This course aims to provide students with an overview of how language functions politically, including the construction of social and individual identity. It will examine not only the political and identity-related use of language, but also how the structure of languages themselves has been moulded by these uses and functions. The linguistic issues in Hong Kong and Greater China Region, as well as cultural issues arising from class discussions, will be focused on. These issues will also be discussed in comparison with the language use and cultures of various communities. As an area of study which is by nature interdisciplinary, this course will draw ideas from the fields of linguistics and English studies, as well as adjacent disciplines such as cultural studies, sociology and political science. On this basis, this course serves as a good platform for students to develop a critical awareness on the different academic approaches employed by not only linguistics but also various fields of knowledge.