Phonological Change

Question 1

The Great Vowel Shift

Answer 1

1400-1600
Many “long” vowels (as in ‘far’) shortened (as in ‘fat’).

Question 2

Martha’s Vineyard (4)

Answer 2

(Labov 1963)
Island which has a population but is also popular holiday destination.
Pronunciation of vowels slowly shifted away from standard American pronunciation. (Local accent always slightly differed but now the difference was becoming more notable).
Was mostly a fishermans accent but was then copied especially by 30-45 years olds- covert prestige, shows that they are true islanders.
Labov found shift was not conscious referred to as “change from below”) below level of consciousness.

Question 3

Milton Keynes Estuary

Answer 3

1. Kerswell and Williams (1994)
2. Study speech in Milton Keynes
3. Children’s speech differed from older generations.
4. Findings illustrate the spread of Estuary English (found in London and the South East).

Question 4

Aitchison examples of British change

Answer 4

(1991). recent or current change in British pronunciation.
(Mistake- merstake. Astronomy- erstronomy)
Glottal stop in some words such as football.

Question 5

Upspeak

Answer 5

Also known as Uptalk. Tendancy to speak with a rising intonation even when uttering declaritves.
It is a speech habit associated with young people and many people associate it more with females.

Question 6

Aitchison steps of phonological change.

Answer 6

(1991).
1) The speech of a particular social group differs in some way from thier areas usual pronunciation.
2) a second social groups begins (perhaps unconsciously) to imitate the speech of the first group.
3) The new pronunciation becomes established as part of second social group- now part of thier usual accent.
4)A third social groups begins to model themselves off of the 1st/2nd social groups and the process repeats itself.