TRADITIONAL VS MODERN
LINGUISTICS
Can linguistic change be observed while it
is actually occurring?
Traditional Linguistics vs Modern
Linguistics
--- Saussure (1959) and Bloomfield (1933):
most linguists have maintained that
KINDS OF CHANGES
1. Internal Change ….internal
structure of a language;: phonology, morphology, syntax.
2. External Change …. Borrowing
SOME CHANGES IN PROGRESS
Chambers and Trudgill (1980), (1983),
(1988) women language variation in Norwich.
Gimson (1962)
Labov (1963).. .Sound changes in
progress in Martha Vineyard, (1972), (1981)..women’s roles
Cheshire (1978)… variation between
THE PROCESS OF CHANGE
Labov (1972b, pp. 178–80) suggests that there
are two basic kinds of change: change from
below, i.e., change from below conscious awareness, and change from above, i.e.,
change brought about consciously. Change
from below is systematic, unconscious change,
whereas change from above is sporadic, conscious, and involves issues of prestige.
The basic mechanism of sound change ---
HOW DO CHANGES SPREAD?
1. From group to group
2. From style to style
3. From word to word ---lexical diffusion
HOW DO WE STUDY LANGUAGE
CHANGE?
1. Apparent-time studies of language
change
...comparing the speech of people from different age groups.
2. Language change in real time
REASONS FOR LANGUAGE CHANGE
Social status and language change…
superiority vs inferiority
Sex and language change… women vs
men
Interaction and language change...
