Unit 9 - The Status Of English Flashcards
Global language
Language used across the globe for all written/spoken/digital communication; ie: English
Lingua Franca
Common language/form of communication which is used over and above local languages/dialects in order to allow communicqnnation between groups of people who speak different languages
English history
Developed from Anglo-Saxon dialect originally around northern Germany. These tribes then settled in Britain after a no. Of invasions since the Romans after 400AD.
Viking invasions threatened its survival (800AD - 1000AD). Vikings gained power in the East of England with Norse. Alfred the Great won in 878AD saving the Anglo-Saxon language (old english).
After 1066AD following Norman envasion of England -William the Conquerer. Norman french was the official language; old english was only spoken amongst peasants. Then english re-emerged 300 years later as a combo of English/french- church wars pertaining to religion + language (latin). Changing to English became dominant and religion.
Military/national power (British empire) launched English’s spread. Colonialism - USA,New Zealand, India. Language and culture shift towards english.
British empire decline in 20th century = less influence, however english spread continues. Entertainment/media was overcome by english.
English is the language of the internet.
Status of languages
Users must be high
~> English spoken by 375 m 1st lang; 750m 2nd lang
Spread over large areas
~> Spoken on all 5 continents
Politics/enconomy stability
~> Stabilty to allow for growth and less opposition
Uses:
• 3/4 mail in eng
• 1/2 scientific/technical journal
• 1/2 newspapers
• 4/5 global info stored on computers
Multilingualism
Individuals speak more than 1 Lang in their daily life
~> Close links to language and powe.
Accommodation
How people adjust their style of speech to be more like others around them
Kachru’s circles model
Classifies the way in which English is used inn the world
Model:
~ Expanding circle : China/Russia 500m - 1b
English = foreign lang
Eng - no historical/governmental role, but used as medium of universal communication
~ Outer circle : India/Singapore 300 - 500m
English = second language
Mainly colonial legacy countries
Eng is useful common language - lingua Franca
Higher education/national commerce in Eng
~ Inner circle
USA/UK 320 - 380m
English = native language
English dominates, used to communicate/administration/socially
Language norms:
~ Inner circle - English norms developed here, then spread outwards
~ Outer circle - Norm-providing = easily adapting norms + developing its own norms
~ Expanding circle - Norm-dependant = relies on standards set by native speakers in the inner circle
Non-standard English
Refers to regional forms which are not judged to be socially acceptable
~> Standard english is therefore the opposite
— Oxford/Cambridge/London - associated with education
~> Could possibly relate to perspective of language user
Received Pronunciation
Received pronunciation - associated with standard english
—> Used as indicator of status
—> Emerged in 19th century, among middle/upper classes
—> Established as prestigious due to convergence
~> Attitudes of english speakers link accent to status/old-fashioned/pompous
Creolisation
Two or more languages merge to form a new variety with its own native speakers
Case study : South African English
• Historically divided by english and Afrikaans - SAE is a dialect of English
• English dates back to 1795 here
• English colony - introduced by soldiers/administrators, then missionaries/settlers
• Established in 19th century due to gold/diamond mines
• Power struggles between English and Dutch - lead to Boer war (1899 - 1901)
• 20th century, Afrikaans replaced english - became government/administration language - associated with repression
• Eng remained influential in bus/higher education
• Enabled communication between nations many language speakers
Characteristics:
~ Adopted Dutch/Afrikaans words - impala
~ Afrikaans influence on syntax/lexis - ‘ja’/‘braai’
~ Borrowing form African languages - ‘totsi’
~ Borrowing from Malay - ‘atchur’/‘sosatie’
~ British influence - ‘robot’
New varieties of English - NVE’s
Regional and structural varieties of english which have developed in places where english is not the mother tongue and which have a distinctively different form of the language
• Countries which usually been exposed to colonialism (ie: Indian English/NIgerian English
• English is the common language of communication
•Each NVE has its own lexis/pronunciation/syntax
Linguistic imperialism
Imposing one language , usually one associated with power /control, upon speakers of another language
~> No.languages is decreasing
~> Eng becoming more dominant - expense of local/minority languages as its seen as less important means of communication and culture transmission
~> 18th century intro of Eng = endangered indigenous languages/ways of life
~> However the push for learning the English language across the globe can be deemed as damaging; with-holding the language from being taught reinforces inequalities to non-english speaking countries
Language death
Situation in which there are no remaining native speakers of a language dialect/language
—> Causes: death/other language dominance
—> Can occur suddenly/violently or slowly- war/disease or not be passed onto generations
Language endangerment:
1. Vulnerable
Children mostly speak the language but may be restricted to domains - ie: @home
- Definitely endangered
Children don’t learn language as a mother tongue @ home - Severely endangered
Spoken by older generations - parental generations may understand, but don’t speak it + or children - Critically endangered
Youngest speakers are older generations; they only speak it partially/infrequently - Extinct
Language no longer spoken
Language revitalisation
Efforts by governmental agencies to ensure a language is spoken by a new generation of children who will take the language forward
~> Language is a fundamental part of life - culture/music/stories/sayings
