Language Flashcards
define language
set of mutually intelligible symbols and or sounds used for communication
what are dialects
differences within a language
dialects include variations in what
- pronunciation
- vocab
- syntax
- cadence
- spelling
what is cadence
how fast or slow we talk
common dialect connected on a map via an _______
isogloss
to connect dialects back to ancient languages, linguists use ___________ _____________
backwards reconstruction
what was William Jones’ tactic?
syntax commonalities. (ex. Greek and Latin connected to Sanskrit)
what is Jacob Grimm’s tactic?
sound shifts- consonants get harder as you go back
what is PIE
Proto Indian European
what is the most spoken language family
Proto Indian European
explain the Kurgan Hearth
dispersal of PIE from the area between the black sea and the caspian sea, relocation diffusion via conquest
-proof? oldest lang is furthest from the hearth
explain the Renfrew hypothesis
anatolian hearth in the fertile crescent diffuses via contagious diffusion along with agriculture
-proof? plant genetics
Explain Oppenheimer hearth
India then keeps moving west
what leads to language change?
human interaction
lingua franca
language used for purposes of trade
- can be a single lang (ex English)
- can be pidgin
- can be Creole
pidgin
at least 2 languages combined for purposes of trade
-simple vocab and structure
Creole
is a pidgin langauge that becomes the native tongue
standard language
the language taught in schools
official language
govt. imposed
prescriptive language
the way a language should be spoken
descriptive language
the way a language is spoken
gatekeepers
keep peop;le out
Shibboleth
password keep people in and out of society or the “in group”
does the US have an official language
no
