Theorists Flashcards
David Crystal
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.
Deutscher
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.
Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee-Whorf
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.
John McWhorter
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
Nicholas Ostler
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.
Jean Aitchinson
2013 set of meatphors to describe different attitudes to lang change. DAMP SPOON SYNDROME CRUMBLING CASTLE INFECTIOUS DISEASE
Joseph Priestly
1761, disagrees with standardisation.
Descriptavist.
“Ill calculated to reform and fix a language”
“The best forms of speech will, in time, establish themselves”
Haugen
1966
Identified 4 stage process to standardisation.
SELECTION, CODIFICATION, ELABORATION,IMPLEMENTATION
Norman Fairclough
Lang become more colloquial due to shifting boundaries between speech and writing, and private and public orders of discourse.
Lindley Murray
1795
Published a guide to ‘ENGLISH GRAMMAR’, foloowing on from work of lowth. Where lowth establish tendencies, murray establish rules.
Donald MacKinnon
1996 lang can be seen as
CORRECT OR INCORRECT, PLEASANT OR UGLY, USEFUL OR USELESS, APPROPRIATE OR INAPPROPRIATE (contextually)
Milroy and Milroy
1985 “Standardisation is an ongoing process and an ideological struggle” . John milroy said no such thing as ‘golden age’ of english.
Henry Hitchings
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”
Kachru
1992 THREE CIRCLES MODEL, shows global spread of eng. inner, outer and expanding circle. Eng as L1, eng as L1, eng as ELF
Kandiah
1998 described world as ‘global village’ said colonisation reason for global spread of eng.
Noah-Webster
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
The English Spelling Society
1908 Worked hard to promote SIMPLIFIED SPELLING SYSTEM. Would address inconsistencies in eng spelling. Not very successfuly, attempt.
The Academie de Francaise
Official french body, aim to preserve french labg and prevent anglicising
Robert Lowth
1762 Grammar rules
Book -‘short introduction to english grammar’
Grounded rules in latin.
Jonathon Swift
1712 wrote ‘A proposal for correcting, improving and ascertaining the english tone”
Disliked, vagueness of lang ‘poverty of conversation’, shortened words/slang,
William Caxton
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)
Samuel Daniel
1599 described eng lang as ‘the treasure of our tongue’ and ‘our best glorie’
So needs protecting, especially against inkhorn terms.
Thomas Nashe
1593 FOR inkhorn terms. Need them as eng lang insufficient in expressing literary ideas, not sophisticated enough.
Steven Pinker
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.”
Robert Phillipson
1992 argues that the spread of english as a global language disadvantages other langs, causing them to lose prestige or die out.
Charles Hockett
Errors occur in lang and we tend to pass these on to other users.
Schneider
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.
Jennifer Jenkins
2006
Five key characteristics of eng as a lingua franca (ELF)
Strevens
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.
Lynne Truss
2003 Book - ‘eats, shoots and leaves: the zero tolerance approach to punctuation’
Prescriptavist approach, correct and incorrect grammar and is extremely important.
