Causes of Language Change

Question 1

Ease of articulation

Answer 1

Omission
Assimilation

Question 2

Ease of articulation
Omission

Answer 2

This occurs when sounds disappears from words.
Over the centuries English has lost many word endings.
-No longer pronounce b in thumb
- Goodbye from God be with you
- Gym from Gymnasium

Question 3

Ease of articulation
Assimilation

Answer 3

This takes place when the pronunciation of a phoneme is affected by the phoneme that is next to it. Changed so that it becomes easier.
“samwich” not “sanDwich” (technically both assimilation and omission don’t sue me)

Question 4

Regularisation (4)

Answer 4

1. We change language if it seems inconsistent with rules/patterns in place.
2. Also known as Analogy
3. Pea was originally “pease” but as “pease/peas” became the plural we invented “pea”
4. Often seen in children’s language via virtuous errors

Question 5

Social influences (5)

Answer 5

1. Changing circumstances create a need to express new meanings (new inventions, ideas, etc.)
2. Novelty. (desire to be different or fashionable) eg. Slang
3. Changing attitudes (eg. PC language)
4. Prestige
5. Geographical factors eg. Movement/travel

Question 6

Contact with other languages

Answer 6

Lots of different reasons for contact/interactions. Especially likely to influence vocab (borrowings).
Romans, vikings, normans, americans, (don’t necessarily memorise whole list im just giving examples out here)