U2 Focus Questions Flashcards
What is a social history of English, and how is it different from other accounts of language or literature?
Formalism disregards any outside influences. English is social in the way forces of production shape it and people use it, and historical in that it changes over time. It is different from other accounts because English was the base for many languages and was developed both formally and informally.
How does a dictionary represent the complexities of meaning creation? How might online dictionaries fit into this discussion?
Dictionaries are a good example of how language can be dissected. They only provide isolated meaning, readers must integrate them in context and with other words to make meaning. Online dictionaries have changed in the words they define-slang is used majorly and every year it changes, therefore having new meanings all the time.
What is the sociolinguistic profile of a language?
Refers to the relationship between language use and social variables. It relates to rank and status based on social hierarchies, cultural identity, politics, economics, and general language use
How did language spread and standardization of language influence the early development of English? How do such factors play out in university education or literary studies today?
Economics was the main factor that contributed to the spread of English-if you did not speak the language, trade was difficult and money could not be made. It was also used for religion, cultural identity, military, etc.
How was the imposition and spread of English in the British Isles related to social and political power?
- Conquest - colonial origins
- Centralization of power - English tied to power
- Suppression of Indigenous languages
- Linguistic exclusion - low social mobility
- Colonization and imperialism
- Standardization and prestige
How does Leith’s “Critical Linguistic History of Texts” differ from other accounts of the history of English lit?
Instead of focusing on one period of time, factor, or type of english, he focuses on the entirety. He goes in depth of the whole history of English, examining different factors, different groups of people, and different times.
How are national canons of literature formed? What are the implications with respect to education and governance, reading, and writing?
Literary production, not unlike speech, was driven by social use, and often produced with a purpose and audience in mind. Similarly, the rise of a canon that represents particular ideas about language and national culture represents a specific instance of social construction. They are the basis on which other things are compared
How does Eagleton’s description of literary history and his definitions of literature compare to Leith’s social history of English?
The social history of English is the investigation of communication as social function, which is historical and material (it all works together and influences each other). Eagleton sees it as dissectible and as a machine. He also sees it as language controls the people, whereas Leith sees it as something that changes based on people’s use.
