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The entire history of New Zealand English can be tracked in the Origin of New Zealand English corpus (ONZE), housed at the University of Canterbury. Using this extensive collection of spoken language, we can compare the accents of the very earliest New Zealand born settlers to those of contemporary speakers, to examine how New Zealand English has changed. This allows us to answer interesting questions not only about New Zealand English but also about language change in general. This course has a practical focus which will provide hands-on experience in the analysis of New Zealand English. Students are trained in sociolinguistic methodology and in how to use the ONZE corpus, and are given the opportunity to conduct their own piece of research on language variation and/or change in New Zealand.
The entire history of New Zealand English can be tracked in the Origin of New Zealand English (ONZE) corpus. Using this extensive collection of spoken language, we can compare the accents of the very earliest New Zealand born settlers to those of contemporary speakers, to examine how New Zealand English has changed. This allows us to answer questions not only about New Zealand English but also about language change in general. This is a research course. It has a practical focus which will provide hands-on experience in the analysis of New Zealand English. Students are trained how to think like a researcher, how to formulate hypotheses, and how to test them, often with the ONZE data. You will have the opportunity to conduct your own piece of research on language variation and/or change in New Zealand. We always encourage the best work to be submitted to the New Zealand English Journal for possible publication. This course is excellent preparation for applications to summer scholarships in linguistics, and for anyone wishing to work as a research assistant for the NZILBB. The transferable skills you learn on this course are also excellent training for a wide range of careers, both in Linguistics and in other fields.
By the end of the course, students will 1. be able to demonstrate their understanding of how New Zealand English varies and changes over time 2. be able to display complex data in tabular and graphical form, 3. be able to critically evaluate rival hypotheses regarding language variation and change, 4. be able to use LaBB-CAT to carry out detailed analyses of New Zealand English over time5. be able to effectively communicate complex research results
This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:
Critically competent in a core academic discipline of their award
Students know and can critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within their majoring subject.
LING210 or LING215 or LING216 or LING217 or ENLA210 or with permission of Linguistics Head of Department
ENLA310
Kevin Watson
There is no required textbook for this course, but four useful books that will be recommended are: Hay, J., Maclagan, M. and Gordon, E. (2008) New Zealand English. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.Gordon, E., Campbell, L., Hay, J., Maclagan, M., Sudbury, A. and Trudgill, P. (2004) New Zealand English: Its Origins and Evolution. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Tagliamonte, S. (2012) Variationist Sociolinguistics: change, observation, interpretation. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.Kiesling, S. (2011) Linguistic variation and change. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press
Library portalThe course outline is available on LEARN (only for students enrolled in this course). LEARN
Domestic fee $1,523.00
International fee $6,375.00
* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.
For further information see Language, Social and Political Sciences .