Unit 3 Notes: Language

Language Key Issues

• The study of language encompasses several key issues fundamental to understanding the distribution, relationship, and preservation of languages worldwide:   1. Where are English language speakers distributed?   2. Why is English related to other languages?   3. Where are other language families distributed?   4. Why do people preserve local languages?

Key Issue 1: Distribution of English Language Speakers

Definition of Language

• Language is defined as an organized system of spoken words by which people communicate with one another with mutual comprehension (Getis, 1985).

• Official Language: A language designated for use by a country’s government.

Language Writing Systems

Ideograms

• Ideograms are “letters” that represent ideas or concepts, rather than specific pronunciations.

• Notable examples include languages such as Chinese and Japanese. The Sumerian and Egyptian languages have both ideographic and phonetic components.

Literary Tradition

• Literary tradition refers to a system of written communication. A lack of literary tradition in many languages impedes their advancement and documentation.

Phonetic Languages

• Many languages, including Romance languages, are phonetic, where symbols (letters) generally represent sounds instead of ideas.

Symbolic Meanings in Phonetics

The understanding of vowel and consonant sounds:

• Short and Long Vowels and Consonants: The following examples illustrate the pronunciation:   - vulture: short A, as in cat   - forearm: long A, as in table   - basket: hard C (K), as in call   - d/hobble: rope CH, as in children   - hard D, as in dog   - leaves: long E, as in lead   - horned viper: F, as in flower

Language and Cultural Diversity

• Over 6000 languages are spoken today, excluding dialects:   - Sub-Saharan Africa: 1500+ languages spoken.   - New Guinea: 400+ languages spoken.   - Europe: 100+ languages spoken.

• There is a concerning trend of diminishing diversity, with over 2000 languages classified as threatened or endangered.

Geographer’s Viewpoint on Language

• Language is an essential element of culture, potentially the most critical medium for cultural transmission.

• It shapes the perception of reality for speakers; attitudes and responses are influenced by available words.

• The distinct regional distributions of languages exemplify cultural diversity.

Global English Distribution

• Approximately 500 million people globally speak English, with it being an official language in at least 42 countries.

• The dispersion of English is primarily due to British colonial practices, which spread the language to regions including North America, Ireland, South Asia, and beyond.

English as a Lingua Franca

• The global nature of English stems from extensive British colonialism, serving as a lingua franca (universal language) today.

Key Concepts of Language Families

Indo-European Language Family Structure

• Germanic Branch: Includes languages such as English, German, Dutch, among others.   - Historical diffusion was largely facilitated by British colonialism.

• West Germanic: Major subdivisions include English, German, and Dutch.

• East Germanic: Includes Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish.

Historical Development of English

• Pre-Celts: The British Isles were home to Celtic languages before the invasion of Germanic tribes around 450 A.D. (Anglos, Saxons, Jutes).

• Norman Invasion (1066 A.D.): Resulted in a substantial French influence on the English language; French became the official language during Norman rule for approximately 300 years, leading to a hybridization of English with Germanic, Celtic, and French elements.

Dialects and Standard Language

• Dialect: Regional variations of a language distinguished by specific vocab, spelling, and pronunciation.

• Standard Language: A well-established dialect recognized for government use.   - British Received Pronunciation: The prominent dialect of English used in political and media contexts within Great Britain.

Variations between British and American English

• Vocabulary Differences: Arise due to settlers encountering new objects and experiences, leading to the incorporation of Native American terms.

• Grammar: Differences reflect distinct national identities over time.

• Pronunciation: The geographical separation caused divergence into distinct dialects, highlighted by the physical distance across the Atlantic Ocean.

Dialect Diversity in the United States

• The diverse number of dialects in the U.S. results from population size, geographical spread, historical mobility, and ethnicity.

• Major dialects in England can be classified as Northern, Midland, and Southern, which relate to dialect classifications in the U.S.

• Isogloss: A boundary that encapsulates different word usages.

Key Issue 2: English's Relation to Other Languages

Language Family, Branch, and Group Concepts

• Language Family: A collection of languages related through a common ancestor existing before recorded history.

• Language Branch: A subset of languages within a family, associated through a common ancestor existing several thousands of years ago.

• Language Group: A collection within a branch that shares a recent common ancestry.

• The largest language family is Indo-European, spoken by over 3 billion people globally.

Breakdown of the Indo-European Language Family

Major Branches

• Germanic: Includes English and German.

• Indo-Iranian: Split into Indic (eastern) and Iranian (western) languages.

• Romance: Languages such as French, Spanish, and Italian.

• Baltic-Slavic: Russian, Polish, Czech.

Common Ancestry Examples in Indo-European Languages

Many Indo-European languages share roots in terms describing nature, animals, and family. For example:

Key Issue 3: Distribution of Other Language Families

• Other language families important to note, aside from Indo-European (50% of global population), include:   - Sino-Tibetan: Spoken by 20% of the population in China and Southeast Asia.   - Afro-Asiatic: Spoken by 5% of the population in North Africa, Southwest Asia, and the Middle East.   - Austronesian: Also spoken by 5% of the population mainly in Southeast Asia.   - Niger-Congo: Spoken by 5% of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa.   - Dravidian: Spoken by 5% of the population in India.   - Remaining 10%: Languages include Nilo-Saharan, Amerindian, Caucasian (Georgian), Altaic, Uralic, Japanese, Korean, and Austro-Asiatic.

Language Family Distribution Table

• Percentage of Global Speakers:
    - Indo-European: 50%   - Sino-Tibetan: 24%   - Afro-Asiatic: 4%-5%   - Austronesian: 6%   - Niger-Congo: 5%   - Dravidian: 5%   - Other Families: Various percentages including Japanese and Altaic.

The World's Leading Languages by Speakers

Key Issue 4: Preservation of Local Languages

Definitions of Language Types

Extinct Language

• Refers to a language that is no longer spoken or used in daily life by anyone in the world.

Isolated Language

• A language unrelated to any other and not attached to a specific branch; example: Basque, spoken by over 1 million people in the Pyrenees Mountains of Spain.

Linguistic Variations

Lingua Franca

• A universal language understood globally.

Pidgin Language

• A simplified version of a lingua franca, utilized primarily for communication where contact is limited.

Examples of Pidgins

• Hawaiian Pidgin and Haitian Patois.

Dialect Variations

• Social Dialects: Denote social class; Vernacular Dialects are the common or slang speech of a region, showcasing local color and identity.

Current Language Endangerment

• As of recent estimates, only about 6000 languages remain, having decreased from 10,000-15,000 languages 3000 years ago. It's projected that half of existing languages may disappear by 2100.

• More than 90% of languages may become extinct or endangered due to current trends.

Causes of Language Endangerment

1. Globalization and Economic Changes resulting in:    - Urban migration    - Economic development

2. Media impacts, such as the internet requiring specific character sets affecting language use.

The Importance of Language Preservation

• The preservation of languages is vital for maintaining cultural diversity and self-identity. Efforts have recommenced to revive certain languages such as Hebrew and Celtic to sustain cultural integral parts of communities.

References

• Rubenstein, James - Cultural Landscape; An Introduction to Human Geography.

• Online resources including glendale.edu and quia.com for course materials and additional information.