Phonological change

Question 1

Phonological change

Answer 1

Phonological change is the change in the pronunciation of words, changes in the way we speak and how certain sounds are acquired or lost over time.

Question 2

The Great vowel shift

Answer 2

The Great Vowel Shift was a series of systemic changes in the pronunciation of English vowels that occurred in southern England during the late Middle English period

Question 3

dialect levelling

Answer 3

Rural accents and dialects are dying out over time through a process known as dialect levelling.
Dialect is triggered by contact dialects, often because of immigration, travel, commuting, and urbanisation

Question 4

Communication Accomodation theory

Mention convergence and divergence

Answer 4

people have a tendency to accomodate their speech styles to the person they are speaking with.
When speech accommodation aims at reducing social distance between speakers and addressee, it is described as convergence.
When the speaker wishes to emphasise social distance, this is described as divergence

Question 5

The change of Recieved Pronounciation as the language of prestige

Answer 5

Received Pronunciation has lost its prestige as social class is less important these days.
There has also been increased informalisation in our culture beginning after the Second World War and increasing from the 60s/70s onwards.

Question 6

TH fronting

Answer 6

replacing the ‘th’ sound with the /f/. this is a feature of Estuary English and Multicultural London English as well as a number of regional accents