The course will study dialects such as "Boston," "New York," "Southern" and "Valley Girl." As if!
But English has always been an international language. Dialects in Australia, Singapore and India will also be studied, Vaux says. Native speakers will demonstrate the various dialects in class.
Vaux says that he felt that Harvard needed courses that examine an area that he thinks all students find interesting.
Without being overly formal, he says, the course will study "proper" versus "improper" speech, the changing of language and how it is processed by the brain. The course will also study how language is used differently by men and women.
Vaux says that though the course has had an enrollment of almost 300 in the past, he has managed to integrate interaction with students into the lecture environment.
He says his favorite part of the course is bringing in native speakers of the various dialects.
"I try to bring in a native speaker of every variety of English we cover, which is what I find most enjoyable about the course."
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