SAIL Undergraduate Track
Image credit: The above image is taken from Dr. J Calder's in theÌýJournal of Linguistic AnthropologyÌýin 2019. A faculty member and sociophonetician in the department's Undergraduate SAIL Track, Dr. Calder has researched the complexities of how the sound /s/ is used by a 'radical' community of drag queens in SoMa, San Francisco. Dr. Calder's SAIL courses include LING 2400 (Language, Gender & Sexuality) and LING 2500 (Race, Ethnicity & Language).Ìý
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Humans use languageÌýasÌýpartÌýof almostÌýeverything we doÌýinÌýsocial life.ÌýWhetherÌýwe’reÌýchatting with a friend overÌýcoffee,Ìýparticipating in a culturalÌýceremonyÌýorÌýperformance, seeking help fromÌýthe doctor, orÌýarguing a caseÌýin frontÌýof the UnitedÌýNations, languageÌýisÌýthere—asÌýanÌýintrinsic partÌýof theÌýhumanÌýexperience.ÌýLinguists who work in Sociocultural, Anthropological, and Interactional Linguistics (SAIL)ÌýaimÌýto exploreÌýthe linksÌýbetweenÌýlanguage useÌýand social life.ÌýHow isÌýit thatÌýmembers of communities use languageÌýto show whoÌýthey areÌýto oneÌýanother,ÌýtoÌýbuildÌýalliancesÌýand drawÌýboundaries,ÌýtoÌýtake stancesÌýand reproduceÌýideologies? IfÌýspeakersÌýareÌý‘getting things done’Ìýthrough their use ofÌýlanguage, linguistsÌýwith a SAILÌýemphasisÌýaimÌýto understandÌýwhat thoseÌý‘things’Ìýare,ÌýandÌýwhatÌýrole languageÌýplaysÌýin theÌýprocess.
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Companies
Through your training in Sociocultural, Anthropological, and Interactional Linguistics, you gain a unique awareness of the interactional subtletiesÌýandÌýcommunicative dynamics that underpin social, cultural,Ìýand political life. These skills makeÌýyouÌýa well-positionedÌýcandidateÌýforÌýa varietyÌýof positionsÌýwhereÌýanalytic andÌýcriticalÌýthinkingÌýskillsÌýareÌýprized.
SomeÌýcompaniesÌýwhere you could applyÌýthese skillsÌýincludeÌýAmazon, Catchword, Communication forÌýSocial Change, CulturalÌýLogic,ÌýEqualsÌýThree Communications,ÌýErnst &ÌýYoung,ÌýEthnic Technologies,ÌýFacebook, Framework Institute, Google, Harder and Co, Inspire, Institute for International Education, International Rescue Committee, Landor, Many Languages One Voice, Marketeching, maslansky + partners, MindSnacks, Multilingual Connections, Nomen, Opening Doors Diversity Project, Porter Novelli, Practice Group, The Diversity Training Group, Twitter, UNESCO, Verilogue, W20 Group.
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Featured SAIL Projects
Jillian Kirchner BA, MA 2018
I am currently working as an Assistant Language Teacher in Sanuki City, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan via the JET Program. My job includes assisting in English classes in two elementary schools and one junior high school, working at local English related events (conversation groups, speech contest, holiday workshops), and acting as a cultural ambassador between the U.S. and Japan. Aside from work, I have also had many priceless cultural experiences since I arrived in late July. I have met geishas in Kyoto, watched traditional puppet theater, and will be working as a Shinto shrine maiden this coming New Years. I’m enjoying my job very much.
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Sociocultural Linguistics
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The diversity ofÌýtopics offered in the SAIL track’s coursework reflects the diversity ofÌýsocial life.ÌýWe emphasize the importance ofÌýstudying language as it is used in different cultural contexts,Ìýoffering ample opportunitiesÌýfor students to participate in cutting-edge researchÌýgoing on in theÌýfield.
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How The Tracks Work
All Linguistics majors are required to take 4 courses (Introduction to Linguistics, Sound Structures, Semantics, and Morphology and Syntax). ÌýThere's an additional requirement of five credit hours in a language other than English at the 3000 level or above. In addition, majors must takeÌý15Ìýcredits ofÌýLINGÌýelectivesÌý(9Ìýat the upper divisionÌýlevel). For students on theÌýSAILÌýtrack,Ìý12 of these electiveÌýcredits shouldÌýcomeÌýfromÌýthe setÌýof SAIL-relatedÌýcoursesÌýbelow.
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The track also serves as a certification in this discipline and the student's transcript will reflect this
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The SAIL Track Courses
Suggested Electives
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Lower Division Electives
Language in US Society
LiteracyÌýPracticum
Language, GenderÌýandÌýSexuality
Race,ÌýEthnicityÌýand Language
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UpperÌýDivision Electives
AmericanÌýIndigenous LanguagesÌýin theirÌýSocialÌýandÌýCulturalÌýContext
World LanguageÌýPolicies
TalkÌýatÌýWork:ÌýLanguageÌýUse inÌýInstitutionalÌýContexts
LanguageÌýand Digital MediaÌý[whenÌýoffered]
JapaneseÌýSociolinguistics: ÌýJapaneseÌýLanguageÌýandÌýSociety
ConversationÌýAnalysis andÌýInteractionalÌýLinguistics
LanguageÌýandÌýCulture
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Undergraduate Program OpportunitiesÌý
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