Theories of language change Flashcards
Jean Aitchison discussed modern approaches to language change using three theories. What are their names?
- Damp spoon syndrome
- Crumbling castle view
- Infectious disease assumption
What is the damp spoon syndrome?
The view that language use has become lazy, like putting a damp spoon back into sugar
What is the crumbling castle view theory?
The belief that language is like a beautiful stately home that should be preserved, Language was once perfect, but it no longer is.
What is the infectious disease assumption?
The claim that language use is contagious and bad habits spread to other users.
What is the tide metaphor?
Bonus: Who introduced it?
The tide metaphor suggests that language is like a tide - constantly changing.
It ebbs and flows, creating new words and taking out others in a natural, progressive way.
The author of this theory says language change is neither good nor bad, but that it “just changes”.
Introducer: David Crystal
What is functional theory?
Who coined it?
The idea that language changes in accordance with the needs of its users
Michael Halliday
What is cultural transmission theory?
Who coined it?
Cultural transmission theory explores the process of learning new information through socialisation and engagement with others
Bandura, Mackintosh, Hartl, Clark
What is random fluctuation theory?
Who coined it?
The idea that random events/errors lead to language change
Charles Hackett
What is substratum theory?
When was it coined?
The idea that one variety of English is influenced by another through contact
Composite of ideas from various 1960-1970 studies.
What is the theory of lexical gaps?
From what theory was it derived?
Recognises the need for certain vocabulary to emerge
Derived from Halliday’s functional theory
What is the wave model and tree model of language change?
Who coined it?
Both models focus on how new language features, such as pronunciation or lexis, spread from their original source
- The tree model is based on the knowledge that many languages can be traced back to a smaller source.
- The wave model considers that language evolves from one disturbance or change and replicates the ripples from the centre of it
Johannes Schmidt
What is the S-Curve model?
Who coined it?
The S-Curve model suggests that any change starts in a limited way, then accelerates as more speakers adopt the change before levelling off over time
Chen
What is the unfolding of language theory?
Who coined it?
Language change comes from the mind’s craving for order and instinctive need for regularity in language
Guy Deutscher
Who said that language change may occur in two ways: Internal changes and External changes?
Suzanne Romaine
Who highlighted the increasing use of euphemisms in advertising?
Dwight Bollinger
