Jean Aithcison's metaphors Flashcards
(13 cards)
What did Aitchison’s metaphors suggest?
To suggest people’s worries and fears about language change
Are these Aitchison’s own views?
No!
What does the damp spoon syndrome suggest?
Language changes because people are lazy - like leaving a damp spoon in the sugar
How do prescriptivists view those who are involved with language change?
They think that they are lazy
What does the crumbling castle view suggest?
That language is beautiful like a castle and that it should be preserved to prevent crumbling
What do declinists believe in regard to crumbling castle view
Language has never been at a pinnacle and a ridgid system is not always better than a changing one
What did Lane Greene find in regard to crumbling castle view?
Prescriptivists see language as being in a constant decline from once a great peak
What does the infectious disease assumption suggest
That using bad language is caught like a disease and we should fight it off
Why do people pick up bad/ poor language?
Because they want to, maybe in order to fit in with certain social groups
Does Aitchison believe changes are random or not random?
Not random - They take hold only if the language is predisposed to move in a particular direction
How do people try to preserve language?
- Correcting eg. exams mark down spelling
- Autocorrect
- Banning words in places like school
In what ways can you “catch” language from others?
Convergence and dialect levelling
What does Aitchison believe about language change?
A change sneaks in quietly, like a seed which germinates silently which sprouts through the surface later. Similarly, people become socially aware of change once it reaches a certain crucial point
