Language Change Theorists Flashcards
Diachronic Change
There study of of historical language change over a period.
Synchronic Change
Branch of linguistics attempts to study the functioning of language without reference to earlier or later stages.
Suzanne Romain 1998
Internal Changes
formation of new words and the influence of dictionaries etc. Looks at what happens inside the language like rule fixing – grammar SVO; inflections e.g. adding S for plural nouns or ‘ed’ for regular verb endings. affixation, compounds. Link this to your standardisation of language notes.
Suzanne Romain 1998
External Changes
the changing social contexts – language as an ongoing process, neologisms, semantic shifts, pronunciation of words. Link this to changes in society – politics, fashion, science, technology etc.
Sharon Goodman 1996
Goodman notes that we are living in a time of increased Informalisation = the process whereby language forms that were traditionally reserved for close personal relationships are now used in wider social contexts. She claims that “Professional encounters are increasingly likely to contain informal forms of English”
Some argue that increased informal in a range of contexts breaks down barriers between them and us and some believe that barriers remain but we are more likely to be manipulated if they appear not to be.
Norman Fairclough 1996
Fairclough noticed that advertisements and marketing texts are increasingly attempt to mimic speech.
=conversationalistlation
Sharon Goodman 1996
Sharon Goodman (1996) notes that the letter X, which hardly appears in written words is a ‘supercharged typographic icon’ which is used to create a range of meanings. E.G.
X = 10 in Roman numerals
Other graphemic symbols include: P = parking, A – E = grades, A & E = Accident and Emergency. These are all culturally specific.
Sapir-Wharf Hypothesis 1929
The Sapir-Whorf sums up the concept of language determinism.
It is that language and its structure limit and determine human knowledge and thought.
It can be used to support the prescriptivist approach that preserving language is important as it impacts human knowledge and thought.
The main principle of Sapir-Wharf Hypothesis is that language precedes thought and controls it.
Halliday 1975
Halliday ‘Functional Theory’ is that language changes according to the needs of its users.
Functional theory can be used to explain archaismsas many of them occurbecause technology has moved on. Thinks of words like cassette or LPs.
The theory also supportsnew wordsthat arise MP3, Blu-ray and USB have come because of the needs for new technologies.
It can also explain the use of slang.
McKinnon 1996
Donald Mackinnon (1996) categorises the attitudes people may have to language use:
As incorrect or correct (grammatical, pronunciation and orthographical aspects)
As pleasant or ugly (monosyllabic or polysyllabic/inkhorn lexemes)
Socially acceptable or socially unacceptable (taboo/expletives)
Morally acceptable or morally unacceptable (politically correct)
Appropriate in context or inappropriate in context
Useful or useless (possibly interactional/phatic and transactional/informative)
Aitchison 1997
D NOT P
Damp spoon syndrome- The view that language use has become lazy, like putting a damp spoon back into the sugar. Criticism: language is arguably economical rather than lazy. Also, sounds that are considered lazy actually requirelots of energy.
Crumbling castle view-The belief that languageis like abeautiful stately homethat should be preserved. Language was once perfect, but it no longer is. Criticism: language is in a constantflux meaning it was never perfect.
Infectious disease assumption- language use is contagious,bad habits spread to others uses. Criticism: Language usage is not forced upon people, they chose it because they like it.
Crystal 2006
David Crystal created his own ‘Tide Metaphor’ to explain how language changes. In this he suggests language is like a tide- constantly changing. It ebbs and flows brining in new words, taking out others in a natural progressive way. Crystal argues that the changes are not worse or better, he describes them as “just changes”.
He argues if change does not hinder communication, then it is acceptable.
Bollinger 1980
Highlighted the increasing use of euphemisms in advertising:
‘fun-size’ – small
‘man-made’ – fake
‘crafted’ – manufactured
In the media dysphemisms are avoided:
‘tragedy’- crime
‘casualties’ – dead bodies
‘public relations’- propaganda
