Language Change Ideas & Theories

David Shariatmadari wrote an engaging article for the Guardian back in May 2014, that compares language change to fashion.

 "there is no more reason for languages to change than there is for automobiles to add fins one year and remove them the next, for jackets to have three buttons one year and two the next" said Paul Postal in 1968. The "tailfin interpretation", as it's been labelled, does, on the surface, make sense.

This asks why language changes; language shifts for a wide range of reasons, from popular use to derogation, to new concepts or political correctness. It can be influenced by social groups, social trends, ethical attitudes or historical influence (e.g., William the Conqueror brought many French borrowings to the English Language as of 1066). 

Concepts & Theories Presented: 

On Language Change: The Invisible Hand in Language

'Language has other uses besides the exchange of thoughts or the making of true statements about the world'

Invisible Hand phenomena of the third kind; recognising that speakers do not ordinarily plan language change, Keller suggests that explanation must be of the 'invisible hand' type, an idea borrowed from economics (Adam Smith) where it is used to refer to a situation where individuals are 'led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention'.

Keller sees language change as an example of the phenomena of the third kind; 'phenomena which are unplanned casual consequence of intentional actions'. Third kind implies a distinction between micro and macro level.

*Stable maxims: 'do not speak to the other in a different way from that in which the other would have spoken to you under the same circumstances'. This leads to a considerable degree of stability in language.

*Dynamic maxims: 'be noticed'. Speakers have to find a novel way to express their gallantry. This refers to pejoration of language, or broadening. 

Jean Aitcheson feels language is continually developing and is not deteriorating because of generation change. ‘The spread of language change is essentially a social phenomenon, which reflects the changing social situation.’ 

Aitcheson discusses how language change occurs in two ways, named ‘pressures from above’ (conscious changes) and ‘pressures from below’ (unconscious changes).

• ‘Pressures from above’ or ‘conscious changes’ is when we are aware of the change we are using: “changes which people realise are happening and actively encourage”.
• ‘Pressures from below’ or ‘unconscious changes’ is when changes spread without awareness: ‘changes which people do not notice’.

ž However, Guy Deutscher would disagree. Guy Deutscher is a prescriptivist and shuns language change. Instead he would support the idea that today’s generations are leading to today’s children not being able to speak properly or write correctly.

Labov 1963 - Martha's Vineyard Research: we subconsciously change our language to identify ourselves with one group or another.

Pamela Fishman 1992 - English is less well-loved but more used because it has econo-technical superiority