18 Questions
What is internal history of a language concerned with?
Changes in pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary over time
What is a common misconception about British English?
It is the same as Shakespeare's English.
What is an example of external history of the English language?
The colonization of North America by England
Why is it necessary to study the history of individual languages?
To make generalizations about language change
What is the purpose of periodization in historical sciences?
To understand the gradual changes in languages.
What is the focus of theoretical historical linguistic studies?
Theoretical linguistic methods and notions
What is a significant difference between British and American English?
Pronunciation patterns.
How does language change over time?
It undergoes gradual changes.
What can be an outcome of language contact, according to the passage?
Lexical borrowing and linguistic enrichment
What is the main reason for the change from 'his' to 'their' in sentence (1) above?
For gender correctness
What is beyond the scope of the present textbook, according to the passage?
A detailed outline of internal and external history of languages
What is a common misconception about American English?
It is a corrupted form of British English.
What type of pronunciation is described in the text as having changed in standard British English?
Diphthongal pronunciation
What can be inferred about the history of the English language?
It has undergone significant changes over time.
What is the name of the branch of linguistics that studies language change?
Historical linguistics
What is the focus of the theoretical aspect of historical linguistics?
Language change in general
What type of change is described in the text as being more difficult to spot than others?
Pronunciation change
What is the focus of the applied aspect of historical linguistics?
The history of individual languages
Study Notes
Language Development and History
- English language developed in different ways in England and America after colonization.
- By the end of the 18th century, differences between British and American English became significant.
Language Change and Periodization
- Language is constantly changing, and Britain is no exception.
- Present-day British English is different from early 17th century English.
- American English is closer to Shakespeare's pronunciation in many ways.
- Periodization is dividing the history of a studied object into periods, used in all historical sciences.
Internal and External History
- Internal history of a language describes changes in pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary.
- External history concerns non-linguistic circumstances that affected the language's development.
- Examples of internal history: loss of a pronoun, change from a diphthong to a monophthong.
- Examples of external history: colonization of North America, social, cultural, or political events that affected the language.
Language Change Examples
- Pronunciation and grammar changes occur, but more slowly and are harder to spot.
- Example: the older use of the masculine pronoun "his" to refer back to "everyone" is now replaced with "their".
- Standard British English pronunciation (Received Pronunciation) has changed from a diphthong to a long monophthong in words like "sore", "boar", and "story".
Historical Linguistics
- Historical linguistics studies language change in general and the history of individual languages.
- Theoretical aspect: deals with language change mechanisms and common types of change in all human languages.
- Applied aspect: studies the history of individual languages.
Explore the relationship between language change and individual language histories. Learn how to apply theoretical linguistic methods to explain language developments. Delve into the world of historical linguistics and discover its principles.
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