linguistic phenomena
languages combine many word parts (morphemes) with different meanings into one word
polysynthesis
the language or speech pattern of one individual at a particular period of life
idiolect
two language (varieties) become more alike over time
/ two language (varieties) become less alike over time
convergence / divergence
the belief that Christians were destined by God to expand across the American continent
manifest destiny
tends to be based on the written language of established writers and is codified in texts (primarily written)
formal standard
two or more negative elements working together to form a single semantic [meaning] negation
negative concord
The study of how people perceive variation in their language
perceptual dialectology
Through interaction, if we converge with or accommodate to people who speak lots of different varieties, then we naturally start using fewer regional linguistic features, and we can be understood by more people
dialect leveling / koineization
foreigners come to take resources to enrich their home countries; do not establish permanent settlements or attempt large-scale genocide
extractive colonialism
varieties which are not classified as standard (primarily spoken)
vernacular
marks how close (physically and/or metaphorically) the noun is to the speaker
obviation
measurable aspects of a language
linguistic features
Transfer from the minority language to the majority language; calques: direct borrowing of entire phrases
substrate effect / linguistic transfer
"foreigners come to eliminate the Natives, to get rid of them. Not necessarily bodily, not necessarily physically. Classically, there are assimilation policies which, rather than physically exterminating Native people, seek to transform them into white people"
settler colonialism
the variety valued by society at large; it can be the standard variety, but is not always
prestige variety
a line where several linguistic features vary between one or more varieties
isogloss
from within the community (example: creole- not necessarily "linguistic")
emic category
Using differing varieties (or languages) based on the circumstance, adjusting behavior, ways of being, based on the context
codeswitching
a pervasive ideology and systemic structure that explicitly and implicitly privileges whiteness, asserting that white people and their norms, beliefs, and standards are superior to others
white supremacy culture
a variety which society at large does not value, but is given prestige by its speakers
covert/ local prestige
groups of speakers from different parts of the world left their linguistic imprints on the speech of the region
founder effect
an approach to language which observes it and documents its features /
an approach to language which tries to conform it to a “standard”
descriptive / prescriptive approach
immigrant languages typically stop being spoken by the third generation
three generation rule
“an utterance with multiple possible interpretations for some set of people who have witnessed the practices of a particular community; one of the interpretations [is] considered harmful to another community”
dog whistles
a use of language regarded as distinctive of a particular group; linguistic features used to demarcate group identity
shibboleth