Theorists for Language Change
- J Aitchison’s Potential, Diffusion, Implementation & Codification Model
1. Potential – there is an internal weakness or an external pressure for a particular change
2. Diffusion – the change starts to spread through the population
3. Implementation – people start using the variant – it is incorporated into people’s idiolect – group / local languages
4. Codification Model – written down and subsequently put into the dictionary and accepted officially
- Chen (1968 &1972) – gradual then accelerating change, before levelling off – the S-curve Model
- Bailey C.J. (1973) – Wave Model: how changes weaken exponentially across a particular geographical region & across different social groups
- Theory of Lexical Gaps – a word will be invented, converted or borrowed in order to fill a gap in usage as well as a phonological gap in our language
- Substratum Theory: that language changes primarily through contact with other languages: consider the effect of Yiddish speakers hypercorrect pronunciation of /do-er/ and /caw-fee/ on the distinctive New York accent of today
- Functional Theory – language changes according to the needs of its users
- Jean Aitchison’s Parodies of Prescriptivism
- Damp Spoon parody
- Crumbling Castle Parody
- Infectious Disease Parody
- Random Fluctuation Theory – Charles Hockett 1958 – language changes owing to its instability, because of random errors and events within the language system, as a response of the ever changing context of language use and its users. E.g. Why has “book” become a synonym for “cool” (predictive texting) – a pretty random occurrence.
- Guy Deutscher – The Unfolding of Language (2005)
a) Economy – the tendency to save effort, and is behind the short-cuts speakers often take in pronunciation.
b) Expressiveness – refers to speakers’ attempts to achieve greater effect for their utterances and extend their range of meaning…. the results of this hyperbole can often be self-defeating, since the repetition of emphatic phrases can cause an inflationary process that devalues their currency.
c) Analogy – the mind’s craving for order, the instinctive need of speakers to find regularity in language.
Dying Languages:
Approaching A-level Language Paper 2 Section A:
This instructional podcast outlines the specific requirements for completing the first section of a high-level English A-level Language exam response. You need to analyse the relationship between non-standard dialects, such as pidgins or creoles, and Standard English by applying various linguistic frameworks. Our podcast suggests a structured approach, advising candidates to categorise your observations into distinct areas like phonology, grammar, and vocabulary. We also highlights the importance of considering broader socio-political factors and the impact of globalisation on communication. By following this template, you can ensure that you address the necessary technical criteria within the suggested 45 minute timeframe which ultimately serves as a strategic roadmap for mastering comparative linguistic analysis under exam conditions. Check it out:
Wider Reading:
Awaken English 