Theorists

Question 1

David Crystal

Answer 1

2011 book-‘a little book of language’
“The only language that don’t change are dead ones”
“Every part of language changes”
LC is inevitable, can’t be stopped, essential, natural.
As we invent new things, we need new words to name them and describe them.
“If we invent something, we need a name for it,and at that point a new words comes into a language”
Language is adopted and adapted. People change and so lang must chnage to keep up with them.

Question 2

Deutscher

Answer 2

2006
Language changes because of “REASONS OF ECONOMY” and “REASONS OF ANALOGY”
Econ- tendency to save effort in communication, idea lang may become lazier? Word shortening, ellipsis, omission, short cuts in pronunciation
Analogy- tendency to regularise language use, standardisation.

Question 3

Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee-Whorf

Answer 3

1920/30
Came up with the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis.
Explored idea of LINGUISTIC DETERMINISM and LINGUISTIC RELATIVISM.
LD- the idea that the language/s and individual speaks determines the way they percieve and interpret world.
LR- lang/s an indivual speaks merely influences their thoughts about the world.

Question 4

John McWhorter

Answer 4

In his book ‘The language hoax-why the world looks the same in any language’.
Refutes sapir whorf hypothesis, instead the world shapes our language. Eg. Technology. In the past spoken eng lang has had the opportunity to be more like written but not other way round until development of tech. Now we are increasingly using written lang like spoken, eg in texting. Lang has chnaged to fit need of users. Growth of CMC

Question 5

Nicholas Ostler

Answer 5

Book-‘the last lingua franca’

Says that due to the spread (globalisation) of english and technology, eng will be the last and the only lingua franca.

Question 6

Jean Aitchinson

Answer 6

2013
set of meatphors to describe different attitudes to lang change.
DAMP SPOON SYNDROME
CRUMBLING CASTLE
INFECTIOUS DISEASE

Question 7

Joseph Priestly

Answer 7

1761, disagrees with standardisation.
Descriptavist.
“Ill calculated to reform and fix a language”
“The best forms of speech will, in time, establish themselves”

Question 8

Haugen

Answer 8

1966
Identified 4 stage process to standardisation.
SELECTION, CODIFICATION, ELABORATION,IMPLEMENTATION

Question 9

Norman Fairclough

Answer 9

Lang become more colloquial due to shifting boundaries between speech and writing, and private and public orders of discourse.

Question 10

Lindley Murray

Answer 10

1795
Published a guide to ‘ENGLISH GRAMMAR’, foloowing on from work of lowth. Where lowth establish tendencies, murray establish rules.

Question 11

Donald MacKinnon

Answer 11

1996 lang can be seen as

CORRECT OR INCORRECT, PLEASANT OR UGLY, USEFUL OR USELESS, APPROPRIATE OR INAPPROPRIATE (contextually)

Question 12

Milroy and Milroy

Answer 12

1985 “Standardisation is an ongoing process and an ideological struggle” . John milroy said no such thing as ‘golden age’ of english.

Question 13

Henry Hitchings

Answer 13

Book -‘the labguage wars: a history of proer english’
lang change shows “creativity and adaptablity” rather than “degeneration”.
“through its richness greater possibilites for creativity and adaptability”

Question 14

Kachru

Answer 14

1992 THREE CIRCLES MODEL, shows global spread of eng. inner, outer and expanding circle. Eng as L1, eng as L1, eng as ELF

Question 15

Kandiah

Answer 15

1998 described world as ‘global village’ said colonisation reason for global spread of eng.

Question 16

Noah-Webster

Answer 16

1832 example of standardisation of AMERICAN ENGLISH. Attempt to make equal or superior to britich eng. “purify it from some palpable errors” Merriem Webster dictionary, got rid of u, and z in ise endings

Question 17

The English Spelling Society

Answer 17

1908 Worked hard to promote SIMPLIFIED SPELLING SYSTEM. Would address inconsistencies in eng spelling. Not very successfuly, attempt.

Question 18

The Academie de Francaise

Answer 18

Official french body, aim to preserve french labg and prevent anglicising

Question 19

Robert Lowth

Answer 19

1762 Grammar rules
Book -‘short introduction to english grammar’
Grounded rules in latin.

Question 20

Jonathon Swift

Answer 20

1712 wrote ‘A proposal for correcting, improving and ascertaining the english tone”
Disliked, vagueness of lang ‘poverty of conversation’, shortened words/slang,

Question 21

William Caxton

Answer 21

1476 first attempt or start of standardisation, invented first proper printing press. Attempt to regularise spelling, used own east midlands dialect as basis. But some irregularities and used flemish typesetters which didnt have all letters (eg had to spell the as ye)

Question 22

Samuel Daniel

Answer 22

1599 described eng lang as ‘the treasure of our tongue’ and ‘our best glorie’
So needs protecting, especially against inkhorn terms.

Question 23

Thomas Nashe

Answer 23

1593 FOR inkhorn terms. Need them as eng lang insufficient in expressing literary ideas, not sophisticated enough.

Question 24

Steven Pinker

Answer 24

We are changing and have changed as society in so many other ways so why shouldnt we change our lang. “forcing modern speakers of english…not to split an infinitive because it isnt done in latin makes about as much sense as forcing modern resdients of england to wear laurels and togas.”

Question 25

Robert Phillipson

Answer 25

1992 argues that the spread of english as a global language disadvantages other langs, causing them to lose prestige or die out.

Question 26

Charles Hockett

Answer 26

Errors occur in lang and we tend to pass these on to other users.

Question 27

Schneider

Answer 27

2007 devised DYNAMIC MODEL. illustrates processes of spread of eng via colonialism.
At beginning, some seperation but over time these distinctions weaken until peaceful coexistence. FOUNDATION, EXONORMATIVE STABILISATION, NATIVISATION, ENDONORMATIVE STABILISATION, DIFFERENTIATION.

Question 28

Jennifer Jenkins

Answer 28

2006

Five key characteristics of eng as a lingua franca (ELF)

Question 29

Strevens

Answer 29

1980
World map of english
One of first attempts to model spread of eng around world. Illustrates dominance of eng and seperation between britich eng and american eng and different parts of the world influenced by these two engs. Fewer native british eng speakers than non-native, adapted for own use and establish particular varieties.

Question 30

Lynne Truss

Answer 30

2003 Book - ‘eats, shoots and leaves: the zero tolerance approach to punctuation’
Prescriptavist approach, correct and incorrect grammar and is extremely important.