Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

English Language Master Decks > Language Change Master > Flashcards

Language Change Master Flashcards

(70 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

Explain what ‘lexical change’ is

A

Lexical change is when lexis (words) change

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

What is diachronic change?

A

Language change over a period of time - e.g. comparing language use in 1700 to 2000

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

What is synchronic change?

A

Change/variation in language in the same time period - e.g. different use of English in young & old people in 2025

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

What were the reasons for the Great Vowel Shift?

A

Redistribution of people after plague and mixing of accents (London and SE main destinations of migrants)
Turmoil - 100 years war, aristocracy switch from French to English as main language
Possible socio-linguistic drivers e.g. ascendancy of London with different strata of social groups
French influence - either convergence or divergence

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

Define the term ‘archaism’

A

Words that are dead and no longer in use eg ‘forsooth’

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

Explain what ‘dated lexis’ is

A

Words that are old fashioned and rarely in use, but not dead yet. e.g. gramophone

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

Explain what a ‘neologism is’

A

A neologism is a newly created word e.g. bingewatch

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

Explain what ‘semantic change’ means

A

Semantic change is when a word changes in meaning

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

Explain what ‘coining’ means

A

When words are invented e.g. delulu

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

Explain what ‘compounding’ means

A

When new words are made up of two or more existing words e.g. doomscrolling

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

Explain what ‘blending’ means

A

When new words are made up from parts of two or more existing words e.g. spork (spoon & fork)

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

Explain what ‘clipping’ means

A

When new words are formed from parts of existing words e.g. phone (clipped from telephone)

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

Is AIDS an initialism or acronym?

A

Acronym

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

Is HIV an initialism or acronym?

A

Initialism

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

Explain what ‘affixation’ is

A

When new words are formed by adding a prefix or a suffix to an existing word e.g. supermarket

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

Explain what ‘eponym’ means

A

When proper nouns are used to name discoveries/inventions or brand names becoming generic e.g. Hoover

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

Some words meanings just change from one meaning to another. What do we call this?

A

This is called semantic shift.

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

Explain what ‘semantic amelioration’ is

A

When the word’s meanings changes to become more pleasant or less unpleasant. e.g. naughty

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

What is the term we use for when a word’s meanings changes to become more less pleasant or more unpleasant? e.g. notorious

A

Semantic pejoration

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

Explain what ‘semantic narrowing’ is

A

When the word’s meaning becomes more specific or restricted.

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

Explain what ‘semantic broadening is’

A

When the word’s meaning changes to be less specific or restricted

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

Syntactical change refers to changes in the o _ _ _ _ that words and phrases come in.

A

Order

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

What do we call change that speakers are consciously aware of?

A

Change from above

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

What do we call change that speakers are not consciously aware of?

A

Change from below

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Labov's NY Department store study is an example of change from _ _ _ _ _
Above - they knew they were changing their pronunciation
26
Labov's Martha's Vineyard study is an example of change from _ _ _ _ _
Below - they didn't know they were changing their language
27
In which year did Samuel Johnson publish his dictionary?
1755
28
Explain what reclaiming means
Reclaiming is the process whereby a previously pejorative term was adopted and self-applied by the groups in question. e.g. the noun 'queer' when it is used by a member of its community.
29
Labov estimates that 90% of linguistic change is led by which group?
Women
30
What is technological determinism?
The idea that technology shapes social change (and as a result - language)
31
What is Halliday's functional theory?
Language is a social process Language is a system of choices Language changes over time and is changed by the way we use it. Language always changes and adapts to the needs of its users.
31
What is the name of the theory which believes language changes through contact with other languages?
Substratum theory
32
What are the common myths about texting that David Crystal identifies?
It makes young people illiterate. Messages are full of abbreviations. Texting is destroying English.
33
Crystal found that texters who used more abbreviations tended to be able to spell better or worse?
Better
33
What does David Crystal argue is a benefit of texting?
It makes children bidialectal, improving their grammatical awareness.
34
John McWhorter describes texting as F _ _ _ _ _ _ _ S _ _ _ _ _ - it means that we can now write like we speak
Fingered speech
35
Which linguist suggested S-Curve theory?
Chen
36
What theory is based on the idea that language change can occur at a slow pace and then increasing speed as it becomes more common and accepted in the language?
S-Curve theory
37
What does PIDC stand for in Aitchison's PIDC model
Potential for Change, Implementation, Diffusion, Codification
38
Who suggested the wave model?
Bailey
39
What does wave model suggest?
Geographical distance can have an effect on language change. New language starts at the centre and gradually spreads to users further away.
40
What is linguistic reflectionism?
The idea that language reflects the society that produces it.
41
What is linguistic determinism?
The idea that language determines the way we think and behave.
42
What is linguistic relativity?
The idea that language shapes our thinking but does not completely control it.
43
What is political correctness?
Deliberate changing of language to not discriminate against others.
44
What is semantic reclamation?
Where a term used against a particular group is reclaimed and used by that group - e.g. 'gay'
45
What is Stephen Pinker's euphemism treadmill?
Where words originally intended to be politically correct take on the negative connotations of the original word and new terms have to be invented to be less offensive.
46
What 3 reasons does Deutscher offer for language change? 1. The w _ _ _ _ changes so l _ _ _ _ _ _ _ changes 2. C _ _ _ _ _ _ 3. P _ _ _ _ _ like change
1. The world changes so language changes 2. Contact 3. People like change
47
What is McWhorter's lava lamp analogy?
Language is always changing. There is joy in the infinite variations in language. It is mesmerising, spontaneous and expressive.
48
What are Haugen's 4 main processes of standardisation? 1. S _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 2. C _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 3. E _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 4. I _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Selection Codification Elaboration Implementation
49
Prescriptivists believe language change is ...
Bad
50
Descriptivists believe language change is ...
Inevitable and necessary
51
What is the "crumbling castle" metaphor?
The idea that the English language was once a perfect, elegant structure that is now in a state of decline.
52
How does Aitchison refute the "crumbling castle" view?
She argues that language is constantly evolving and was never a "perfect" system frozen in time.
53
What is the "damp spoon syndrome"?
The belief that language change is caused by laziness, like leaving a spoon in a sugar bowl.
54
How does Aitchison respond to the "damp spoon" metaphor?
She says language change is not due to laziness but reflects efficiency and social trends in communication.
55
What is the "infectious disease" metaphor?
The idea that bad language habits spread like germs through contact with others.
56
How does Aitchison challenge the "infectious disease" metaphor?
She argues that people adopt language changes intentionally and creatively, not passively like catching a disease.
57
Which metaphor sees language as something that needs to be protected and preserved?
The crumbling castle
58
What is Aitchison’s overall view of language change, based on these metaphors?
That language change is natural, inevitable, and not a sign of decay—it should be studied objectively rather than resisted.
59
Is Jean Aitchison a prescriptivist?
NO! She is just giving metaphors to describe prescriptivist arguments
60
What are the two prescriptivist viewpoints that Robert Lane-Greene identifies?
Sticklers and Declinists
61
What are sticklers?
Prescriptivists that criticise any deviation from grammar and spelling rulesW
62
What are declinists?
Those who believe the standards of English are constantly falling from a standard set in the past.
63
Which of Aitchison's metaphors and Robert Lane-Greene's viewpoints are similar?
Crumbling castle and Declinists
64
What is Ian Cushing's main argument against language policing in schools?
He describes this practice as "punitive and discriminatory language policy" and misguided linguistic purism.
65
According to Ian Cushing, how should Standard English (SE) be viewed?
As a "social phenomenon" used to achieve goals in social situations. It is just "one variety of English" and its status as the national norm is a "historical accident".
66
Why does Cushing argue that no language variety is inherently 'better' or 'worse' than another?
All varieties of English are "entirely legitimate, equally grammatical set of socially meaningful forms". There is nothing linguistically superior about SE compared to non-standard varieties.
67
Cushing believes students should learn Standard English, but what crucial awareness must accompany this learning?
While acknowledging that not knowing SE can lead to social disadvantage due to prejudice, Cushing stresses it is vital that students learn "why SE has these connotations and how false such prejudices are". This involves teaching about the "wider discourses surrounding" SE.
68
What are some key principles Cushing recommends for teaching Standard English effectively?
* Don’t treat non-standard English as ungrammatical. * Focus on the appropriateness of SE for different contexts, seeing it as adding to a student's repertoire rather than replacing other varieties. * Treat SE critically, encouraging students to discuss value judgements about language choices and why some varieties are perceived as better.

English Language Master Decks (10 decks)

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