The second part of the exam this year is about language change post 1600. Here are the starter notes for this part of the course:
1. Descriptive Approach in language = context and the more modern one of today
2. Prescriptive Approach in language
Key influences of language change
1. War, invasion and immigration - In past terms, the Brirish Empire was the main reason for new ways for language to mix. People from Jamaica, Australia, India and Canada all came to Britain and also with the introduction the the BBC The World, English was broadcast everywhere. A example for now, is the polish and simlaian coming into the south west looking for jobs, religous influences and the fact the are war or economic refuges.
An important theorist who is important to language change is David Crystal. This link: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/sunday-brunch takes you to an episode of Sunday Brunch on channel 4 he was on with his son, Ben talking about his new book and also how today is English language day! His main point how all of us in contempary Britainhave mongrel accents.
"There are more accents per mile than any other English speaking part of the world"
This is linking back to how invasion is a key feature of language change. His son Ben Cyrstal agrees by saying:
"Accents change from street to street."
The new book out called "You say potatoe" is all about about language has changed and this link here: http://www.panmacmillan.com/book/bencrystal/yousaypotato
Takes you to an investigation he is doing into this and collecting data from all over Britain over people's accents and you can get involved too.
They also talk about the idea that Shakespears language in the 1600's, would have had one of the original a accents of Cornish and now in the future, there is the idea that we won't have one accent and the media will help.
2. Science and technology - spoken and wort ten language is converging. We are in a generation now that will write more than we speak and the introduction of predicted texting is becoming a big infulence too.
This link here is to the new Barclays advert: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=825793004122235&video_source=pages_finch_thumbnail_video
Which is about teaching young people how to speak without using hedges or fillers. However, it maybe be stereotypical about language status and authority these days but it does have a point.
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