English in the World Flashcards
Development of English
- Brought to England following invasions
- Came under threat after invasions, until Alfred the Great saved it
- English had no status, unworthy of use
- Disappeared completely for 200 years
- Re-emerged 300 years later as a combination of English/French
Growth as a global language
- Colonisation
- USA Influence (media, economic, political power)
- Industrialisation
- Internet (lingua franca, search engines, code + David Crystal)
- Lingua Franca, already well-developed as the basis for trade etc.
- Second language for communication e.g. politics
- Benefits
Varying use
the different ways in which people use the language
- lingua franca
- second language
- benefits
Causes and effects of expansion
- Conflict (Cameroon)
- Negative impact (Africa)
- Language Nationalism (Malaysia)
- Decline in culture
- Language death
Future Status
- Increasing Chinese Influence
- Latin
- British Council, David Crystal, Economist
Changing use
- New Englishes e.g. South African English
- Trade only
- Future
Language and Thought
- Development of Self
- Linguistic Determinism (language determines how we think, we are confined by language, the words directly frame our thoughts e.g. Hopi Indians do not think in terms of time)
- Linguistic Relativism (structure of language affects the speaker’s world)
- Linguistic Reflectionism (reflects the thoughts of its speakers, it influences the world but does not determine it)
- Linguistic universalism (reflection of human thoughts and all languages are similar with shared patterns and concepts)
Accomodation
Upwards convergence
Downwards convergence
Upwards divergence
Downwards divergence
Language and Class
- Prestige of class
- Accent softening (Indian accents, loss of culture/identity)
- Labov “/r/ after vowel as it was more prestigious”
- Opinions on dialects/idiolects and how this affects prestige and the want to express this
Teen Language + Slang
- Attitudes (inarticulate, lower-standard)
- Group membership
- Slang (identity-marker), type of slang communicates age
- Code-switching
- Appropriacy
- Slang and Jargon
Gender
- Gendered language
- Differences in male and female language
- Changing opinions towards gendered terms in contemporary society
- Sensitivities
Deficit Approach
Women cannot use strong or powerful language in the same way as men
Dominance Approach
Differences due to patriarchy: women’s language is weaker because they don’t have permission to use strong language.
Difference Approach
Differences due to cultural differences/differences in emphasis on interests and desires.
Diversity Approach
Sex/gender are different things. Sex has no influence on language. Society/socialisation affects our language.
