Transcript Intro to Language

Intro to Language
AP Human Geography
Mrs. Lacks
What is language?
Language – a set of sounds, combinations of
sounds, and symbols that are used for
communication.
Languages are not static, but change
continuously.
Preliterate societies – no written language
What is language?
Dialects – differences in vocabulary, syntax (the way
words are put together to form phrases),
pronunciation, cadence (the rhythm of speech), and
even the pace of speech
Isoglosses – geographic boundary within which a
particular linguistic feature occurs, move over
time (e.g. Soda, Pop)
How is language formed?
Language divergence –
when a lack of spatial interaction among speakers of a
language breaks the language into dialects and then new
languages.
Language convergence –
when peoples with different languages have consistent
spatial interaction and their languages collapse into one.
Language is the heart of
culture
Without language, culture could not be transmitted
Cultures of all sizes fiercely protect their language. (ex.
In 1975, France banned the use of foreign words in
advertisements, television and radio broadcasts, and
official documents.)
How do Languages Diffuse?
human interaction
print distribution
migration
trade
rise of nation-states
colonialism
Spatial Interaction helps create:
Lingua franca –
A language used among speakers of different languages for the
purposes of trade and commerce.
Pidgin language –
a language created when people combine parts of two or more
languages into a simplified structure and vocabulary.
Creole language –
a pidgin language that has developed a more complex structure
and vocabulary and has become the native language of a group
of people.
Linguistic Anthropology
Linguistic anthropologists study the variation in human
languages, the roots of human languages, and the role of
language in shaping human thought and behavior.
It is a subfield of cultural anthropology
Main areas of study:
How language is used
Relationship between language and culture
How humans acquire language
A Linguistic Anthropologist would look at:
Verbal language
Non-verbal language
Monolingual State
a country in which
only one language is
spoken
Multilingual State
a country in which
more than one
language is in use
Official Language
should a multilingual
state adopt an official
language?
World Languages
Over 7,000 languages spoken in the world
http://www.ethnologue.com/world
Language Families
Indo-European (Americas, Europe, Southwest Asia, Australia, South
Africa)
Sino-Tibetan (China, Southeast Asia)
Japanese-Korean (Japan, Korean Peninsula)
Afro-Asiatic (North Africa, Arabian Peninsula)
Dravidian (India)
Malay-Polynesian (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Madagascar)
Ural-Altaic (Russia, Northern Asia, Finland, Turkey)
Niger-Congo (Sub-Saharan Africa)
American Indian (South America, Meso-America, Northern America)
Language Families
Language families – have a shared, but fairly distant origin (e.g.
Indo-European, Sino-Tibetan)
Language subfamilies – commonality is more definite
Germanic: English, German, Danish, Norwegian & Swedish
Romance: French, Spanish, Italian, Romanian, Portuguese
Slavic: Russian, Polish, Czech, …
Celtic: Welsh, Gaelic,…
Language groups – consist of sets of individual languages
English is most spread, Chinese is most spoken (Mandarin: ~700
million)
Languages of
Subsaharan Africa
- extreme language
diversity
- effects of
colonialism
Nigeria
more than 400
different
languages.
English
Germanic Language
First spoken in early Medieval England (5th century; AngloSaxons)
Spoken by 328 million people worldwide
Third most common native language (after Mandarin &
Spanish)
Lingua franca (unifying language)
International language of communication, science, business,
seafaring, aviation, entertainment, diplomacy
English
Old English:
Anglo-Saxon England
Best known work: Beowulf
Middle English:
began after Norman Conquest
Best known work: Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales
Modern English: since 1550
Best known works:
Shakespeare
King James Bible
Beginning of colonization
Changes in Language
Language changes by region
British English to American English
Dialects within US vary by region
http://www.alphadictionary.com/articles/y
ankeetest.html
Dialects by Region
Dialects in
the Eastern
United
States
Soft Drinks, Sodas, or Cokes?
Regional Dialects
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIZgw09CG9E
(Tangier Island)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvuWSJI87r8
(Gullah)
Changes in Language
Languages changes over time
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1471629/blingbling-added-dictionary.jhtml
http://qz.com/119200/oxford-dictionary-adds-twerkderp-selfie-phablet-and-more-voguish-vocabulary/
Jazz Age Glossary
All wet
Applesauce
Bee’s Knees
Belly Laugh
Berries
Big Cheese
Bull Session
Bump Off
Carry A Torch
Cat’s Meow
Cheaters
Copasetic
Crush
Wrong; arguing a mistaken notion or belief
A term of derogation; non-sense; baloney
A superb person or thing
A loud, uninhibited laugh
Anything wonderful; similar to bee’s knees
An important person
An informal group discussion
To murder
To suffer from unrequited love
Anything wonderful; similar to bee’s knees
Eyeglasses
Excellent
An infatuation with a person of the
opposite sex
Jazz Age Glossary
Dogs
Fall guy
Flapper
Giggle Water
Gin Mill
Goofy
Hard-Boiled
Heebie-Jeebie
Human feet
A scapegoat
A typical young girl of the 20’s
An alcoholic drink
A speak-easy
Silly
Tough; without sentiment
The jitters
90’s Language
404
411
Bag On
Check It Out
Clueless
Cool
Da Bomb
Dig It
Dipstick
Dis
Dog
Drop
Drop Knowledge
Dude
Clueless or naïve
Information
To tease, nag or complain
Pay attention
Unaware; naïve; lacking knowledge
Calm, fine, acceptable, neat exciting
Great; awesome; extremely cool
Do you understand?
A stupid person
To disrespect
To criticize sharply or act like a jerk
To give or tell
To share information or experience
Person, especially male – greeting
90’s Language
Get outta here
Hang out
Jam
Rag
Rap
Rents
School
Totally
For Real
Trip
Turkey
Way
What’s Up
You must be kidding
To relax or to gather
To leave; to go
To tease, put down, criticize
To talk or a kind of music
Parents
To teach a lesson to
Very, very much
True? Is it true?
Unusual or strange, overreact
Someone who is stupid or silly
Yes, positive affirmation to “no way”
Hi. What’s new or happening?
Text Language
BFF
LOL
BRB
LMAO
A3
CMIIW
FOMCL
IYKWIM
JJA
MTFBWU
OTTOMH
PRW
SBTSBC
SMHID
UGTBK
Best friends forever
Laugh out loud
Be right back
Laughing my @$$ off
Anytime, anywhere anyplace
Correct me if I'm wrong
Falling off my chair laughing
If you know what I mean
Just joking around
May the force be with you
Off the top of my head
Parents/people watching
Same bat time, same bat channel
Scratching my head in disbelief
You’ve gotta be kidding
Percent of People 5 Years and Older
Who Speak a Language other than English at Home