AICE Lang A-Level Paper 3

Syntax

Order of words

Graphology

Writing system

Grammar

Parts of Speech

Orthography

Spelling

Semantics

Meaning of words

Lexis

Types of words

Morphology

Root words, prefixes, suffixes

Deutscher

Language affects thought and can change

Aitchison

Language change is inevitable

S-curve

change starts off in limited way and accelerates as more speakers adopt the change before leveling over time

Lexical gaps

need for lexis to evolve to fulfill a language need

Substratum Theory

changes that result from the influence of different English

Random Fluctuation Theory

random changes reflected in the uneven use

Cultural Transmission Theory

change in language in which groups/individuals benefit

Functional Theory

language changes according to needs of users i.e.- technological terms

Prescriptivist and Descriptivist

Prescriptivist (“gold standard” of language should be preserved) vs. descriptivist (no fixed standard; always changing)

Pragmatics

Attitude associated with language

Early Modern English

(1500-1800) characteristics: invention of printing press standardized spelling and punctuation; Samuel Johnson published a dictionary; great developments in science, medicine, and arts which caused the need for new lexis to be invented or adapted from other languages.

Great Vowel Shift

(1350-1550)- a series of changes in the vowel sounds of words: “boots” sounded like “boats” and “feet” sounded like “fate”. Might be reflected in spelling of words like “shew”

Halliday Functions

Instrumental: express needs
Regulatory: influence others behavior
Interactional: establish/maintain relationship
Personal: personal opinions, feelings, identity
Representational: convey information
Heuristic: explore, learn, discover
Imaginative: pretend, make up stories

Skinner

Conditioning

Chomsky

LAD
innateness

Bruner

LASS
caretaker language

Piaget

Sensory and motor experiences
sensorimotor: birth-2, name objects
preoperational: 2-7, symbols
concrete operational: 7-11 years, logical thinking
formal operational; 12+, abstract and adult thinking

Vygotsky

Cognition
ZPD: what can be done with and without adult assistance
egocentric speech