Linguistics
The meaning of words
What is semantics?
Shortening of long words
What is clipping?
Expanding a word's meaning to refer to a greater range of items or to include additional meanings
What is broadening?
Changes in language are random and unpredictable
What is Random Fluctuation Theory by Hockett?
A new word will initially experience a fairly steady uptake, followed by a rapid increase in the number of new users picking it up.Then, after a while, the number of people adopting it will flatten out again as everyone who is going to take it on will have done so.
What is the S-curve model by Chen?
The appearance of the text
What is graphology?
Initial letters of a series of words which are together said as a word
What is acronymisation?
Reducing a word's meaning to refer to a smaller range of meaning than previously
What is narrowing?
Language changes to suit the needs of its users
What is Functional theory by Halliday?
Language is like the tide - when the tide goes out it leaves some things behind on the beach, then it comes in and some of these things are taken away again while new ones are left behind
What is the Tide model by Crystal?
The spelling of words
What is orthography?
Two words being combined; one or both words are incomplete
What is blending/telescoping?
Shifting a word's meaning from positive to negative, or adding a secondary negative meaning
What is pejoration?
Language change is the result of socialisation and cultural learning
What is Cultural Transmission Theory by Bandura?
Linguistic innovations spread from one language or dialect through contact of the part of speakers of neighbouring languages and dialects
What is the Wave model by Schmidt?
The rules for organising meaning
What is grammar?
Creation of completely new words.
What is coinage?
Shifting a word's meaning from negative to positive
What is amelioration?
Varieties of the same language influence each other - a minor language can influence the dominant one.
What is Substratum theory by Labov?
Languages change only by splitting from a common core - a protolanguage.
What is the Tree model by Schleicher?
The social context and the meaning of words in it.
What is pragmatics?
A form of clipping where a long word or phrase is shortened and gives a new word in a different form
What is backformation?
A table of collocates or synonym
What is text B?
Language change occurs when an individual perceives a benefit in adopting a linguistic innovation or variation
What is Cultural Transmission theory by Hartl and Clark?
Language change spreads like a virus; it sticks to lazy people; bad English has ruined once a glorious language
What are the 3 myths by Jean Aitchison? the Crumbling Castle; the Damp Spoon; the Infectious Disease