Change and variation_ppt
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This document summarizes the findings of a study that compared language data collected in the American Southeast in 1930 to data collected in 1990 to analyze lexical changes over that 60-year period. The study looked at names for 150 things and found that regional differences were once the most influential factor in word choice but are now the least important, while males, whites, older speakers, and rural dwellers use older terms and educated speakers use newer terms. Of the 670 words tested, 145 had declined in use while 87 had become more common, and the vocabulary increased by 40%. Rural/urban speech differences remain strong. Language change occurs at different rates in different social groups and vocabulary is constantly evolving.
Change and variation_ppt
- 1. Lexical Change and Variation In the Southeastern United States 1930-1990
- 2. The present research It took nearly 60 years: real time study Comparison between data collected in the 1930s with data collected in 1990 Questions about names for 150 different things Description of factors influencing language change
- 4. Practical exercise: Think about and write down all the names by which you are known
- 5. What is variation? Variation means that there a different ways of labeling or referring or a thing, a person. Variation implies the use of variants which are the different elements showing variation. A variable is anything that varies. They are the factors such as age, sex and race. E.g. The English spoken in Scotland
- 6. What is change? It means transformation within the internal values of a language system. E.g. American English becoming more and more rhotic
- 7. Social variables considered in the study Region Rurality Education Sex Race Age
- 8. Region Mountain Piedmont Coastal
- 10. Education Change from below It appears frist in vernacular It Represents the operation of internal linguistic factors Change from above: Introduced by the dominant class It first appears in careful speech style
- 11. Sex More innovative: Users of newer terms Less innovative: Users of older terms
- 12. Race More conservative Less conservative
- 13. Age
- 14. Results Regional differences were once the most important influence on word choice; they are now the least important. Males, whites, older speakers, and speakers from rural areas use older terms, whereas most educated speakers use newer terms Of 670 words that were tested, 145 had declined in use while 87 had become more common. The vocabulary investigated increased by 40% Rural/ urban differences in speech are now as strong as ever
- 15. Important notes People are continually learning and using new words throughout their lifetimes Change does not take place simultaneously in all social strata Vocabulary is constantly in state of flux, with many words being gained and lost during the span of an average lifetime
- 16. Can you think of new words that have emerged recently?