Language change

• Prescriptivism


  The belief that there are correct and incorrect ways to use language and that it should be preserved
• Descriptivism 


  The belief that there is no ‘one correct way’ to use language and the acceptance of its constant evolution
• Evolution vs. Decay


  The debate whether language is evolving (being enriched and developing naturally) or decaying (being misused and corrupted)
• Aitchison’s labels for prescriptivists:


  >Crumbling castle (preservation)

  >Infectious disease (influence)

  >Damp spoon (laziness)
• What is the four stage process of change:

  Potential -> need for a new word

  Implementation -> People start to use it

  Diffusion -> Use spreads

  Codification -> Enters dictionary
• How does Bex explain the emergence of generic labels?


  > Change within a genre

  > New sub-genres

  > New discourse communities
• What are Romaine‘s 2 aspects change?


  Internal -> Creation of new words on a technical level

  External -> Impact of social contexts
• Fairclough on language:


  Language has become ‘conversationalised‘
• What word does Goodman use to refer to the lower register of modern language?


  Informalisation
• Labov’s social bonding theory:


  Feature of use starts with restricted use by small group, spreads to those who wish to be part of the group/bond with the group members
• What began in the 18th century which sparked massive language change?

  The Industrial Revolution
• Bidialecticism 


  When people use both standard English and their own non-standard regional dialect
• What does Crystal theorise about Bidialecticism?


  Due to globalisation, we may soon evolve to be tridialectal
• What is Schizoglossia? Who coined the term?

  Coined by Haugen, Schizoglossia refers to the insecurity one might have that they speak their own language incorrectly
• Codeswitching

  The process of shifting from one way of speaking to another depending on the social context
• Global Englishes

  The phenomena caused by English becoming the ‘Lingua Franca’ where non-native English speakers outnumber native speakers. Many regions have their own variety of ’correct’ English
• Obsolete lexis


  Words that are no longer in use
• Archaic lexis


  Words that belong to a historical epoch and are rarely used
• Neologisms


  A newly formed word that has become accepted into mainstream language
• Coinings


  A newly made word/definition that has become accepted into mainstream language
• Aitchison‘s young cuckoo theory:


  New words push out the old ones
• Pidgins and Creoles:


  Simplified language that develops between two groups that do not share a common language
• What legal factors influence language change?


  Political correctness and Regulation
• Amelioration


  A process whereby a positive meaning is associated with the word
• Pejoration/Derogation


  A process whereby a negative meaning is associated with the word
• Grammatical shift


  When the grammatical function of a word changes over time
• Semantic shift


  When the denotational/connotational meaning of a word shifts over time
• Narrowing


  When the application of the term becomes more specific
• Broadening


  When the application of the term becomes less specific
• When did Gutenberg develop the printing press?


  1400s
• When did the government open government-funded schools for poor children?

  1833
• When did the government introduce compulsory state funded education for all children?


  1891
• When was the national curriculum introduced?

  1988
• When was Dr Johnsons dictionary published?


  1755
• The Inkhorn controversy


  The debate of whether the influx of ‘foreign’ loan words was contributing to the evolution or decay of the English language
• Caxton’s anecdote 


  Differences between regional vocabulary were too big and began to pose a language barrier
• The Norman arrival


  1066
• 400-1100


  Old English
• 1100-1450


  Middle English
• 1450-1700


  Early modern English