Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

english language > language change > Flashcards

language change Flashcards

1
Q

what is coinage?

A

the deliberate creation of a new word

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

what is borrowing

A

borrowing words/concepts from other languages

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

what is compounding?

A

words combined together to form new words

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

what is clipping?

A

words shortened and if becomes the norm

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

what is blending?

A

combo of clipping and compounding

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

what’s an acronym?

A

first letters taken from a series of words to create a new term

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

what is initialism

A

same as acronym but letters are pronounced

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

what is affixiation?

A

1 or more free morphemes combined with bound morphemes e.g regift

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

what is conversion?

A

a word shifts from one word class to another e.g. text

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

what is eponym?

A

names of person/company used to define a particular object e.g. boycot

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

what is back formation?

A

a verb created by removing a suffix from a noun e.g burgle

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

what is neosemy?

A

the processes where a new meaning develops for an existing word

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

what is broadening?

A

it retains old meaning but also takes on added meaning

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

what’s narrowing?

A

a word becomes more specific in meaning

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

what is amelioration?

A

overtime a word aquires a more positive meaning

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

what is pejoration ?

A

overtime a word becomes negative

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

what is weakening?

A

reduction of force of meaning behind a word

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

what’s a euphemism?

A

the creation of polite but round about expressions for things that may be unpleasant/ taboo

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

what is polysemy?

A

words aquire many possible meanings which coexist with the orignal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

what’s diachronic change?

A

the historical development of language

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

what’s synchronic change?

A

the study of language change at a particular moment in time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

evaluate synchronic change

A

+ able to understand & talk about
+coping - humour
+community
-problematic
-confusing
-misleading

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

what drives change ?

A

human contact
standardisation
mass media
campaigning activists
snobbery- prestige
people- shakespeare

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

what’s the wave model

A

new language features eb and flow in use
dialects spread
natural like the sea
e.g. word “reem” used in estuary english

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
evaluate wave model
+useful in explaining language overtime pre social media - change may not be that easy -less applicable now due to social media
26
what is random fluctuation theory (charles hockett)
-put significance on random errors & events as having an influence on language change -LC occurs due to unstable nature of language -e.g. “book” autocorrect - means “cool”
27
what’s functional theory?
-language changed & adapts to user needs -change in tech- new lexis -slang led to change- group expression -words slowly dissapear -e.g. vinyl
28
evaluate functional theory
+correlation between a changing society and changing vocabulary to fit new developments -doesn’t account for all lang change as it mostly focuses on lexical changes
29
what’s informalisation?
language forms reserved for personal relationships -e.g. ‘bp garage’ used to be “BP garage” - more inline with advancing technology and buisness
30
evaluate informalisation
+formal lang doesn’t use colloquialisms or 1st person pronouns +informal more personal -begin to cause more unprofessional work environments when encountering text messages and emails
31
what’s change from above?
higher social hierarchy changing language- straight forward e.g standardisation
32
what’s change from below?
lower social hierarchy changing english unconsciously
33
examples of change from above:
standardisation ink horn controversy “use plain english campaign” language reform + political correctness
34
evaluate sapir-whorf hypothesis
+words that are used in different languages help people feel apart of a group -certain languages can be left behind to develop creating a divide
35
what’s linguistic relativity?
language exerts a powerful influence over how we think and behave e.g. russia have more words for blue - greater understanding
36
evaluate linguistic relativity
+it’s interpretive + makes minimal assumptions beforehand about possible meanings in langauge -some elements of language ‘influence’ (not determine) speakers perceptions & effect their behaviour -language only influences thought
37
what is political correctness
conservatism- careful of how to use language to not offend but not changing
38
what’s language reform?
liberals consciously changing langauge because it is considered unfair to different groups
39
e.g of lang reform
wheelchair user vs wheelchair “bound”
40
evaluate political correctness and language reform
+can make language more inclusive -some believe that political correctness imposed restrictions on free speech
41
what’s linguistic reclamation?
taking language that has had negative connotations and trying to overturn them by using the language in new ways e.g. “slut” women refer to themselves as sluts to redefine the context in which the work is used
42
evaluate lang reclamation
+can help develop a sense of connection with culture +can provide people with a strong sense of pride and identity +empowering - could cause segragation -mixed feelings - history s.g. cunt -confusion e.g. queer vs n word
43
what’s prescriptivism?
“correct way to use language”- change from above rules
44
what’s descriptivism?
-all linguists -does not judge language+ it’s users -observe how language is used without imposing rules -sees language as something that changes overtime and is flexible
45
what’s James Milroys golden age of language idea?
-doesn’t agree - children can’t speak or write properly anymore -prescriptivists that hold the view mask their prejudices and classism to make it seem like it is benefiting english speakers
46
what is Jean Aitchisons metaphors?
opposes- uses it to show peoples pov damp spoon crumbling castles infectious disease
47
“damp spoon”
implies people have become lazy with language
48
“crumbling castles”
people treat language as an ornate building that once had a peak of perfection but is now falling apart
49
“infectious disease”
people pick up language change by trying to fit in with what’s new within language and society
50
what is David Crystals metaphor?
swimming with the tide in a sea of language change
51
what does crystals metaphor suggest?
language ebbs and flows bringing new words and taking others out in a natural progressive way- inevitable
52
What's L1 language?
First language (from birth)
53
What's L2 language?
Second language, official language of education & law
54
What's ELF
A budget language used to communicate between 2 users of different languages Simplified
55
Pidgin
Trade language Slave trade
56
What's a creole?
Nature language that develops frin mixing different languages E.g colonisation
57
Kachrus circles
Inner circle- UK, America, Australia, South Africa, Canada Outer circle- Singapore, india, Jamaica, Nigeria Expanding circle- japan, Europe (English as a foreign language)
58
Evaluate kachrus model
+simple model of hoe language has expanded globally -superiority
59
Macarthurs circle of English
Inner circle- groups of range of variants Outer circle- more specific variants
60
Evaluate macarthurs circle of English
+more equal -doesn't give info on numbers - rigid structure- doesn't allow or reflect change
61
Strevens family tree
Aligns spread of English with traditional family hierarchies Mapping spread of English as reflection of colonisation
62
Evaluate strevens model
+makes visible tracking of variants +shoes clearly that the variant language of power will be the dominant language - America taking over - superiority

english language (4 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions