Language ChangeLanguage Change

LING 100LING 100

How does language How does language change proceed?change proceed?

We’ve seen how language families We’ve seen how language families spread and interactspread and interact

How languages constantly change, and How languages constantly change, and diverge when separateddiverge when separated

Language ChangeLanguage Change

What actually changes?What actually changes? phoneticsphonetics phonologyphonology morphologymorphology syntaxsyntax SemanticsSemantics

We’re talking primarily about We’re talking primarily about internally internally motivatedmotivated change in this chapter, not change as change in this chapter, not change as a result of language contact (borrowings, etc.)a result of language contact (borrowings, etc.)

Samples of change…Samples of change…

P. 484P. 484 Check out the examples of Old English Check out the examples of Old English

all the way up to Modern English and all the way up to Modern English and compare them.compare them.

What kinds of changes do you see?What kinds of changes do you see?

Sound samples…Sound samples…

Wanna know what OId English sounded like?Wanna know what OId English sounded like? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Wl-OZ3bre

E

Middle English (taken from Canterbury Tales)Middle English (taken from Canterbury Tales) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QE0MtENfO

MU

Sound change (Sound change (Files Files 12.3)12.3)

All languages contain variation at all timesAll languages contain variation at all times Sound change is complex, and probably Sound change is complex, and probably

reflects subtle changes in the reflects subtle changes in the distribution of distribution of variationvariation that accumulate over time that accumulate over time

Keeping this in mind, we can still get some Keeping this in mind, we can still get some mileage out of simplifying the situationmileage out of simplifying the situation Sound change implies an initial state of affairsSound change implies an initial state of affairs that is replaced by another state of affairs at some that is replaced by another state of affairs at some

historical point (remember though: change is not historical point (remember though: change is not abrupt)abrupt)

Sound ChangeSound Change

Sound changes as a result of some Sound changes as a result of some phonological processphonological process (~a rule) (~a rule) a new rule, or the expansion of an old onea new rule, or the expansion of an old one e.g. e.g. pin~penpin~pen - some English dialects or registers - some English dialects or registers

have the same vowel in both wordshave the same vowel in both words if this rule spread to all similar environments, or all mid if this rule spread to all similar environments, or all mid

front lax vowels became high front lax vowels, then it would front lax vowels became high front lax vowels, then it would count as a sound changecount as a sound change

this would be an example of an unconditioned sound this would be an example of an unconditioned sound change - the vowel changes regardless of its phonetic change - the vowel changes regardless of its phonetic environmentenvironment

Sound ChangeSound Change

An example of a conditioned sound An example of a conditioned sound change:change: /s/ aspiration in Spanish - occurs at the end /s/ aspiration in Spanish - occurs at the end

of a syllable, e.g. of a syllable, e.g. ¿c¿cómo ehtás/ehtáh?ómo ehtás/ehtáh? /s/ at the beginning of a word is unchanged/s/ at the beginning of a word is unchanged s / V_V also changes in some dialects, so s / V_V also changes in some dialects, so

the process would be different, but it’s still the process would be different, but it’s still conditionedconditioned

Sound ChangeSound Change

Types of conditioned and unconditioned Types of conditioned and unconditioned sound changes are listed in sound changes are listed in FilesFiles pp 494- pp 494-9595

NOTE!!!NOTE!!! These are closely related to the phonological These are closely related to the phonological

processes we looked at synchronically processes we looked at synchronically earlier in the courseearlier in the course

It might be good to review that chapter!It might be good to review that chapter!

Sound ChangeSound Change

The big picture:The big picture: There is a close relationship between synchronic There is a close relationship between synchronic

variation and diachronic sound (or other) change in variation and diachronic sound (or other) change in language.language.

Changes originate as variation, then spread through Changes originate as variation, then spread through the lexicon, affecting all instances of a sound (in a the lexicon, affecting all instances of a sound (in a particular context, if it’s a conditioned change)particular context, if it’s a conditioned change)

Once the change has spread through the whole Once the change has spread through the whole lexicon, there’s no going back - the link to the earlier lexicon, there’s no going back - the link to the earlier forms is brokenforms is broken

Sound Change - one more Sound Change - one more notenote

Phonemic changes alter the phonemic structure Phonemic changes alter the phonemic structure of a languageof a language the the pin~penpin~pen one we mentioned, if it took over all of one we mentioned, if it took over all of

English, would collapse the mid front lax and high front English, would collapse the mid front lax and high front lax vowels into one phonemelax vowels into one phoneme

Phonetic changes alter allophones, but not Phonetic changes alter allophones, but not phonemesphonemes Spanish /s/-aspiration (/s/ becomes /h/) would create Spanish /s/-aspiration (/s/ becomes /h/) would create

another allophone of /s/, but it’s still the same phonemeanother allophone of /s/, but it’s still the same phoneme This doesn’t necessarily correlate with whether This doesn’t necessarily correlate with whether

the change is conditioned or notthe change is conditioned or not

Morphological ChangeMorphological Change

Refer to Refer to FilesFiles Summary: morphological change is usually Summary: morphological change is usually

analogical, either by analogical, either by proportional analogyproportional analogy (a:b::c:X) (a:b::c:X) or by or by paradigm levelingparadigm leveling (where related words are (where related words are changed to look more like each otherchanged to look more like each other

It also results from It also results from reinterpretationreinterpretation ( (Files Files calls this calls this misanalysis) (if misanalysis) (if burglarburglar has the suffix /er/, then there has the suffix /er/, then there must be a verb must be a verb to burgle)to burgle)

We also add words by various processes (see p. We also add words by various processes (see p. 500/501)500/501)

Practice!Practice!

Exercise (13), p. 518Exercise (13), p. 518 What sounds changes that occurred What sounds changes that occurred

between between Proto-Quechua Proto-Quechua and its daughter and its daughter language language TenaTena??

Which sounds changes are Which sounds changes are conditionedconditioned and which are and which are unconditionedunconditioned??

Syntactic ChangeSyntactic Change

Consider these examples:Consider these examples: ““father our”…father our”… NP->N DetNP->N Det ““our father”our father” NP-> Det N NP-> Det N

Syntactic ChangeSyntactic Change

Also:Also: fæder urefæder ure (subject)(subject) fæder urnefæder urne (object)(object)

Change in marking of grammatical Change in marking of grammatical function from OE to ModE.function from OE to ModE. OE had nominal inflection (case marking)OE had nominal inflection (case marking) ModE based on word orderModE based on word order

PracticePractice

(24), p. 521(24), p. 521

Semantic ChangeSemantic Change

Semantic extensionsSemantic extensions OE “dog” – particular breedOE “dog” – particular breed ModE “dog” – general termModE “dog” – general term Metaphorical extension: Metaphorical extension: broadcastbroadcast - “to - “to

scatter seed over field” – “to send radio scatter seed over field” – “to send radio waves through space”waves through space”

Semantic reductionsSemantic reductions OE “hund”- referred to dogs in generalOE “hund”- referred to dogs in general ModE “hound” – particular breed of dogsModE “hound” – particular breed of dogs

Semantic ChangeSemantic Change

Semantic elevationsSemantic elevations Positive change in connotationPositive change in connotation knight knight (OE(OE cniht cniht) initially meant ) initially meant

“youth”/”military follower” and later on a “youth”/”military follower” and later on a romanticized warrior.romanticized warrior.

Semantic degradationsSemantic degradations Acquisition of a pejorative meaningAcquisition of a pejorative meaning ME “silly” – happy, innocentME “silly” – happy, innocent ModE “silly” – foolish, inaneModE “silly” – foolish, inane

PracticePractice

Think of terms you use to talk about Think of terms you use to talk about computers and actions related to using computers and actions related to using the PC. the PC. How many of these are old words that have How many of these are old words that have

been put to new use?been put to new use? How many are totally new words?How many are totally new words? Why do you think this is the case?Why do you think this is the case?

The Comparative MethodThe Comparative Method

2 crucial assumptions2 crucial assumptions sound-meaning correspondences are sound-meaning correspondences are arbitraryarbitrary

otherwise we couldn’t tell if languages were related, or if otherwise we couldn’t tell if languages were related, or if similarity was just meaning-relatedsimilarity was just meaning-related

Sound chage is Sound chage is regularregular a sound either changes completely across a languagea sound either changes completely across a language or it changes completely, within a given phonetic or it changes completely, within a given phonetic

environmentenvironment By this assumption, we expect sister languages to have By this assumption, we expect sister languages to have

regular sound correspondences between words with the regular sound correspondences between words with the same meaningsame meaning

The Comparative MethodThe Comparative Method

Goals:Goals: to discover which languages are relatedto discover which languages are related to discover why and how languages changeto discover why and how languages change

Protolanguages:Protolanguages: we either have a historical recordwe either have a historical record or we can reconstruct protoforms (e.g. proto-or we can reconstruct protoforms (e.g. proto-

Indo-European *ma:te:r (mother))Indo-European *ma:te:r (mother))

The Comparative MethodThe Comparative Method

Procedure (Procedure (FilesFiles pp 511ff) pp 511ff) compile cognate sets, eliminate borrowingscompile cognate sets, eliminate borrowings list sound correspondences across cognateslist sound correspondences across cognates reconstruct sounds in each positionreconstruct sounds in each position

total correspondencetotal correspondence most natural developmentmost natural development Occam’s Razor (most frequent variant)Occam’s Razor (most frequent variant)

check for regularity (exceptions mean you have to check for regularity (exceptions mean you have to revise!)revise!)

ExampleExample

AA BB CCsizasiza sesasesa sizasiza

Sound correspondencesSound correspondencess>s>ss>s>s i>e>ii>e>i z>s>zz>s>z a>a>aa>a>a

(p. 512) common sound changes(p. 512) common sound changes /s/ voices between vowels to [z]/s/ voices between vowels to [z]

So *[s_sa] preliminary reconstructionSo *[s_sa] preliminary reconstruction

What about the vowel [i] or [e] in the 1What about the vowel [i] or [e] in the 1stst syllable?syllable?

Occam’s RazorOccam’s Razor:: It is easier to posit that i > e (It is easier to posit that i > e (oneone change) than to change) than to

say that e>i (say that e>i (twotwo changes)! changes)!

= > Final Reconstruction:= > Final Reconstruction: *[sisa] *[sisa]

PracticePractice

Group up and do the reconstructions pp. Group up and do the reconstructions pp. 523 (36), (37), (38)523 (36), (37), (38)