change from above/below

Question 1

what is change from above?

Answer 1

• linguisticchangethat speakers are generally aware of, it is conscious, directed change.

Question 2

(1) what can be seen as an example of change from above?

Answer 2

Plain English Campaign can be seen as an example of change from above.
- they are a group that urge government organisations to avoid what they call ‘gobbledygook’ (speech that is nonsense) or jargon and award Crystal Marks to public texts that meet their standards.

Question 3

(2) what can be seen as an example of change from above?

Answer 3

Language reform initiatives are also a part of change from above (political correctness)
- there are laws to punish people who use abusive or racist terms – it is imperative to use politically correct language at work. In some cases, employees have had contracts terminated for misgendering another colleague.

Question 4

what is change from below?

Answer 4

• linguistic change that occurs from below the level of consciousness - that is, speakers are generally unaware of the linguistic change – it’s not a ‘choice’ as such.
• these changes enter language primarily through the vernacular and spreads throughout the community without conscious awareness.

Question 5

(1) what can be seen as an example of change from below?

Answer 5

• the increased use of Americanisms: words like “vacation”, “liquor” and “law-maker” are creeping into the lexicon as British people often watch American series/films.
• the rise of the interrogatory statement, or the increased use of imprecise compounding that contemporary linguists such as Lynn Truss despair of.
• nobody has insisted we do these things – but they are on the rise.

Question 6

(2) what can be seen as an example of change from below?

Answer 6

Semantic Reclamation: a process that involves the ‘reclaiming’ or ‘reappropriation’ of a word or phrase that previously has been used to insult or discriminate against a particular group (this process that is often initiated by the marginalised group themselves.)

Question 7

how can we relate semantic reclamation to sexist language?

Answer 7

One notable example of semantic reclamation involves the insult ‘slut’.
- if we look at the etymology of the word ‘slut’ we find that its original meaning referred to domestic issues such as dressing and cleaning, with the insult slut being used to insult a woman who was untidy/messy.
- since then, it has semantically degraded to have negative sexual connotations and the Slut Walks Movement has campaigned to have the word used in a more neutral manner.
- by reclaiming a word, a social group can be said to be removing its power to hurt. The word can then be reappropriated and used in a different way.
- of course, slut remains a problematic world in our society, but feminists still feel that attempt to reclaim it is worthwhile.