14:
14-1 (CHS): Lien, Shu-Chin. (2012). The Analysis of the Portrayals of Older Characters on Television Commercials. Journal of Audio-visual Media and Technologies, 35, 27-56.
14-2: Sankoff, Gillian. (2019). Language change across the lifespan: Three trajectory types. Language, 95 (2), 197-229.
*Noted: The syllabus is simply tentative, which the instructor has rights to change throughout the semester. Please follow the weekly pre-/post-class notes for the latest update accordingly.