lecture seven language change. i. introduction any language may change with time passing, but the...
TRANSCRIPT
I. Introduction
Any language may change with time passing, but the change does not happen overnight.
Examples: old English, middle English and modern English; ancient Chinese and modern Chinese
The changes can be found in different aspects of the language.
II. Change in pronunciation
Examples of changes between old English and modern English
Old English Modern English
stan [sta:n] stone [st] ham [ha:m] home [hm]
wrat [ra:t] wrote [rt] rad [ra:d] rode [rd]
Examples of changes between middle English and modern English
Middle English Modern English
mice [m:s] mice [mais]
mouse [m:s] mouse [maus]
broke [br:k] broke [brk]
Changes in pronunciation between the 16th and 17th century standard English and the modern English. (Difference in pronunciation between British English and American English, see Zhou, 1995, pp. 61-68)
III. Morphological and syntactic change
1. Change in “agreement” rule Whan that Aprille with his shoures sooth …
(When that April with his showers sweet …)
2. Change in negative rule
I love thee not.
He saw you not.
3. Process of simplification
Changes reflected in case and gender. Old English Middle English Modern English ure / urum oure our
4. Loss of inflections
Old English Modern English stan / slanas stone / stones gear / gear year / years
IV. Vocabulary change
1. Addition of new words
A. Compounding
Example 1:
butter + fly = butterfly!
+ =
Example 2:
Dog + House = Doghouse!
+ =
(http://www.manatee.k12.fl.us/sites/elementary/palmasola/compoundwords.htm)
More examples: newspaper, pigtail, sandstorm, ladybug, thumbnail, handbag
B. Coinage
Zipper 让我联想到另外一个绝佳的生造词例子—“ Zippo”。 1932 年美国宾夕法尼亚州的 George Blaisdel 发明了这种又好看且好用的打火机,他为当时的另一项发明 zipper (拉链)所着迷,所以称他的新打火机叫作“ Zippo”。这种个人定义的生造词例子层出不穷,很多大公司商标的命名就沿用这一创造性的做法,这些在字典中查不到的英语单词在日常生活中却最为大众所熟知。字典永远收不尽词汇,这是字典的遗憾,却是人类的福音—语言的更新永无止境。
C. Clipped words gym — gymnasium expo — exposition memo — memorandum disco — discotheque burger — hamburger dozer — bulldozer quake — earthquake fridge — refrigerator script — prescriptionD. Blending smog — smoke + fog motel — motor + hotel brunch — breakfast + lunch camcorder — camera + recorder comsat — communication + satellite videophone — video + telephone
E. Acronyms CBS — Columbia Broadcasting System ISBN — International Standard Book Number IT — information technology CAD — computer assisted design WTO — World Trade Organization IDD — international direct dialing APEC [eipek] — Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation AIDS [eidz] — Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome UNESCO [ju:nesk] — United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization
SARS [sa:s] — Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CELEA [si:li] — China English Language Education Association (web: elt-china.org) eftpos [eftps] — electronic funds transfer at the point of sale
G. Functional shift
noun — verb verb — noun adjective —verb
adjective — noun
to kneeto bugto tapeto brake
a holda flybya rejecta retreat
to coolto narrowto dimto slow
a dailya Christianthe richthe impossible
H. BorrowingOrigin examples
Latin bonus, education, exit
Greek tragedy, cycle, physics
Scandinavian skirt, scorch, scatter
French prince, question, coup d’etatsalmon, appetite, dinner, supper, beef, pork, sardine, mutton
Spanish ranch, guitar, barbecue
Italian balcony, balloon, opera
German beer, waltz, quarts
Dutch freight, pump, buoy
Chinese tea, kowtow, sampan (舢板 )
Russian sputnik, commissar, vodka
Arabic zero, algebra, alcohol
loan wordsWhose originspeople areunaware of
ceiling, judge, crime courtface, jury, money, royalstomach, piano, squash, gluetable orthography, cockroach, solarchair, yacht, awkward, esteem
loan words withsigns of theirorigin in theplural forms
fungus — fungimemorandum — memorandanebula — nebulaeradius — radii
loan wordswhich havetaken the English plural
stadium — stadiumscampus — campusesbandit — banditsopera — operasgymnasium — gymnasiums
2. Loss of words
Evidence of loss of words from Shakespeare’s works
beseem to be suitable
wot to know
gyve a fetter
wherefore why
Causes of loss of words: discontinuation of the objects. e.g. soap flakes, wash board, (in Chinese: 洋油 , 洋火 , 洋钉 )
3. Semantic changeA. Widening of meaning
Example words Original meaning Widened meaning
holiday holy day (religious significance any day we don’t work
tail the tail of a horse the tail of any animal
companion person with whom you share bread person who accompanies you
Quarantine forty days’ isolation isolation time
bird young bird any bird
sail boats with sails boats with or without sails
B. Narrowing of meaning
Example words Original meaning Narrowed meaning
hound general term for “dog” a special kind of dog
girl young person of either sex young people of female sex
deer any animal a particular kind of animal
meat food edible part of an animal
corn grain a particular grain
C. Meaning shiftingExample words
Original meaning Shifted meaning
inn a small hotel or pub can be a well-known large hotel(meaning elevated)
nice ignorant good, fine
lust pleasure with no negative or sexual overtones
a very strong desire either sexual or to possess something(meaning elevated)
immoral not customary living or lasting forever
silly happy / naive foolish
V. Some recent trends
1. Becoming more informal
This trend is welcomed by people.
2. Influence coming from American English
3. Influence from science and technology
Space travel
Computer and internet language
Ecology
VI. Causes of language change
1. Rapid development of science and technology
2. Social and political changes
3. Women’s liberation movements
4. Children’s grammar is never exactly like that of
the adult community.
5. Economy of memory, grammar simplification
plural of “cow” is “cows”, instead of “kine”
plural of “curriculum” is “curriculums”, instead of “curricula”
plural of “dwarf” is “dwarfs”, instead of “dwarves”
“cheap” used as an adverb
References
Dai, W. D & He, Z. X. (2002). A new concise course on linguistics for students of English. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.
Zhou, Q. J. (1995). Difference in pronunciation between GA & GB. The Publication of FLRASTAC, collective issue of 1995, 61-68.
Task
Do the following as written exercise:8. With examples, give some plausible explanations for linguistic change.