Learning about our Language Word origins Levels of Language Dialect Meanings and Connotations
Dec 16, 2015
How Words Enter Our Language
Since its beginning over 1,500 years ago, English has grown to be the largest language in the world, containing over 790,000 words. Our language continues to grow as new words are borrowed and created.
Borrowed Words
When another language has a word for which we have not term of our own, we may borrow the word.
The borrowed word may enter the English language unchanged, or it may change somewhat in spelling or pronunciation. Example: cowboys of the Old West, handling angry
herds of cattle, changed the Spanish word estampida to stampede.
African canary tote jazz okra
Chinese yen typhoon silk catsup
French machine liberty chic blouse
German zinc hoodlum snorkel pretzel
Italian volcano carnival studio trombone
Japanese soybean karate kimono haiku
Native Am pecan skunk chipmunk powwow
Scandinavian ski skirt sauna geyser
Spanish canyon comrade vanilla renegade
Borrowed Words
People and Place Names Some words have been taken from proper
names of people and placesExamples:
• Saxophone – from Adolph Sax, the Belgian inventor• Leotard – from Jules Lestard the 19th Century
French trapeze who invented the garment• Paisley- from Paisley, Scotland where wool shawls
with colorful, intricate patterns were made• Jeans – from Genes, French for the city of Genoa
(Italy) where the sailors wore cotton trousers• Vandal – from the Vandals, a Germanic tribe that
sacked ancient Rome.
Compound Words
A compound word is made by combining two existing words to form a new word. People develop compound words to describe new ideas or things while still using familiar terms.Example: Spacewalk
Blends
If two words are combined, but some of the letters are dropped, the resulting word is called a blend. Example: sitcom is formed from the
words situation comedy
Clipped Words
Sometimes one or more parts of a word are dropped, and the remaining part is used alone as words. Clipped words are used in less formal situations.Example: gym for gymnasium
Acronyms
A new word created from the first letters of a group of words. Example: Scuba is an acronym for
“self contained underwater breathing apparatus.”
More Examples
CompoundsLoud + speaker = loudspeakerSkate + board = skateboardKnee + cap = kneecapRed + wood = Redwood
BlendsMotorcycle + cross-country = motocrossSplash + surge = splurgeTelescope + photograph = telephoto
Even More Examples
Clipped WordsTeen-agers = teensCabriolet = cabsExamination = examPianoforte = piano
AcronymsRadar = radio detection and rangingCOBOL = Common Business Oriented
Language
Exercise 1- Word Origin
On a clean sheet of paper, use a dictionary to find the origin of the following words if it is borrowed write the country it is borrowed from if it is from a person or a places name write the person or place it came from.
1. Ensemble 2. Boycott 3. Calico
4. Tea 5. Jaguar 6. Tangerine
7. Khaki 8. Mosquito 9. Wednesday
10. Cardigan 11. Turquoise 12. Braille
13. Veldt 14. Diesel 15. Gusto
Exercise 2 – Compounds, Blends, Clipped Words, & Acronyms
On a clean sheet of paper, use a dictionary to identify each of the words as a compound, blend, clipped word, or acronym. Then write the word or words from which each one is made.
1. Paratroops 2. Fence 3. Typewriter
4. Laser 5. Brunch 6. Dorm
7. Chortle 8. Gasohol 9. Sonar
10. Bookkeeper 11. Smog 12. Telex
13. Wristwatch 14. Flu 15. Airport
Levels of Language
Some words enter English and become part of the main body of commonly used word
Other words, although also considered part of English, may be used only by particular groups of people or only in informal situations
Levels of Language
No speaker or writer of English uses the language in the same way all the time
Examples:You speak on way with your friendsAnother way when speaking in classAnother way when giving a formal speech
The same language variation occurs in written speech as well.
Levels of Language
The types of language that are used in different situations are called Levels of Language:Standard English
• Formal• Informal
Nonstandard English
Standard English
Standard English follows accepted grammatical rules and guidelines.
It is the language of most professional writing in magazines, books, and newspapers, and of most professional speaking on television and radio.
The rules and guidelines of standard English enable all speakers and writers to communicate clearly
Formal and Informal English
Informal Also known as
conversational or colloquial English.
Appropriate in everyday situations
Dialects may also be considered part of informal usage
Formal Found in writing but is
appropriate in any situation that is serious, dignified, or ceremonial
Standard English can be divided into two levels formal and informal.
Examples:
Formal: No written law has ever been more binding than unwritten custom supported by popular opinion
Informal: Traditions and habits are both hard to break.
Characteristics of Formal and Informal English
Tone Serious, reserved, academic, ceremonial
Sometimes uses longer or more complicated words
Personal, friendly, casual, conversational
Vocabulary and Mechanics
Avoid contractions, clipped words, and slang
Uses correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation
Uses simpler words Often uses contractions and clipped words. Uses correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation
Organization Longer, carefully constructed sentences
Similar to conversational English Sentences of greater variety of lengths
Formal Informal
What is your Audience and Purpose?
FormalInformal
Conversation; letters between friends
Writing for magazines and news papers; Speaking for radio or television
Formal speeches; Professional documents; Reports for serious occasions
When decided between Formal and Informal English you must consider your Audience and your Purpose
Characteristics of Informal English
Presence of certain kinds of conversational expressions, such as idioms and slangIdioms: have a meaning different from the
exact meaning the word suggests.• Examples: hold your tongue; tickled pink; hands
down.
Slang: expressions coined by members of a group and often serves as s sign of belonging to that group
• Examples: groovy; far out; hassle
A note about SLANG
Slang is appropriate only in VERY informal situations
It can help enliven conversation with friends or dialogue in a short story, but it is inappropriate in a classroom discussion or a business letter
Nonstandard English
Describes language that does not follow the grammatical rules and forms of standard EnglishExamples
• He ain’t right• I don’t need no help• Any written English that contains errors in
punctuation, spelling, capitalization, and manuscript form is also considered nonstandard
Regional Dialects Language that is spoken in a particular region
or by a particular social group is called dialect
Differ in vocabulary, pronunciation, and in grammarExample: a metal container in New York is a
pail and in Missouri is a bucketGreasy might be pronounced Greezy or
GreeceyThe past tense of the work dive might be dove
or dived
Regional Dialect
Everyone speaks a particular dialect There is no one “correct” dialect Dialect is appropriate in certain situations Adds to the uniqueness of each person’s
language Important to be able to adapt your language
to more formal situations when dialect may not be appropriate
Multiple Names due to Dialect
Insect that glows at night:firefly, glowworm, lightning bug, candle bug
Large sandwich meant to be a meal in itselfhero, submarine, hoagy, grinder, poor-boy
Vehicle for small babybaby buggy, baby cab, baby carriage, baby coach
Become Ill with a coldcatch cold, get a cold, take cold, come down with a cold
Grass strip between sidewalk and streetberm, boulevard, parkway, sidewalk plot, tree lawn
Amusement park ride (on tracks):coaster, roller coaster, rolly-coaster, shoot-the-chutes
Multiple Meanings
Effective use of English involves not only using levels of language comfortably but also being sensitive to the multiple meanings of many words.
For Example: Three uses of the word courtHelen and Alice went to the tennis court for a
game.The strolling players performed in the inner
court of the castleThe judge presided over night court.
Denotation and Connotation
The dictionary definition of a word is its denotation
A word may also have a connotation, the emotional meaning attached to a word because of the thoughts or feelings it creates.
It is important in writing and speaking to consider not only the denotative meaning of a word, but also its connotation. Persuasive writing is especially dependent upon the connotation of words.