This course is designed to help the students to investigate and explore the theories of the interface between language and culture. Students will conduct in-depth research into the theoretical foundations of Ethnography of Communication. The course traces the historical background of the pioneering works and theories by Hymes, Gumperz, Malinowski, Sherzer, Bauman, Goffman, etc. Theories to be studied include Sapir Whorf hypothesis (relativism and determinism), linguistic diversity, frame analysis, contextualisation, language and social positions, poetic genres and ritual languages.