Writing and Public Discourse 119lm - Colloquium: Writing Roundtable Topics-Language Myths

People have all kinds of beliefs about language: Women talk more than men. Sign languages aren’t real languages. Texting ruins people's spelling. Termed “linguistic folk beliefs” or “language myths,” these beliefs are not informed by linguistic research yet are frequently and widely accepted. They even appear in the media and can perpetuate harmful cultural stereotypes. However, most of them are false. This course uses the writing process to investigate popular language myths. Students explore common language myths, examine past and current linguistic research on these myths and develop a stronger understanding of how language actually works. Designed for multilingual students, students who are bilingual from childhood or speak/write a language other than English as their first language. Enrollment limited to 15. (E)