49 terms in 3.2
Language diversity, change, and discourses
A language variety characterised by simpler sentence structures, more concrete vocabulary, and shared assumptions. Restr
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
A language variety characterised by complex sentence structures, more abstract vocabulary, and explicit meanings. Elabor
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
William Labov's sociolinguistic study examining pronunciation of the /r/ sound in different social contexts and class gr
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
How occupational groups develop distinctive language varieties including specialised vocabulary and discourse convention
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
How language use varies across age groups, including differences in vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, and attitudes to
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
A language variety distinguished by systematic differences in grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Dialects differ fr
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
A boundary line on a map showing where a particular linguistic feature changes. Isoglosses reveal dialect boundaries.
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
The process by which distinct dialects become more similar, reducing linguistic differences between regions or groups.
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
A relatively new accent/dialect emerging in South East England, particularly the Thames Estuary region, blending feature
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
A distinctive variety emerging in London, influenced by contact between English and other languages brought by immigrant
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
A simplified language that develops when speakers of different languages need to communicate, based on elements from mul
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
A language that develops when a pidgin is nativised (becomes the first language of a community) and undergoes expansion
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
Robin Lakoff's early theory proposing that women's language was characterised by features suggesting lack of confidence
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
Deborah Tannen's theory proposing that men and women have different but equally valid communication styles reflecting di
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
A sociolinguistic approach proposing that gender differences in language reflect and maintain male dominance and female
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
William O'Barr and Bowman Atkins's research showing that language features attributed to women were actually markers of
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
Deborah Cameron's feminist critique of gender and language research, arguing that binary gender frameworks are oversimpl
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
The alternation between two or more languages or varieties within a single conversation or utterance. Code-switching is
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
The variety of English languages that have developed globally, recognising that English has multiple centres and varieti
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
Braj Kachru's model describing English speakers globally in three concentric circles: inner circle (native speakers), ou
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
The earliest form of English, spoken in England from approximately the 5th to 11th centuries, with extensive inflections
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
The form of English spoken from approximately the 11th to 15th centuries, showing major changes from Old English includi
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
The form of English spoken from approximately the 15th to 17th centuries, showing relatively modern grammatical structur
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
The form of English from approximately the 18th century to early 20th century, with grammar and pronunciation approachin
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
The process of establishing and maintaining a standard variety of a language, typically through institutions, education,
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
William Caxton's introduction of printing to England (1476) and his role in standardising English spelling and grammar t
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
Samuel Johnson's comprehensive dictionary (1755) establishing English vocabulary and attempting to standardise and codif
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
A newly created word or expression, or an existing word given a new meaning. Neologisms represent lexical innovation in
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
The adoption of words from other languages into English. Borrowing reflects language contact and cultural influence.
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
The combination of two or more words to create a new word. Compounding is a major process of word formation creating neo
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
A word formation process combining parts of two words to create a new word. Blending creates portmanteau words.
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
A word formation process that shortens an existing word, using part of the original as the new word. Clipping creates sh
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
A word formation process where a word changes word class without adding morphological markers. Conversion creates new wo
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
A word formation process creating a new word by removing what appears to be an affix from an existing word. Back-formati
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
An abbreviation formed from initial letters of words and pronounced as a word (e.g., NASA, radar). Acronyms create new w
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
An abbreviation formed from initial letters of words and pronounced letter by letter (e.g., BBC, FBI). Initialisms are d
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
A word derived from a person's name. Eponyms show how proper nouns become common words through association.
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
The process by which a word's meaning becomes more positive or prestigious over time. Amelioration shows how word meanin
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
The process by which a word's meaning becomes more negative over time. Pejoration shows how word meanings decline.
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
The process by which a word's meaning becomes wider or more general over time. Broadening makes words apply to more cont
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
The process by which a word's meaning becomes more specific or restricted over time. Narrowing makes words apply to fewe
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
Changes in grammar over time, including loss of inflections, word order changes, and development of new grammatical stru
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
Changes in pronunciation systems over time, including sound shifts, loss of sounds, and development of new phonemes.
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
A major phonological change occurring in English pronunciation between roughly the 15th and 17th centuries, dramatically
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
Changes in writing systems and spelling conventions over time. Orthographic change shows how written forms evolve.
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
The approach to language that prescribes how language should be used, establishing rules and standards. Prescriptivism e
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
The linguistic approach that describes how language is actually used, without judging correctness. Descriptivism focuses
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
Jean Aitchison's metaphorical characterisations of language change as disease, decay, or evolution, reflecting different
Language diversity and change
Language diversity, change, and discourses
The hypothesis that language influences thought and perception, possibly determining or constraining how speakers think
Language diversity and change