Terms II Flashcards
Cognates
Words in different languages that have a common origin and similar meanings (e.g., mother in English and madre in Spanish).
Comparative Reconstruction
A method in historical linguistics to deduce the features of an ancestral language by comparing related languages.
Diachronic Variation
Changes in language over time, such as shifts in vocabulary, grammar, or pronunciation.
Metathesis
The reordering of sounds within a word, such as ask becoming aks.
Middle and Old English
Middle English: The stage of the English language spoken roughly between 1150 and 1500, influenced by Norman French.
Old English: The earliest form of the English language, spoken from about 450 to 1150, heavily influenced by Germanic languages.
Philology
The study of historical language development, including texts, grammar, and literary traditions.
Prothesis
The addition of a sound to the beginning of a word, common in language evolution (e.g., Latin schola becoming Spanish escuela).
Accent
The distinctive way of pronouncing a language, often associated with a particular region or group.
Creole
A fully developed language that evolves from a pidgin when it becomes the native language of a community.
Dialect
A regional or social variety of a language with distinct vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation.
Dialectology
The study of dialects, including their geographic and social variations
Diglossia
A situation where two language varieties are used in the same community for different purposes, such as formal and informal settings.
Isogloss
A boundary line on a map separating areas with different linguistic features.
Language Planning
Efforts by governments or organisations to influence the use, development, or standardisation of a language.
Pidgin
A simplified language that develops for communication between speakers of different native languages.
Regional Bilingualism
A situation where people in a specific area regularly use two languages.
Standard Language
A standardised variety of a language that is widely accepted for official and formal use.
African American English (AAE)
A variety of English commonly spoken by many African Americans, with distinct grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation features.
Jargon
Specialised vocabulary used by a particular group or profession (e.g., medical or legal jargon).
Postvocalic /r/
The pronunciation (or omission) of /r/ after a vowel, such as in words like car or park. Its presence or absence often signals regional or social variation.
Prestige
The social value attached to certain languages, dialects, or accents, often influencing perceptions of status and respect.
Register
A style or level of language use appropriate for a specific context, such as formal, informal, or technical.
Slang
Informal and often playful or trendy words and expressions, frequently associated with youth culture.
Social Markers
Linguistic features that signal a speaker’s social identity, such as class, ethnicity, or region.
Sociolinguistics
The study of how language varies and functions within social contexts.
Speech Accommodation
Adjusting speech style to match or differ from the listener, such as convergence (aligning) or divergence (distancing).
Taboo Terms
Words or expressions considered socially offensive or inappropriate, often related to sex, religion, or bodily functions.
Address Terms
Words used to address others, reflecting social relationships or respect, such as sir, Ms., or dude.
Classifiers
Words or morphemes used in some languages to categorise nouns based on shared characteristics (e.g., shape or size).
Cognitive Categories
Conceptual groupings in the mind that influence how people perceive and describe the world.
Gender
Socially constructed roles and characteristics associated with being male, female, or nonbinary, often reflected in language use.
Gender Neutral
Language or terms that avoid specifying gender, promoting inclusivity (e.g., firefighter instead of fireman).
Kinship Terms
Words that denote family relationships, such as mother, uncle, or cousin.
Linguistic Relativity
The idea that language influences thought and perception, though not necessarily determining them.
Non-Lexicalised Categories
Concepts or ideas that a language does not explicitly encode in a single word (e.g., certain colour distinctions).
Sapir–Whorf Hypothesis
The theory that the structure of a language affects its speakers’ worldview and cognition.
Social Categories
Groups in society defined by shared characteristics, such as age, gender, or socioeconomic status, which can influence language use.
