Norms and language

University of Bergen, Department of foreign languages

Course leader:

• Professor Ingunn Lunde, University of Bergen, Department of Foreign Languages, home page

Deputy course leader:

• Associate professor Ana Beatriz Chiquito, University of Bergen, Department of Foreign Languages (home page)

In collaboration with:

• Professor Miguel Angel Quesada-Pacheco, University of Bergen, Department of Foreign Languages
• Doctoral fellow Aleksandrs Berdicevskis, University of Bergen, Department of Foreign Languages
• Postdoctoral fellow Martin Paulsen, University of Bergen, Department of Foreign Languages

Invited guest lecturer:

• Professor Gasan Gusejnov, Moscow State University (Classical Philology) (home page) (short biography)

UiB Guest teacher:

• Lin Bernard NKa, PhD student in French, IF, University of Bergen

Short Course description

The course “Norms and Language” has a global scope and seeks to gain an understanding of how languages exist and coexist in different societies. Central perspectives include the notion of norm in the development and maintenance of a standard language, the power structures which influence such processes and the fate and conditions of minority languages. We discuss attempts to enforce, modify and regulate norms and the institutions, organisations and individuals involved in such endeavours. We further zoom in on norm negotiations, assessing the variety of ways in which linguistic norms are discussed, challenged or accepted in verbal interaction between human beings. Finally we bring up questions of norms related to oral language, literacy and the creation of alphabets. The course draws on current research in sociolinguistics, linguistic anthropology and cultural studies.

For full course description and syllabus: click here (PDF)