EL 102: LANGUAGE, CULTURE, AND SOCIETY

Language Change

PRESENTED BY KAYE LEGRIA

BSED ENGLISH SE1-2
 All natural languages change, and
language change affects all areas of
language use.
 Language change is the
phenomenon by which permanent
alterations are made in the
features and the use of a
language over time.

Richard Nordquist
Language is constantly adapting and changing to reflect our
changing lives, experiences and cultures.
It enables us to accommodate new ideas, inventions and
technologies.
It's not just the words themselves which change; the way in
which we use them can shift too.
Why does language change over time?
 1. Trade and Immigration
English, for example, often borrows from other languages. These are called
loanwords. Avatar, tsunami and sudoku are good examples of more recent
loanwords.

2. Technology and New Inventions

Some invented words are the fusion of two words that existed before.
These are known as portmanteau words. For example, blog comes from the
combination of web and log.

3. Old words acquire new meanings

Over time, words like 'gay' shifted from meaning 'happy' to referring to
homosexuality, 'awful' evolved from 'awe-inspiring' to 'terrible,' and 'nice'
transformed from 'precise' to 'pleasant,'
Types of Language Change
1
Sound Change
In historical linguistics and phonology,
sound change has been traditionally
defined as "any appearance of a new
phenomenon in the
phonetic/phonological structure of a
language.”
 The word "time" actually retained its long vowel sound in
the transition from Middle English to Modern English.

Middle English word: "time" [tiːm]

Modern English word: "time" [taɪm]

During the Great Vowel Shift, the long vowel /iː/ in Middle English
underwent a change in articulation, shifting towards the front of
the mouth. As a result, the pronunciation of the long vowel in
"time" changed from [tiː] to [taɪ] in Modern English.
 2
Lexical Change
It refers to alterations in the
meanings of individual words over
time. Additionally, lexical change
includes the demise of lexical items
as they fall out of use, as well as the
addition and incorporation of new
vocabulary into a language’s lexicon.
Borrowing
"cuisine" from French, "pajamas" from Hindi, and "pizza"
from Italian.

Coinage
"blog" (from "weblog"), "internet" (from "inter" +
"network"), and "email" (from "electronic mail").

Compounding
"blackboard" (black + board), "laptop" (lap + top), and
"bookcase" (book + case).

Acronym Formation
"NASA" (National Aeronautics and Space
Administration), "UNESCO" (United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization), and "laser" (Light
Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation).
3
Semantic Change
Semantic change specifically refers to shifts in
the meanings of individual words or
expressions over time. It involves changes in
the sense or connotation of words, often
resulting from shifts in usage, cultural
contexts, or social norms.
The word "deer" originally referred specifically to a certain kind of animal, but its
meaning has broadened to include various species of similar ungulates, such as red
deer, roe deer, and fallow deer.

The word "meat" originally referred to any kind of food, but its meaning has
narrowed to specifically refer to the flesh of animals used as food.

The word "mouse" originally referred only to the small rodent, but with the
invention of the computer mouse, its meaning has been metaphorically extended
to include the device used to interact with computers.

The word "villain" originally meant a peasant or farmer in medieval times, but its
meaning underwent pejoration over time to refer to a wicked or evil person.

The term "knight" originally referred to a young servant, but after it underwent
amelioration, it came to denote a nobleman trained for war.
 4

Syntactic Change
Syntactic change refers to modifications
in the grammar of a language over time.
It involves alterations in the structure of
sentences and phrases . It occurs when
the arrangement of words, phrases, and
clauses within sentences evolves.
.
 A common word order pattern in Old English was Verb-
Subject-Object (VSO), particularly in poetic and stylistic
contexts.
.
Old English: "Hēofon rīcaþ, weorþeþ wuldor āræd, swā swā on
heofonum, swā eac on eorþan."

Translation: "Heaven reigns, glory is ordained, as in heaven, so

also on earth."

In Modern English, word order is more rigid and follows a

more fixed Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) pattern in declarative
sentences
Words or phrases also evolve from lexical items with specific meanings into
grammatical elements with more abstract or functional roles.

The English auxiliary verb "gonna" is a result of grammaticalization.

Originally, "gonna" was a contraction of "going to," indicating future
intention. Over time, "gonna" it became a marker of future tense in
colloquial English. It has lost its status as a lexical verb with a specific
meaning and has become a grammaticalized element indicating futurity.
Underlying Issues Within
Language Change
Language Ideologies are sets of beliefs about language
that people use to rationalize or justify perceived
language structure and use.

Postcolonial Challenges: Many postcolonial countries

grapple with the relationship between indigenous
languages and more economically powerful languages
left by former colonizers.

Communication Difficulties : When there are shifts or

changes in language meaning, it can create confusion and
misunderstandings among speakers. This is particularly
problematic in situations where individuals are not aware
of the evolving meanings of words.
Language Interferences: Shifts in word meanings can
disrupt language continuity, causing linguistic
interferences. Sudden or unexpected changes in meaning
can disrupt established patterns of communication.

Language Endangerment refers to the situation where

a language is at risk of losing its speakers and becoming
extinct due to factors such as language shift,
assimilation, and cultural marginalization.

Standardization vs Dialectical Variation: Standardization

often involves selecting certain linguistic features from
among various dialects and codifying them as the
standard, while other dialectal features may be
marginalized or stigmatized.
 How does language change
impact our cultural
identities and heritage, and
why is it important to
preserve linguistic diversity
amidst the evolving
dynamics of society?
Language change brings about both benefits and
challenges. On one hand, it allows language to remain
relevant and functional in diverse communicative
settings, facilitating effective communication and
expression of ideas.
However, language change can also present challenges,
including the potential loss of linguistic diversity, cultural
heritage, and traditional knowledge. Furthermore,
language change can sometimes result in
misunderstandings or misinterpretations due to shifts in
meaning or usage.
 “We should never forget the
importance of our own language
and do our best to preserve it
along with our cultural identities
through the changing of times.”

- Kaye Legria
Thank you!
REFERENCES
Dworkin, Steven. “LEXICAL CHANGE.” Cambridge University Press, Cambridge University Press, 2010,
www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/cambridge-history-of-the-romance-languages/lexical-
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Jorge Gonçalves, Gregório, and Elias Alfredo Chichango. “The Main Factors Underlying English and Language Changes
and Real-World Effects.” English Language, Literature & Culture, vol. 7, no. 1, 2022, p. 42,
https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ellc.20220701.17.

Marshall, Jonathan. Language Change and Sociolinguistics. Palgrave Macmillan UK EBooks, Palgrave Macmillan, 1 Jan.
2004. Accessed 11 Apr. 2024.

Richard Nordquist . “Perspectives on Language Change.” ThoughtCo, 2019, www.thoughtco.com/what-is-a-language-

change-1691096.

“Why Does Language Change over Time?” BBC Bitesize,

www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/z9bwjsg/articles/z87pn9q#z7pbg7h. Accessed 11 Apr. 2024.

Zeng, Jie, and Xiao-Long Li. “Ideologies Underlying Language Policy and Planning in the Philippines.” Humanities &
Social Sciences Communications, vol. 10, no. 1, 12 July 2023, https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-01911-8. Accessed 7 Aug.
2023.