Geography of Geography of LanguageLanguage

Where are English speakers Where are English speakers distributed?distributed?

Why is English related to Why is English related to other languages?other languages?

What’s language?What’s language?

LanguageLanguage- speech communication- a - speech communication- a collection of sounds that a group of collection of sounds that a group of people understand to have the same people understand to have the same meaningmeaning

Literary tradition-Literary tradition- written written communicationcommunication

World LanguagesWorld Languages

6,912 known living languages6,912 known living languages Only 10 spoken by more than 100 Only 10 spoken by more than 100

millionmillion 100 spoken by 5 million or more100 spoken by 5 million or more 70 spoken by 2-5 million people70 spoken by 2-5 million people Rest spoken by less than 2 millionRest spoken by less than 2 million

Language Family-Language Family- a collection of languages related a collection of languages related through a common ancestral language that existed through a common ancestral language that existed before recorded historybefore recorded history

Language BranchLanguage Branch-a collection of languages related -a collection of languages related through a common ancestral language that existed through a common ancestral language that existed several thousand years agoseveral thousand years ago

Language group- Language group- collection of languages within a collection of languages within a branch that share a common origin in recent past and branch that share a common origin in recent past and display few differences in grammar/vocabdisplay few differences in grammar/vocab

Dialect- Dialect- a regional variation of a language distinguished a regional variation of a language distinguished by distinctive vocab, spelling, and pronunciationby distinctive vocab, spelling, and pronunciation

Official language-Official language- used by gov’t for laws, public used by gov’t for laws, public documents, road signs, $, etcdocuments, road signs, $, etc

Standard language- Standard language- a dialect that is well established a dialect that is well established and widely recognized as the most acceptedand widely recognized as the most accepted

Language DistributionLanguage Distribution The distribution of language results The distribution of language results

primarilyprimarily from migration- people from migration- people carry it with them like folk cultural carry it with them like folk cultural diffusiondiffusion

Distribution of language results from Distribution of language results from interaction and isolation. Interaction interaction and isolation. Interaction keeps language similar, isolation keeps language similar, isolation creates differences and explains creates differences and explains language regionslanguage regions

Language spreads through 2 things- Language spreads through 2 things- migration and conquestmigration and conquest

Distribution of EnglishDistribution of English

English is spoken fluently by ½ billion English is spoken fluently by ½ billion people, more than any other except people, more than any other except Mandarin- wider distributionMandarin- wider distribution

English spread wherever the British English spread wherever the British established colonies: 1established colonies: 1stst Ireland, then N. Ireland, then N. America, S. Asia, S. Pacific, and S. Africa. America, S. Asia, S. Pacific, and S. Africa.

The US spread English to the PhilippinesThe US spread English to the Philippines 2 billion live in countries where English is 2 billion live in countries where English is

officialofficial

Origins of EnglishOrigins of English By 2000 BC Celts invaded and settled By 2000 BC Celts invaded and settled

British IslesBritish Isles 450 AD- Angles, Saxons, and Jutes 450 AD- Angles, Saxons, and Jutes

invaded and migrated pushing Celts to invaded and migrated pushing Celts to edge of islandsedge of islands

Name England comes from Name England comes from Angle-land, Angle-land, in Old English Engle-landin Old English Engle-land, language , language called Englisccalled Englisc

Angles came from a corner, or angle, of Angles came from a corner, or angle, of Germany called Schleswig-HolsteinGermany called Schleswig-Holstein

Origins of EnglishOrigins of English 800’s AD Vikings invade, add words800’s AD Vikings invade, add words 1066 AD- William the Conqueror invades 1066 AD- William the Conqueror invades

from Normandy, France- French becomes from Normandy, France- French becomes official language for next 300 yrs. official language for next 300 yrs. Parliament used French until 1489.Parliament used French until 1489.

Germanic language used by commoners Germanic language used by commoners and French used by elites- blended to and French used by elites- blended to make Englishmake English

FR- celestial, equestrian, masculine, FR- celestial, equestrian, masculine, femininefeminine

DE- sky, horse, man, womanDE- sky, horse, man, woman

Standard British EnglishStandard British English Called Called BRP, or British Received BRP, or British Received

PronunciationPronunciation Not established until the 18Not established until the 18thth century century Despite a standard, strong regional Despite a standard, strong regional

differences persist-northern, midland, differences persist-northern, midland, southernsouthern

Path- M, N- /Path- M, N- /aa/; S- //; S- /ahah// Butter- M, N- /Butter- M, N- /oooo// Cat- SE- /Cat- SE- /ee//http://www.bl.uk/learning/langlit/sounds/

Why is American English different Why is American English different from British English?from British English?

Years of Isolation- Atlantic OceanYears of Isolation- Atlantic Ocean BRP not established until America BRP not established until America

declared independencedeclared independence BRP based on upper class, when colonists BRP based on upper class, when colonists

lower classlower class Colonists encountered new animals, Colonists encountered new animals,

artifacts, places, and used Indian namesartifacts, places, and used Indian names Noah Webster created American Noah Webster created American

dictionary and grammar- nationalismdictionary and grammar- nationalism

How is American English different How is American English different from British English?from British English?

Spelling/Vocab:Spelling/Vocab: New animals- moose, chipmunk, raccoonNew animals- moose, chipmunk, raccoon New artifacts- squash, canoe, moccasinNew artifacts- squash, canoe, moccasin Places- Mississippi, Illinois, MiamiPlaces- Mississippi, Illinois, Miami Webster- honor (Webster- honor (honourhonour), color (), color (colourcolour), ),

defense (defense (defencedefence))

How is American English different How is American English different from British English?from British English?

Pronunciation:Pronunciation: Main difference is pronunciation of Main difference is pronunciation of aa and and

rr Fast, path, half (Fast, path, half (ahah), not (), not (aa)) Brits eliminate r unless before vowel: Brits eliminate r unless before vowel:

Lord (Lord (laudlaud)) Secretary (Secretary (secret’rysecret’ry), necessary ), necessary

((necess’rynecess’ry)) Pronunciation has changed more in Pronunciation has changed more in

England than hereEngland than here

Dialects in the USDialects in the US 3 main branches: New England, Middle 3 main branches: New England, Middle

Atlantic, SoutheasternAtlantic, Southeastern NE- from E. Anglia, SE EnglandNE- from E. Anglia, SE England MA- diverse- Germans, Scotch-Irish, MA- diverse- Germans, Scotch-Irish,

Dutch, ScandinavianDutch, Scandinavian SE- from SE England, socioeconomically SE- from SE England, socioeconomically

diversediverse

Dialects in the USDialects in the US Any word not used nationally has a Any word not used nationally has a

distinctive geographic space, like a distinctive geographic space, like a functional regionfunctional region

The boundaries of word use are called an The boundaries of word use are called an isoglossisogloss

Small stream is “Small stream is “brookbrook” in NE, “” in NE, “runrun” in ” in MA, and “MA, and “branchbranch” in SE” in SE

Mass media influence local speech: a Mass media influence local speech: a frying panfrying pan was called a “ was called a “spiderspider” in NE and ” in NE and ““skilletskillet” in MA” in MA

PronunciationPronunciation http://alt-usage-english.org/audio_archive

.shtml

In NE they drop the “r” in In NE they drop the “r” in heartheart and and lark, lark, substitute “ah” for r ending in substitute “ah” for r ending in earear and and carecare

SE- Tuesday, “SE- Tuesday, “TyuesdayTyuesday”, mine “”, mine “mi-yenmi-yen”” MA- origin of standard American English, MA- origin of standard American English,

‘cause most settlers to the west came ‘cause most settlers to the west came from MAfrom MA

NE had most contact w/ England, so NE had most contact w/ England, so they’re closest to British Englishthey’re closest to British English

English is part of the Indo-English is part of the Indo-European language familyEuropean language family

Language Family-Language Family- a collection of languages related a collection of languages related through a common ancestral language that existed through a common ancestral language that existed before recorded history (Indo-European)before recorded history (Indo-European)

Language BranchLanguage Branch-a collection of languages related -a collection of languages related through a common ancestral language that existed through a common ancestral language that existed several thousand years ago (Germanic)several thousand years ago (Germanic)

Language group- Language group- collection of languages within a collection of languages within a branch that share a common origin in recent past and branch that share a common origin in recent past and display few differences in grammar/vocab (West display few differences in grammar/vocab (West Germanic)Germanic)

Dialect- Dialect- a regional variation of a language distinguished a regional variation of a language distinguished by distinctive vocab, spelling, and pronunciationby distinctive vocab, spelling, and pronunciation

Indo-European BranchesIndo-European Branches

Indo-European languages are spoken Indo-European languages are spoken by over 3 billion peopleby over 3 billion people

8 total. 4 main ones- Romance, 8 total. 4 main ones- Romance, Germanic, Indo-Iranian, Balto-SlavicGermanic, Indo-Iranian, Balto-Slavic

4 minor- Albanian, Greek, Celtic, 4 minor- Albanian, Greek, Celtic, ArmenianArmenian

Germanic BranchGermanic Branch

W. Germanic is our group, divided W. Germanic is our group, divided into High and Low from the elevation into High and Low from the elevation of Germany.of Germany.

High German became standard High German became standard Deutsch, Low German is ancestor of Deutsch, Low German is ancestor of EnglishEnglish

North German is ScandinavianNorth German is Scandinavian

Indo-Iranian BranchIndo-Iranian Branch This branch has the most speakers This branch has the most speakers

worldwide- 1 billionworldwide- 1 billion Indic (east) and Iranian (west) groupsIndic (east) and Iranian (west) groups Hindi spoken by 1/3 of Indians, script Hindi spoken by 1/3 of Indians, script

called Devanagaricalled Devanagari Urdu main language in Pakistan, spoken Urdu main language in Pakistan, spoken

like Hindi but Arabic scriptlike Hindi but Arabic script Both belong to Hindustani, a Both belong to Hindustani, a lingua lingua

francafranca, or common tongue, or common tongue India has 18 official languagesIndia has 18 official languages

Balto-Slavic BranchBalto-Slavic Branch 1 language until 600s AD when Slavs 1 language until 600s AD when Slavs

entered Europe and developed in entered Europe and developed in isolationisolation

Divided into East, West, South SlavicDivided into East, West, South Slavic E. Slavic- Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusan , E. Slavic- Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusan , W. Slavic- Polish, Czech, SlovakW. Slavic- Polish, Czech, Slovak S. Slavic- spoken in Bosnia/Herzegovina, S. Slavic- spoken in Bosnia/Herzegovina,

Croatia, Montenegro, SerbiaCroatia, Montenegro, Serbia Bosnians/Croats use Roman alphabet, Bosnians/Croats use Roman alphabet,

others use Cyrillic alphabetothers use Cyrillic alphabet

Romance BranchRomance Branch Evolved from Latin 2000 yrs ago- product of Evolved from Latin 2000 yrs ago- product of

Roman EmpireRoman Empire 4 main- Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian- 4 main- Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian-

mountains separate the Romance languagesmountains separate the Romance languages 55thth- Romanian, separated by Slavs- Romanian, separated by Slavs Vulgar Latin is the form spoken by peoples of Vulgar Latin is the form spoken by peoples of

the Roman Empire, spread by soldiers.the Roman Empire, spread by soldiers. Ex: Horse- Literary term Ex: Horse- Literary term equusequus, (equestrian, , (equestrian,

equine); Vulgar term equine); Vulgar term caballus, caballus, (caballo, cavalo, (caballo, cavalo, cheval, cal)cheval, cal)

Empire collapsed 5Empire collapsed 5thth century, by 8 century, by 8thth century century distinct languagesdistinct languages

Romance Branch DialectsRomance Branch Dialects FR- FR- langue d’oillangue d’oil in North and in North and langue langue

d’ocd’oc in South. Both shortened in South. Both shortened versions of Latin versions of Latin hoc illud esthoc illud est (It is (It is so).so).

Sp- Castilian, Aragon, Leon, etcSp- Castilian, Aragon, Leon, etc Sp and Port. Worldwide importance Sp and Port. Worldwide importance

because of colonialismbecause of colonialism CreoleCreole- mixing of colonizer’s - mixing of colonizer’s

language with language of people language with language of people being dominatedbeing dominated

Origin and Diffusion of Indo-EuropeanOrigin and Diffusion of Indo-European The existence of proto-Indo-European The existence of proto-Indo-European

cannot be proved. Evidence comes from cannot be proved. Evidence comes from root words.root words.

Beech, oak, bear, deer, pheasant, bee all Beech, oak, bear, deer, pheasant, bee all have common roots in Indo-European have common roots in Indo-European languages.languages.

Elephant, camel, rice, bamboo have no Elephant, camel, rice, bamboo have no common root- must have been added common root- must have been added laterlater

There are common root words for snow There are common root words for snow and winter, but not ocean. Probably cold and winter, but not ocean. Probably cold climate, inlandclimate, inland

Where did Indo-European Where did Indo-European Originate? How did it spread?Originate? How did it spread?

Theory 1- (Gimbutas) a people called Theory 1- (Gimbutas) a people called Kurgans, nomadic herders, Kurgans, nomadic herders, domesticated cattle/horses on domesticated cattle/horses on steppes of Russia/Kazakhstan. They steppes of Russia/Kazakhstan. They migrated in 4300 BC searching for migrated in 4300 BC searching for grassland and used horses to grassland and used horses to conquer Europe and S. Asiaconquer Europe and S. Asia

Spread through Conquest!Spread through Conquest!

Where did Indo-European Where did Indo-European Originate? How did it spread?Originate? How did it spread?

Theory 2- (Renfrew) 6300 BC, Theory 2- (Renfrew) 6300 BC, believes originated in Anatolia (Asia believes originated in Anatolia (Asia Minor, Turkey) and diffused along Minor, Turkey) and diffused along with agricultural practices. Indo-with agricultural practices. Indo-European dominates because ag European dominates because ag practices increase population- practices increase population- hunter/gatherers absorbedhunter/gatherers absorbed

Gray supports this theory but argues Gray supports this theory but argues 6700BC6700BC