Changes In Eng Lang

Question 1

What’s language change?

Answer 1

When language evolves over time, resulting in differences in pronunciation,vocabulary,grammar and how it’s used generation to next.

Question 2

What are examples of sound changes?

Answer 2

Changes in sound of the language, affects pronunciation of words. Changes in phonological or phonetic structure of lang. ie: change in vowel sounds from middle to early modern eng

Question 3

What did Otto jespersen say about vowels?

Answer 3

The great vowel shift= raising of long vowels and long monophthongs
Ie: middle Eng- mu:s (moos), wi:f (weef)
Now- maus- mouse
Waif-wife

Question 4

What’s are two types of changes?

Answer 4

Permanent and gradual

Question 5

What’s a gradual change?

Answer 5

Speakers of a language prefer steadiness of their language

Question 6

What’s a permanent change?

Answer 6

More willing to accept originality, unfamiliarity and changes

Question 7

What’s a lexical change?

Answer 7

Changes in a languages vocabulary. Ie: English lots of borrowed words from French,Latin and German. Now part of eng lexicon.

Question 8

What words are borrowed from French?

Answer 8

Ballet, novel,irony, energy

Question 9

What words are borrowed from Latin?

Answer 9

Lexicon,formula,apparatus

Question 10

What words are borrowed from German?

Answer 10

Pretzel, hamster, rucksack,blitz

Question 11

What is the creation of new words called?

Answer 11

Neologism

Question 12

What’s a semantic change?

Answer 12

Changes in meanings of words over time

Question 13

What are examples of semantic changes?

Answer 13

ie: head- part of the body in humans and animals, head of pin,screw or nail

Question 14

What’s a syntactic change?

Answer 14

Changes in the structure of syntax in a language

Question 15

What’s syntax?

Answer 15

Ways words come together to form sentences and phrases.

Question 16

Examples of syntactic change?

Answer 16

Shown through Changing verbs. Ie: verb ‘go’ from OE- ‘gān’
Ie: ‘go’ in past tense= not ‘goed’, verb ‘went’ used as past tense of ‘to wend’

Question 17

What causes the English language to change?

Answer 17

Migration+trade- people moving countries + trading with others, interact with those who speak different languages.
Borrowing words/ sounds from other language ie: bangles,shawl,cot,dungarees 🇮🇳
Other languages borrowed from English.ie: Portuguese used Eng words converted to their lang= tennis, tênis, football, futebol

Question 18

What did Saphir Whoef and Benjamin Whorf?

Answer 18

Your language determines and shape your world view + understanding (linguistic determinism)

Question 19

Examples of words that had different meanings?

Answer 19

Gay used to mean joyous and happy, turned into a term for homosexuals
Awful used to mean ‘full of awe’ now it’s a negative word

Question 20

How does words change meanings to?

Answer 20

Political correctness= actor= male and female
External factors= technological advancements:bug,virus,windows,
Social studies- LGBTQ replacing unacceptable words
Internal factors= similarities- computer virus, like a virus

Question 21

What’s it called when meanings of words shift over time?

Answer 21

Neosemy

Question 22

What are criticisms to language change?

Answer 22

Can’t prove if language determines thought or thought determines language
We can think about things we don’t have words for
People with autism may not have language but have powerful thoughts (math skills)

Question 23

What is narrowing?

Answer 23

Meaning of a word narrows.ie: ‘meat’ used to mean food generally

Question 24

What’s weakening?

Answer 24

A word loses its impact. Ie: terrible used to mean causing terror

Question 25

What’s broadening?

Answer 25

Meaning of a word broadens. ‘Butcher’ used to mean slaughterer of goats

Question 26

What’s functional shift?

Answer 26

Word class changes. ‘Text’- noun
‘To text’- verb

Question 27

What’s peroration?

Answer 27

Meaning becomes more negative. ‘Hussy’- was housewife
‘Notorious’ meant well known

Question 28

What’s amelioration?

Answer 28

Meaning more positive. Pretty used to mean cunning
Nice- used to mean foolish

Question 29

How are changes caused from older to newer generations?

Answer 29

Develop vocab influenced by older generations speaking to us
There are variations of how we replicate what we hear from older generations-> leading changes in language from older to newer generation

Question 30

Why is language change an ongoing process?

Answer 30

Adaption of languages to the changing needs of language speakers

Question 31

What’s frequency of use?

Answer 31

When older words less likely to be used, so old words are dropped.
New words made, keep up with evolution. Ie: new words added to Oxford Eng dictionary,older words removed

Question 32

How has technology caused new words to be made?

Answer 32

Invention of tech=new words, describe inventions that didn’t exist. New words for invention of internet:email, emoticon

Question 33

How does technology breed new language?

Answer 33

Lexical ranges are added when new technology is developed. Ie: TV streaming=TV, live, show, episodes, subscription.

Question 34

What are some language features of 19th century?

Answer 34

Multiple comparatives- 19th century double comparatives.ie: more cleverer= more clever
Lost superlatives - ie: properest= more proper
Syntax- shorter sentences, fewer commas.
Contractions- common in 18th century ie:tis,twas.
Double negotiation- I don’t want nothing

Question 35

What language features have been lost from 19th century?

Answer 35

Loss of thou/thee- to ‘you’

Question 36

What did 19th century think about grammar?

Answer 36

Correct grammar associated with social status
Bad grammar- low social status