Instr: Mattson, Jennifer
Office: CRT 697; 229-4230
e-mail: jennifr@uwm.edu
Office hours: TBA
Course Information: MW; 2:00pm-3:15pm; MER 316
Does "I feel trapped" mean the same in male-speak as it does in female-speak? You are somewhat of an expert translator already, perhaps without even realizing it. When a girlfriend says, "Are you hungry?" you know it means SHE is hungry. When a friend says, "Why are you hating on me?" you know you need to apologize for something. What does it mean when a professor says, "I don't formally take attendance, but..."? Why does an international student misinterpret your friendly suggestion to "help yourself"? Does "Where do you live?" mean the same as "Where you stay at?"? What exactly does the word "change" mean when spoken by a political candidate? What is "the heart to never surrender"? How do we translate "defend our national security"?
We will explore hidden and (mis)understood meanings between males and females, between advertisers and consumers, between politicians and voters, between whites and blacks, between internationals who speak English as a second language and native speakers, between mainstream speakers of American English and non-mainstream speakers. We will also examine the language of political correctness, propaganda, text messaging, cell phone novels, and more.
You will have the opportunity to interact with someone who speaks English as a second language, and will learn to recognize and observe various dialects, genderlects, sociolects, and idiolects. This will in turn make you more aware of the ways you and those around you use language. Your metalinguistic awareness will increase. And you will learn what all these things mean!
