How Language Changes

Question 1

Diachronic

Answer 1

Language throughout time

Question 2

Synachronic

Answer 2

Language at a particular point in time

Question 3

Synachronic

Answer 3

Language at a particular point in time

Question 4

Difference between prescriptivists and descriptivism

Answer 4

Descriptivism describes how language is used whereas pescriptivism describes how language should be used

Question 5

Framework for change (5)

Answer 5

• Lexical chnage
• Semantic change
• Grammatical chnage
• Phonological change
• Orthographical change

Question 6

Why does our language change (10)

Answer 6

• Technology
• Streamlining and efficiency
• Colonisation, revolution and empire
• Political correctness and politeness
• Theories
• Loan words (borrowing)
• Functional theory
• Substratum theory
• Random fluctuation
• Lexical gaps

Question 7

Why does our language change (10)

Answer 7

-Technology
- Streamlining and efficiency
- Colonisation, revolution and empire
- Political correctness and politeness
- Theories
- Loan words (borrowing)
- Functional theory
- Substratum theory
- Random fluctuation
- Lexical gaps

Question 8

Who invented the s curve model

Answer 8

Chen

Question 9

S curve model

Answer 9

users pick up language change at gradual rate before it accelerates and spreads wider into wider usage. It then slows down again and stabilises

Question 10

Lexical diffusion

Answer 10

The gradual speed of change

Question 11

Example of s curve model

Answer 11

Shakespeares firms of question construction
“Thinkst thou?” Changes to “dost thou think”

Question 12

Who invented wave model

Answer 12

Bailey

Question 13

Wave model

Answer 13

Geographical distance has impact on language change spread - change strengthens nearer the ‘epicentre’

Question 14

Example of wave model

Answer 14

Words adopted by multicultural youths in London less likely to be taken up by multicultural speakers in Edinburgh

Question 15

Lexical gaps and example

Answer 15

When words could exists but don’t
E.g. no word for ‘to not look’

Question 16

Who invented random fluctuation

Answer 16

Hockett

Question 17

Random fluctuation

Answer 17

Random mistakes and events cause language change
E.g. ‘owned’ misspelled as ‘owned’ now common in gaming industry

Question 18

Substratum theory

Answer 18

English language changes through context with other languages
E.g. through social media and immigration

Question 19

Problem with substratum theory English language

Answer 19

Adopting elements of new language can lead to imperfections and the passing of these on

Question 20

Functional theory + e.g.

Answer 20

Language changes and adapts according to needs of users
E.g. ‘cassette’ became archaic

Question 21

What does functional theory suggest

Answer 21

There’s a certain logic to language change

Question 22

Who invented functional theory

Answer 22

Halliday

Question 23

Loan words (borrowings)

Answer 23

Loan words that are taken from other languages

Question 24

Technological change

Answer 24

Influence of technology has biggest influence on language
E.g. rise of to and film has exposed us to regional, national and international dialects

Question 25

Streaming and efficiency + examples

Answer 25

More streamlined and efficient language is most important motivating force behind language change
E.g. ease of articulation, neatening

Question 26

Colonisation, revolution and empire

Answer 26

British Industrial Revolution brought about technological change. New inventions and ways of working meant new words were needed
E.g. British empire colonised 25% of land - much of that land used English

Question 27

Political correctness and politeness

Answer 27

Removing words with negative connotations from language
E.g. loss of ‘thou’ and ‘the’ increases politeness
Politeness theory followed with increased use of euphemism and politically correct terms

Question 28

Changes in society and societal changes

Answer 28

Emergence of teenagers

Rise of youth cultural saw an open to change, and linguistically creative social group
Youth culture community seen as innovators of language use
E.g. Mx included in Oxford English Dictionary