Theories of Language Change Flashcards
(25 cards)
Who came up with the Cultural Transmission Theory?
Charles F. Hockett
What is the main idea of the Cultural Transmission Theory?
Language is passed down from one generation to the next through social interactions and learning; there is also the idea that language is the primary means of sharing culture
What are the ways that language is thought to be transmitted in the Cultural Transmission Theory?
Socialisation: The lifelong process where individuals learn and internalize cultural norms and values
Imitation: Learning by observing and mimicking others’ behaviors and practices
Horizontal Transmission: Peer to peer
Vertical Transmission: Parent to child
Oblique Transmission: Older generation to younger, outside the family
Who came up with the Functional Theory of Language?
Michael Halliday
What is the main idea of the Functional Theory of Language?
The way we use language adapts depending on what we’re trying to achieve in a given situation
What does the Functional Theory of Language state the three key functions of language are?
- Ideational function - how we convey ideas and information (describe a place, how something works)
- Interpersonal function - how we use language to interact with others (requests, orders, emotions)
- Textual function - how we organise language so it makes sense and flows well (structure a report, or story)
Who came up with the Progress or Decay Theory of language change?
Jean Aitchinson
What is the main idea of the Progress or Decay Theory of language change?
there are two views towards language change: progress (language is changing positively) and decay (language is changing negatively), it emphasises that these views are entirely subjective
What are the three analogies of the Progress or Decay Theory of language change?
- Damp spoon analogy - language change is likened to a damp spoon placed in a sugar bowl; just as a damp spoon contaminates the sugar and makes it go bad, so language change is seen as something undesirable that “contaminates” or “degrades” the purity of language
- Crumbling castle analogy - language change is likened to the gradual decay of a crumbling castle; just as a castle that is left to decay will lose its grandeur and structural integrity, so language change is seen as a decline from an idealised, once-perfect state
- Infectious disease analogy - language change is likened to an infectious disease spreading through a population; just as diseases spread and cause harm, so language change is seen as spreading undesirable elements that can corrupt the language
Who came up with the wave model of language change?
Johannes Schmidt
What is the main idea of the wave model of language change? [4]
- Initial Change: Imagine a drop of water creating a ripple in a pond. Similarly, a change in language (like a new way of speaking or a new word) starts in a specific place or among a particular group of people.
- Spreading Out: Just like the ripples spread out from where the drop landed, the language change gradually spreads outward from its origin. It can reach other areas and groups over time.
- Gradual Adoption: Not everyone adopts the change at once. Some people might adopt the change quickly, while others might do so more slowly, or not at all. This creates a pattern where the change becomes more common as it spreads further from the center.
- Variation in Adoption: The change might look different in different places or among different groups. This means that the way people use the new change can vary, just like ripples in a pond can look different depending on where they are.
Who came up with the S-curve model of language change?
Wei-Heng Chen
What is the main idea of the S-curve model of language change? [4]
- Initial Stage (Innovation): The change begins slowly, often within a small, innovative group. This stage is marked by a slow uptake of the new feature.
- Acceleration Stage: As the change gains acceptance and becomes more widespread, the rate of adoption increases sharply. This represents the rapid spread of the change through the community.
- Maturity Stage: The change eventually reaches a point of saturation where the rate of new adoption slows down and stabilizes. The feature becomes established and is widely used.
- Decline Stage (if applicable): In some cases, the change may reach a point where it declines in use or is replaced by another change. This stage is not always present but is a consideration in Chen’s model.
Who came up with the tree model of language change?
August Schleicher
What is the main idea of the tree model of language change? [4]
- Common ancestor: languages evolve from a single, common ancestor language, a “proto-language”
- Branching diagram: languages are depicted as branching off from this proto-language, with each branch representing a divergence into new languages or dialects over time
- Linear evolution: shows a linear progression from the proto-language to its various descendants, with each branch representing a distinct language or dialect
- Genetic replationships: emphasizes genetic relationships between languages, meaning that they are related because they share a common origin
Who came up with the Random Fluctuation Theory of language change?
Charles Hockett
What is the main idea of the Random Fluctuation Theory of language change? [3]
- Random changes: language changes are often random and unpredictable; small, random variations in how people use language can accumulate and lead to larger changes over time
- No specific pattern: suggests that changes can happen without any particular reason or pattern
- Role of individual use: individual speakers might make small changes in their speech or writing that don’t follow any specific trend, which can spread though the community and become a part of the language
Who came up with the Theory of Lexical Gaps?
Trick question: it isn’t attributed to any one linguist, but was rather the work of many linguists’
What is the main idea of the Theory of Lexical Gaps?
It explains why some languages lack specific words for certain concepts or things. It suggests that a language may have missing terms for ideas that are present or important in other languages.
What is the explanation of the Theory of Lexical Gaps? [3]
- Missing Words: lexical gaps occur when a language does not have a word for a particular concept or object that exists in other languages
- Cultural Reflection: these gaps often reflect cultural differences or specific needs
- Filling Gaps: languages can fill these gaps by creating new words, borrowing from other languages, or using existing words in new ways
Who came up with the Substratum Theory of language change?
Many theorists, including William Labov
What is the main idea of the Substratum Theory of language change?
It suggests that the features of a language can be influenced by other languages or dialects that were historically spoken in the same area. It explains how languages can change due to the influence of languages that are in contact with them, especially those that have been replaced or are no longer spoken.
What is the explanation of the Substratum Theory of language change? [3]
- Historical Influence: when speakers of different languages
come into contact, the features of a less dominant language (substratum) can affect the dominant language (superstratum). This often happens when a language is replaced by another, but some of its linguistic features remain. - Language Contact: focuses on how the language of a community
that is conquered, colonized, or otherwise displaced can leave a lasting impact on the new dominant language. - Residual Features: features from the substratum language can appear in the dominant language’s grammar, vocabulary, or pronunciation. These features are carried over even after the original substratum language has ceased to be widely spoken.
Who came up with the Unfolding of Language Theory?
Guy Deutscher
