Language Change in Linguistics 1020

This set of flashcards focuses on key concepts and terminology related to language change as discussed in a Linguistics course, providing definitions and examples for effective study.

Language Change

The evolution of a language over time as speakers alter their usage.

Speaker Innovation

The process by which speakers change the way they use language, often leading to language change.

Diachronic Change

Language variation and change over time.

Lexicon

The vocabulary of a language, including words and their meanings.

Broadening

A type of semantic change where a word’s meaning expands to include more than it initially did.

Narrowing

A semantic change where a word's meaning becomes more specific over time.

Amelioration

A semantic change in which a word gains a more positive meaning than it originally had.

Pejoration

A type of semantic change where a word develops a more negative meaning than it had in the past.

Slang

Informal language that often evolves quickly within specific social groups.

Spread of Vocabulary Innovation

The process by which new vocabulary spreads across different social groups.

Prestige

The respect and admiration that a particular social group commands within a community.

Post-vocalic [r]

The pronunciation of the 'r' sound following a vowel, particularly noted in accents of New York versus London.

Rhoticism

A characteristic of speech in which the 'r' sound is pronounced, particularly in American accents.

Changes from Above

Changes in language that are conscious and recognized by speakers as prestige features.

Changes from Below

Unconscious changes in language that occur below speakers’ awareness.

Vernacular

The everyday language spoken by ordinary people in a particular region.

Koineisation

The process in which a new dialect emerges from the mixing of different dialects.

Lexical Diffusion

The gradual spread of phonetic changes from one word to another.

Apparent-time method

A sociolinguistic approach that compares different age groups to study language change.

Contact-induced Change

Changes to a language that result from contact between speakers of different languages.

Social Status

The position or rank of a person or group within the social hierarchy that influences language change.

Gender and Language Change

The role that gender plays in the introduction and spread of linguistic changes.

Interaction and Language Change

The relationship between speakers’ social interactions and the progression of language change.

Media Influence

The impact of television, radio, and other media on the evolution of language habits.

Linguistic Conservatism

The tendency to resist variation and change in language, often observed in isolated communities.