Language Change Terminology Revision

Revision

The creation of new words is known as coinage

The new words are called neologisms

Borrowing

These are also called Loan words

Words borrowed from another language

Barbecue comes from Spanish

Bungalow comes from Hindustani

Scientific Progress New words and phrases invented because of advances in medicine, science and technology

in vitro fertilization (1970s)

Affixation New prefixes or suffixes are added to existing words

Greek word hyper

Hyperactive, hypersensitive hypertension

Compounding Two separate words are combined to create one new one

Thumb and print to create thumbprint

Hand and bag to create handbag

Blending Two separate words are blended together

Infotainment is a blend of information and entertainment

Satnav is a blend ofSatellite and navigation

Conversion Existing words change class

Text/to text

Mail/to mail

Clipping – dropping of syllables to create an abbreviation (demo/demonstration)

Initialism – FBI, OTT

Acronyms – NASA, WAGS

Back-formation – Suffix is removed to create a new word (baby-sitter becomes baby-sit)

Eponyms – words derived from people's namesJean Nicot sent tobacco seeds back to FranceNicotine

Brand names – Kleenex, Xeroxed

PlacesLimousin (France)Limousine

Obsolete

Archaisms

Unfashionable

DurstTrow

CourtingWireless

Orthography ThroughThoughToughCoughPloughHiccough

Why?

When a word’s meaning changes

Surfing

Rip

Burn

A word develops a more positive meaning

Nice used to mean foolish

A word develops a more negative meaning

Hussy used to mean the same as housewife

Pejoration

Bird

Place

Meat

Liquor

Narrowing

Old peopleDisabled peopleHalf-casteToilet cleanerActress

Senior citizensPeople with disabilitiesMixed raceSanitation consultantActor

Plain sailing

High and dry

Clear the decks

We use a word associated with an object

Cash used to mean money box

Sayings that do not make literal sense (its raining cats and dogs)

They usually have some factual, literary or historical basis

As happy as Larry

To avoid offence or to lessen the unpleasant

Overused phrases

Our language is always changing

The past tense of some irregular verbs used to be formed differently –over time the stem vowels have changed

Spake has become spoke in PDE (Present Day English)

Auxiliary verbs (do) started to be used more from 1700. This had an impact on word order

Spake you with him?Did you speak with him?

Comparative and superlative inflections (greater and greatest) exist in PDE as they did before

But ... In the nineteenth century properest was grammatically acceptable.

What would you use now?

Most proper

Until the eighteenth century nouns were often capitalised.

Less use of the definite article ( Russian instead of the Russian)

Since 1700 sentences tend to have become shorter and syntax less complicated.

Sentences contain far fewer subordinate clauses now.

Common in early 18th century

Second half of the twentieth century made a comeback in less formal texts

18th century writers thought them inelegant

By the nineteenth century they had become less common

Unfashionable

Today “I don’t want nothing” is considered non-standard

Eighteenth century grammarians decided double negatives should not be used

Robert Lowth used mathematical logic to argue double negatives were not acceptable

Nouns like text, email, Facebook have become verbs

Adjectives sometimes used instead of adverbs (I’m good instead of I’m well)

Use of intensifying adverb before an adjective (that was well good)

Innit – isn’t it or can’t we?I’m so not ready for this.

From 17th century s was often written as ????This was based on the handwriting style of the period.

Capitalisation was used by writers for a range of reasons, including to emphasise words.

Serif type faces Sans serif

From mid 20th century

Leading (line spacing) is very dense

Text is smallNo photos or

illustrationsAll black and white

Text much less denseRange of colourNon-standard

typographyInformation about what

is inside the newspaper

2009

Decorative illustrationsTitleDense printBlack and white

Glossy photographsDifferent font typescolours

2009

Make a list of all the electronic media you might use in one day. What are the key features?