Language Over Time
What does cyning mean in Modern English?
Which language gave English the words beef and pork?
French (Norman French)
Which model compares languages to family relationships?
Tree Model
Which function is used to get needs met?
Instrumental function
“LOL” spreading globally via the internet.
Cultural Transmission Theory
After 1400, thou was gradually replaced by what pronoun?
you
The Norse language gave English which plural pronoun?
They
Which model explains how a language feature spreads outward like ripples?
Wave Model
Which function involves creating stories or imagination?
Imaginative function
Glamping combining camping and luxury.
Lexical Gap Theory
Give one example of a word from Late Modern English that emerged during the Industrial Revolution.
Telegraph, typewriter, chronometer
Name a 20th-century English term borrowed from Japanese.
Emoji, karaoke, sushi
Which model’s pattern is slow → rapid → plateau?
S-Curve Model
Which function is shown when someone asks “Why?” repeatedly?
Heuristic function
“Yeet” becoming popular on TikTok without clear cause.
Random Fluctuation Theory
Name two major historical events that influenced English vocabulary.
The Norman Conquest (1066) and The Industrial Revolution (18th–19th c.)
How is Substratum Theory different from simple borrowing?
It changes existing language patterns (pronunciation, meaning), not just adding new words.
Give one real-world example that fits the S-Curve pattern.
Ye → you, selfie, blog usage
Give one historical word change and say which Halliday function it relates to.
Telegraph – Informative/Representational (sharing information)
Norse words like sky and egg entering English.
Substratum Theory
Explain how both the S-Curve Model and Functional Theory apply to the shift from thou to you.
The change followed an S-Curve adoption pattern; Functional Theory explains it met evolving politeness and formality needs.
Explain how the spread of high-rising intonation fits the Wave Model.
It originated in Australian/New Zealand English and spread geographically/socially outward like ripples.
Name one limitation of both the Tree Model and the Wave Model.
Tree Model ignores blending (e.g., pidgin/creole); Wave Model is less effective for deep historical reconstruction.
Create a new word, explain its meaning, and link it to one of Halliday’s functions.
Open-ended — teacher judges for creativity and accuracy.
Shift from hlaford to lord over centuries.
Cultural Transmission Theory / Tree Model