Why Sociolinguistics

Sociolinguists study the relationship between language and society, explaining why we speak differently in different social context and concerned with identifying the social functions of language and the way it is used to convey social meaning. It also study the language choice in multilingual communities, language maintenance and shift, linguistic varieties and multilingual nations, national languages and language planning and so on.

Sociolinguistics is a term including the aspects of linguistics applied toward the connections between language and society, and the way we use it in different social situations.

We have chosen sociolinguistics because we find it exciting and appealing to our life. It basically talks about the influence of language on our culture. Students of English Language and Literature took a course on Sociolinguistics and we all enjoyed learning the course throughout the semester that we find it very useful as well. Sociolinguistics helps us to understand how a language could be used in different social context and the functions.

WHY DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

The main reason we chose this course is because all three of us have the exact interest in Discourse Analysis. The subject itself is a broad topic, therefore we choose to focus on unIslamic expressions, both verbally and sign language that are used by Muslims English speakers. For example, "Oh My Gosh!" and "Touch wood". Adding on, we find that this course is very interesting for the reason that we can connect it to the common issues that Muslims English speakers are dealing with. Thus, this project can be an eye opening for Muslims to be aware of their language use as well as helping them in reflecting their Muslim identity in more appropriate way.

Islamization of expressions in English language

As we have mentioned before, our group will discuss the issue of unIslamic expressions, both verbally and sign that are used by Muslims English speakers. Example of unislamic expressions are, "Oh My Gosh!" , "Touch wood", "Break a leg", "This is my Bible" "Finger cross" and "whatever floats your boat". Meanwhile, the example of unislamic sign expressions is the satanic hand signal which clearly shows why it is unIslamic.

Before that, it is important to start this discussions by giving the definition of our subject matter, that is expressions.

In spoken communication, expressions that are used is called idiomatic expressions. An idiomatic expressions are common phrases or sayings whose meanings cannot be understood by the individual words or elements.

Idiomatic expressions are also non-standard speech, slang or dialect that are natural to native speakers of a language. An example that can be used is "finger cross".

Now, what is meant by unIslamic expressions in this topic?

UnIslamic expressions that is under our topic is both verbally and sign expressions from native English culture that is inappropriate to be used by Muslim English speaker as it is not in line with the teaching and culture in Islam. By knowing the origin of the words used in an expressions, we may know whether an expression is proper to be used or not.

An example of unIslamic expression is "This book is my Bible".

This expression is clearly improper for Muslim English speaker to use as an expression because the use of 'Bible' in it. This expression must have been created by Christians as the use of Bible is commonly for the follower of Christ. Muslims read, follow and believe in Al-Qur'an, not Bible. So, if one Muslim utters this expression, although to express his general book such as a novel, it is improper and unislamic. This expressions can be islamized by replacing the Bible with another noun, yet, still grab it's meaning. For example, "This book is my lover/food".

Another example is the expression of "whatever floats your boat".

This expression usually means to express whatever pleases you. However, it is important to know that the term used in this expression refers to the clitoris, as a boat and the female genitalia. This expression thus, is highly sensualised. So, this expression should not be used and articulated by Muslim English speaker.

The examples above are improper for Muslim English speaker to use. However, it is important to mention that not all expressions spoken by native English speaker are not good for Muslims to apply in their conversation.

It is impossible to islamize a language that was historically used by Christians in the old age. It is also impossible to correct their use of expressions for it is not our native language. 

 What a Muslim English speaker can and should do is to be aware of the origin of the words or elements that are used in the expressions.  We need to think wether it reflects our personality as a good Muslimor not when uttering an expression. 

Importantly, we already have expressions that are good to be used by Muslims all over the world and can be understood instantly. For example, InsyaAllah, Alhamdulillah, MasyaAllah and so on.

Allah (s.w.t) says in the Holy Qur'an:

وَقُل لِّعِبَادِي يَقُولُواْ الَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَنزَغُ بَيْنَهُمْ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ كَانَ لِلإِنْسَانِ عَدُوًّا مُّبِينًا  (53)اسراء

And tell My servants to say that which is best. Indeed, Satan induces [dissension] among them. Indeed Satan is ever, to mankind, a clear enemy.

 

IDEAL CLASSROOM

TEACHING LISTENING

ASSIGNMENT ONE

Reflection on First Assignment (HISTORY OF CALL)

In doing this research, we faces difficulty in registering a lot of new terms that has never come cross to us before. It was really stressful as we feels that each paragrah of the topic it is discussing is alien to us. So, in order to understand our assignment, we have to re-read the article over and over again in order to summarise it. This is because, it is impossible to summarize and get the gist of an article or two without knowing what it is all about. 


By learning about CALL, it has been an eye opener for us in learning about how technology can enhance and develop the learning and teaching process in classroom. Personally, the term CALL has never been in our register. This assignment introduces and gave us a clear idea of computer aided method, the pros and cons and gave us the idea of CALL. We think that this method should be applied in all government school in Malaysia to gain the interest in students especially to primary and secondary students in second language acquisition.

But the traditional method in learning must not be forgotten as well. We think that, the methods are ought to be combined to have a better result in learning second language, because each person has their own preference in learning. Islam stresses on education. Therefore, CALL has been a mean for us to find a new method which can help learners in acquiring second language. Thus, we always have to come out with a new and advanced method in assisting learners. 

Allah (s.w.t) says:

إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَؤُا إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ غَفُورٌ (28)فاطر

Only those fear Allah , from among His servants, who have knowledge. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Forgiving.

ASSIGNMENT TWO

Reflection on Second Assignment (Blog)

In doing this assignment, we have to find a blog out of thousands in the internet to be our corpus in analyzing the language features used. We found an interesting blog on fashion  that attracted as much as one thousand comments. It clearly shows that this blog is a good corpus for us to do our assignment. However, due to lots of comments, we also have to go through it one by one. Thus, this assignment which seems to be an easy work, became too tedious for us. Alhamdulillah, with all the group members help, we managed to go through it and came out with the results. 


Through this assignment, we also see that communication process between human happens almost everywhere in variety of phases.  It can be face to face conversation, written through email, phone conversations and such. As far as speaking and writing methods concern, there are many effective ways to convey our message to others.

What we learn in this assignment which focuses on blog, is that every individual has their own style of writing. The study focuses on the blog as a social conversation and personal discourse platform for expression and also the significance of the way a language features are used. People may be different in their way of conversation depending on the situation and medium of the conversation.

Through this assignment, we noticed that people usually use same style of writing, for example emotive and colloquial features. this is due to the reason that the aspect of face to face conversation is not there. Therefore, the writer of a blog will choose certain words that can give more impact to readers.

By doing this research we become aware of the fact that we need to be cautious in writing blog. A language used can effect the readers directly or indirectly which we as a writer should be responsible on the consequences. Islam gives a person freedom of speech so that we can use it for a good purpose. We can see how beautiful a language is created that people can communicate in many different ways and giving the impact of understanding to the listeners or readers. 

Allah (s.w.t) mentioned in the Qur'an: 

مَا يَلْفِظُ مِن قَوْلٍ إِلَّا لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌ (18)ق

Man does not utter any word except that with him is an observer prepared [to record].

ASSIGNMENT THREE (COMPUTATIONAL STYLISTICS)

Reflection on Third Assignment (Computational Stylistics)

In this assignment, we do not found too much difficulty as we have learned from the first and second assignments on how to deal with a new topic which we never come across before. Through experience, we can manage a new style or topic of assignment without too many problems.


We also learn that there are many ways to analyze a text, specifically a literary text. We feel that computational stylistics is a very unique method for linguist to learn about unknown and known writers. The only problem that we fear is that a text is not being analyze through its aesthetic values because literary text are known to be interconnected with a writer's emotion and intention.

Its amazing how computational stylistics are done by people who has the skill in analyzing a text. We think that linguist of Islamic literature could develop a new software to analyze Islamic literature where they need to invent a software that can read the Islamic calligraphy which is mainly in Arabic.

By doing this research, we feel that it is amazing how a language writing can reflect how the the writer's personality in general.

OVERALL REFLECTION

Alhamdulillah, The project has enlightened us to be more aware of the importance of computer applications in language learning.  There are no reasons for leaner to say that it is hard for them to learn a language for we have found a variety of ways to help them in acquiring a second language along the way.

Although we've been through sleepless nights doing all of the assignments, the knowledge that we gain is worth it. Each of the assignments that were assigned to us has its own significance. This project also taught us to be more competent working in group and be a team player. Adding on, we have never been asked to create a blog for any of the courses offered, having to do this blog is something different. We get to learn little bit of something about creating, writing and designing a blog. The knowledge we gain now, does not only stay in the class, but for our future work as well.

However, throughout the whole research we found that there are lack of works from the Muslim linguist or researchers. Therefore, western education is seen as more advance as to compare to Islamic education in terms of langaue learning. What the Muslim people can do is that we must try harder to be the center of education.

Allah (s.w.t) mention in Surah Mujadilah verse 11:

يَرْفَعِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْعِلْمَ دَرَجَـتٍ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ

“...Allah will raise up, to (suitable) ranks (and degrees), those of you who believe and have been granted Knowledge.  And Allah is well-acquainted with all you do.”  (58:11)

There is a hadith from Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) that says:

أَنَّهُ قَدِمَ رَجُلَانِ مِنْ الْمَشْرِقِ فَخَطَبَا فَعَجِبَ النَّاسُ لِبَيَانِهِمَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنَّ مِنْ الْبَيَانِ لَسِحْرًا أَوْ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الْبَيَانِ لَسِحْرٌ (کتاب صحیح بخاری باب ان من البیان لسحرا)

Two men came from the east and delivered speeches, and the Prophet said, "Some eloquent speech has the in fluency of magic (e.g., some people refuse to do something and then a good eloquent speaker addresses them and then they agree to do that very thing after his speech). "

All in all, we would like to thank our lecturer Dr. Rozina for guiding us throughout the whole semester and having the patience to teach us. Also, not forgetting our friends who has been supportive of us, advising and we will surely miss the moment of doing presentations in front of these familiar faces.


Assalamualaikum, and thank you :)

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