Theories Flashcards
Synchronic + Diachronic linguistics
Synchronic - fixed points in time (Trudgill Norwich study)
Diachronic - throughout history, WHOLE - the bigger picture, etymology
Tree model 1853 - Schleicher
Diachronic approach
Sound change is regular, whenever it occurs if occurs everywhere.
Lang change occurs by diversification of lang alone - single lane split into dialects - no further interaction.
CRITICISMS: doesn’t account for creoles, pidgins, sign language - don’t have one parent language (and as it is a tree needs to branch from something), dialects cannot be divided into clear cut groups
The first wave model - Schmidt 1872
Diachronic approach
Implies evolution of each lang to its modern form is the product of the spontaneous appearance of new dialectal figures - think stone being dropped + rippling in lake
Incorporates borrowing of words, dialect borrowing, socio-linguistic features
The modern wave model - Bailey 1973
New lang feature starts at origin and gradually spreads out - as waves no further become weaker and fewer people using - could be geographical/age/class/gender/culture
OUTDATES: new factors contribute e.g. social media
Substratum theory
Different forms of lang (other lang/dialects) come into contact with standard English through invasion/borrowing - Labov notice Jewish community in NYC - caw-fee not coffee
The S curve - Chen 1972
New form is slow to take off at first, gradually increases and tipping point where It accelerates rapidly - mascara trend on TikTok.
Either flattens ti show innovation has become dominant - E.g. gay meaning homosexual instead of happy
Or slowly decrease and is original meaning is more dom - mascara
Functional theory
Lang chnages to meet needs to user
Words leave when they become obsolete - vinyl and Bluetooth enter to fulfil user needs
Random fluctuation theory
Postal
Hockett 1958
Postal - language is unpredictable, chnage is totally random- compares it to fashion
Hockett - chnage = less logical, chnage is a response to the ever-changing context of lang and its users e.g. misspelling ‘owned’ and ‘pwned’ became common
Jean Aitchinson - PIDC model
Must be potential for chnage
Implementation can occur as chnage is made - use more frequently
Diffusion as starts to spread
Codification when chnage is official in dictionaries
Theory of lexical gaps
Suggests logical reason for words to be created to fill a gap
E.g. what do you call a parent who loses a child? - we call a child who loses a parent an orphan
Can convert and existing word and chnage its class (text-texting) (google - googling)
Sapir whorf theory
Our lang constitutes our view of the world and difficult/impossible to think beyond it
Reflectionism
Thought comes before lang - a persons language reflects their way of thinking e.g. someone who uses derogatory slurs could be said to be using language that reflects their prejudice towards immigrants
Lingustic relativity
Does lang shape the way we think or does the way we think influence our language
Determinism
How you’re brought up, lang has a big influence over thought. If people who can be persuaded to not use such terms + instead use more acceptable ones - can determine new way of thinking - basis of political correctness
Semantic reclamation
Taking language that has negative connotations and trying to overturn them by using the lang in new ways. Previously pejorative terms are reclaimed by the group that the word was originally used against e..g Bitch was a word particularly aimed at women who were perceived as unpleasant. However - Madonna use it 44X in her new album, Ariana Grande use as a positive term to refer to her friends - positive connotations
