Standard vs Non-standard Flashcards
Component 1 Section B
What is standard English?
A form of English that is widely accepted as the usual form
What is non-standard english?
Not percieved as stabdard, often used in ‘local areas’
This isn’t taught when teaching English as a foreign language
What is the process of standardisation
- selection
- elaboration
- codification
- implementation
Process of Standardisation
What does selection consist of?
New word/ lang selected from existing language variety (usually from powerful people)
Process of Standardisation
What does eleboration consist of?
Ensure new language can be multifunctional (new grammatical features, specialised vocab)
Process of standardisation
What does codification consist of?
Reduce the spelling/ grammar variety as much as possible (make standard spellings, meanings)
Process of standardisation
What does implementation consist of?
Encourage new use of language, make examples available to society
e.g. implement in dictionaries, news etc
What is descriptivism?
A non-judgmental approach to language- focuses on how it’s actually spoken and written
A language form can be used for different purposes, not just one
e.g. “If i were/ was you…?” neither would be deemed incorrect since english speakers are able to comprehend both
What is prescriptivism?
Attitude that one variety of language is superior to others and should be promoted as such
Focuses on how language should be used, spoken and written
Descriptivism
What is Jean Aitchinson’s Language Web theory?
-damp spoon: language change caused by laziness
-crumbling castle: language needs to be preserved as it’s been carefully formed over time
-infectious disease: we ‘catch’ change from those around us, however shouldn’t be seen as a force we’re unable to resist
Descriptivism
What are David Crystal’s ideas/ views?
-SE is not a matter of pronunciation; it’s a variety and combination of linguistic features (grammar, vocab etc)
-SE often spoken by the powerful
-Prestige attached to SE is recognised more by adults- influences to teach as educational target
Descriptivism
What are Michael Rosen’s views?
-grammar gives words sense (strings of words that make sense together= grammar)
-not all linguists agree on grammatical terms; they agree there is grammar
-not only one correct way to describe language
Descriptivism
What are James Milroy’s views?
+ What is overt social discrimination?
-younger gen are responsible for linguistic decline
-a person’s use of language will be the ‘last defender’ of overt social discrimination
Direct and intentional acts of social discrimination
Descriptivism
What are Ferdinand Saussure’s views?
-standardisation of English has created ‘absurd ideas’, prejudices and illusions more than anything else
Prescriptivism
What are Lord Tebbit’s ideas?
-once standards of English are lost, there’s no imperative to stay out of crime (the way you speak affects your subcoscious social class/ place in society)
If standards slip, speech will allow more susceptibility to crime
Presciptivism
What are Lynne Truss’ ideas?
-explains how majority of society and blind to ‘dead punctuation’
-prescriptivists naturally become timid about proposing such ideas because they’re told to ‘get a life’
We should not be oblivious to apostrophe use
Eats, shoots and leaves- appostrophe application- important to understanding implementation of a phrase
Prsecriptivism
What are Lindsay John’s views?
‘ghetto grammar’- makes young people sound stupid and uneducated when they aren’t always
-street slang= disenfranchisement + marginalisation
The more well spoken we are, the more seriously we will be taken by people of authority
What is the purpose of slang?
-efficient communication
-fit into certain social groups
-create own identity
-gain independence (especially teenagers, they seperate selves from older peers/ parents)
-shows belonging to region/ country
What is taboo?
Behaviour is deemed as harmful, uncomfortable, or dangerous (offensive)
What are the 3 types of taboo?
-obscenity: vulgar, sexually immoral actions/ words
-profanity: debase/ defile holy words (blashphemy)
-uncleanliness: determined taboo based off cultural/ societal values of ‘clean’ behaviour
What are the 4 functions of taboo?
-Expletivity: make exclamatory statement providing shock value (wow!)
-To insult: abusive address to another
-Solidarity: indicate speaker is affiliated with certain group (e.g. make people laugh)
-Make stylistic: make sentence more memorable
Spread of Language Change
What is the functional theory?
-language will always change and adapt to the needs of it’s users
-views language as part of social semiotics
-language is a tool for social interactions, supports social functions
Spread of language change
What is random fluctuation and cultural transmission?
-language change occurs due to unstable nature of language itself
-language changes that occur- reflect changing context of language and it’s users
“Fashions in language are just as unpredictable as fashions in clothes”
Spread of language change
What is the substratum theory?
-focuses on different languages that come into contact with English through non-native speakers/ regional dialects
e.g. “like” from American TV to British dialects
Immigration has brought words from native tongue into adopted one (conquerors, wars, invasions also effect language change)
Spread of language change
What is hyper-correction?
-phonological change through adoption of incorrect emphasis/ pattern of pronunciation
happens due to speaker thinking they are using ‘high-prestige’ form of the word
Spread of language change
What is the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis?
-language used reflects who we are as people
-those who use derogatory, racist slurs use language reflecting racial prejudice
Determinism: if people can be persuaded not to use these terms they can determine new ways of thinking (how political correctness is formed)
Spread of Language Change
What is the S-curve model?
-language change slowly occurs at first, then increases in speed as it becomes more common and accepted (it slows down again when fully integrated into language
-graphically, this creates an ‘S’ shaped curve
Spread of language change
What is the wave model?
relates to geographics and distance from area language change
-geographical distance can have an affect on language change
-people close to epicentre of language change will pick it up, compared to those who aren’t as close (less likely to pick it up)
Who is William Labov and what is his theory on Martha’s vineyard?
What was the relevance of the study?
-speech patterns are part of a highly systematic structure of social stratification (way people speak is often a result of social structures)
-residents exaggerated ‘awe’ and ‘ay’ to distinguish themselves from tourists and show status to visitors, since it gave prestige
People can use their accent and exaggerate it (even subconsciously) to show prestige, and to create cohesion/ belonging
Who is Peter Trudgill and what is his Norwich study?
What was the relevance of his study?
-wanted to see whether gender affects dialect in different social classes
-pronunciation: whether it was due to socioeconomic status groups, speech consciousness or gender
-found it did vary, people in lower classes more likely to say “walkin’” as opposed to “walking”- this was found more common in men than women in all social classes
conducting a large sociolinguist investigation demonstrates relationship between social class and language use
What is the difference between jargon and slang?
Jargon can be considered a “professional slang”, whereas slang is colloquial and informal, that is used more commonly verbally than written
What is meant by political correctness?
Using language change and political vocab to avoid offence/ perpetuation of stereotypes
What is Recieved Pronunciation (RP)?
A British accent known as the “standard British” accent:
* accent most used in formal education
* used for phonetic pronunciations in British dictionaries
What does non-rhoticity mean?
RP is non-rhotic
the /r/ sound in the middle/ end of a word is dropped unless a vowel comes after it
e.g. “father”, “car”, “butter”
What other letter is predominantly stretched out/ spone properly in RP?
the /a/ sound in words- it is stretched out
“grass” spoken as “grarss”
What is conservative RP?
The most traditional/ well established version of RP- spoken mostly by older generations/ those in upper classes/ government
Rarely used nowadays
What is mainstream RP?
Neutral- doesn’t give much away about speaker’s age/ job/ social class
Used on the news and in media in general
What is contemporary RP?
(modern RP)
Mainly spoken by younger people- use more colloquial terms
Similar to Estuary English (sits between RP and Cockney)
