From the native Americans, to colonists, to the immigrant communities of yesterday and today, the United States has never spoken just one language. This course offers an exploration of this dynamic tapestry, tracing the history and ever-evolving demographics of languages spoken across the nation. Though addressing topics such as language policy, bilingual education, language contact and revitalization, language attitudes, and more, students will gain a better understanding of the linguistic landscapes that have shaped our past and continue to define our present. This course will over the opportunity to discover the stories, challenges, and opportunities that arise when multiple languages intersect in a multicultural nation.
In this project-based course, students will complete a series of Mini-Projects over the course of the semester related to topics of multilingualism from the national scale to our local communities. For example, in one project students will be tasked with created an ArcGIS story map of multilingualism in their hometowns, and in another, students will work in groups to document the linguistic landscape of one street in the local New Brunswick community. In another project, students will create interactive videos about minoritized languages in the United States.
In addition to reading selections from texts such as those shown in the list below, we will also examine primary sources related to multilingualism in the United States such as newspapers, legal documents, educational materials, and more. Students will also have the opportunity to learn from other media sources, including the documentaries Talking Black in America and First Language: The Race to Save Cherokee from the Language and Life Project, podcasts such as America the Bilingual, and ArcGIS story maps such as a Latino History of New Brunswick.