AO2 of Language change

AO2 is about:

- knowing what to write to have a good phonological order

- standardisation of English is very important to look at like the invention of the printing press

- theories and stages like the telegraphic stage in CLA

- this can be linked back to AO1 

Orthographied change

- Older texts = archaic lexis

- Lexis that has been spelt differently = spelling mistakes ➡️ spelling changes to accommodate spoken language but NEVER say a word has been spelt wrong!

- Accomdation theory - social and contextual factors, David Crystal e.g polish section in the market means therefore some words have been intergrated in our vocab

-Kagston = in the15th century, he encouraged standardisation as texts became aimed at a wider audience 

- Standardisation e.g schools adopting rules from Latin and Greek and adopting Anglo-Saxon = the introduction of prescriptive ideas 

- It was a need for people to communicate as more people began to learn to read

- Technology has become a main way of how language has changed! This TED talk by John McWhorter: http://www.ted.com/talks/john_mcwhorter_txtng_is_killing_language_jk takes the descriptive view on how texting develops out language and we shouldn't critise it, we should just let it devlop.

Samuel Johnsons Dictionary, 1950

- made by a process of recording words 

- shows a prescriptive attitude to language, where as now could be described as a more descriptive attitude being formed

1955 - 2014: what contexts have influenced our language? Vogue? Immigration? Music?

Stephen Fry - French insitution meets to decide words going into French dictionary where as in England words are more likely to be suggested to be added in

This link: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/nov/25/vape-this-years-selfie-2014-word-of-the-year goes to tak about this years word of the year: vape! The guardian describes it as the new selfie, which was last years word of the year! Interesting to find out how it came about to be this years word of the year! 

Interesting bits and bobs found this week

This first link: http://www.theguardian.com/media/mind-your-language/2014/nov/14/mind-your-language-grammar-nazi, is a interesting piece about a conformed "Grammar nazi", someone who picks up on the smallest mistakes in punctuation and grammar like apostrophes and points it out to the victim, who can have give many reactions. She goes onto talk about how this was once her until she made a mistake herself and then got an idea of what the other side was like. She now looks at language in a different way, so instead of sneering and feeling smug, she learns to give people the benefit of the doubt. This article is a good description on how we all make mistakes in out grammar but straight away judging about it, is not the way forward.

This second link is about a useful guide for terminology for analysing texts. From the simplest bit of terminology to the in depth details. Need help with any of this then click here: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/arts/exercises/grammar/grammar_tutorial/index.htm

This final link is a bit of fun about the Bristolian accent and dialect and what is interesting about language in this part of the country, who uses it and how it is easily stereotyped into a language that is not formal and can easily be looked down on. This article argues both sides in a fun debate of a city near us: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-17523102

Standardisation of English

Diachronic approach - study of history and evolution of a language 

Synchronic approach - the study of language at a particular point in time 

Descriptive attitudes = David Crystal 

Prescriptive attitudes - Standard English, politcal correctness = context 

This link here to an article called: "The hyperbole we love to hate" 

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/nov/04/hyperbole-love-hate-language-linguistics

Looks at how we exaggerate objects and experiences in reviews, for food ect to be more appealing to the audience when the metaphors and adjectives used can been seen as over the top. The word "literally" as well has become more it use to also add persuasion to make the experince seem more real. The it is done is for attentions and the one example of how the media is helping to change our language and the replacement of hedges and fillers is increasing.

The AO1 and 2 language change overview

So when it's comes to anylsing those texts, what do you know you will be looking out for:

AO1

High and low frequency lexis. There is more likely to be more low as that is lexis that is not used a lot in the present and old texts will use more of it that H.F.L. E.g the word "grandiose"

Why? Due to to different Form, Purpose and Audiences of the text. Audience for olders texts are more likely to be aimed at the higher classes, who are educated and literate. So the register will be expected tot be more formal.

Field specific lexis/jargon will also be important for looking at old texts as it will help to relate to the context.

Semantic fields = meaning of words and that will lead onto the idea of semantic shifts = how the meaning of words have changed over time e.g "gay" - happy, homosexual reference and now an insult and how it has become "banta" (uni lad). Also, the universal use of "he" in gender.

Grammar: punctuation and syntax structure - more complex. Why? Audience again.

Power - F.P.A - instrumental and influence of religion 

AO2  

Theory = David Crystal

Influence of external factors - descriptive and prescriptive

Standard and non-standard English 

Political correctness in language 

Standardisation snd dictionaries- Johnson

The printing press and Caxton - mass audience