LANGUAGE CHANGE
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 change
itself cannot be observed; all that we can
possibly hope to observe are the consequences
of change.

KINDS OF CHANGES

1. Internal Change ….internal structure of a
language;: phonology, morphology, syntax.

2. External Change …. Borrowing from other
dialects or languages.
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 boys and
girls in England.

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 --- Lavov
(1972)… 13 stages.

HOW DO CHANGES SPREAD?
1. From group to group
 2. From style to style
 3. From word to word ---lexical diffusion

 The
way to pronounce the word ‘knight’.
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
……a very reliable method of identifying changes

REASONS FOR LANGUAGE CHANGE
Social status and language change…
superiority vs inferiority
 Sex and language change… women vs men
 Interaction and language change.....
Intercultural communication.
