Linguistic change can be studied from various perspectives and each viewpoint offers different insights into this phenomenon. Among social factors, there are also functional, typological, generative and external causes involved in the process of linguistic change. In order to gain an understanding of the meaning of linguistic transmission it is important to first consider the distinction between transmission of change within languages and diffusion of change across languages with regard to the family tree model and its notion of linguistic descent. This knowledge provides the foundation for the generative approach, which facilitates the discourse on transmission of linguistic change with regard to children’s innate predisposition towards language learning and a biological grammar inherent to the human faculty of language.
To further expand on the relevance of internal factors, the ease of effort theory evaluates from a functionalist perspective how natural tendencies influence the course of language evolution and thereby, the transmission of language change. Finally, the juxtaposition of the diachronic and synchronic dimension offers to consider a reformed approach towards the different perspectives on language change in a more holistic way. In doing so, the close relations between the approaches can serve as basis for the discussion on the overall significance of internal, external, social, linguistic, biological, acquisitional, typological and functional factors involved in the transmission of linguistic change. In essence, this essay aims to illustrate the variety of factors that are involved in the transmission of linguistic change and thereby demonstrate that, even though language change is naturally embedded in the social environment of a language space, it is not limited to social factors.
Table of Contents
Introduction
The Transmission of Linguistic Change: Approaches and Causes
Transmission and Diffusion of Language Change
Generative Language Learning and Universal Grammar
The Predestination of Language Evolution
Negotiating Diachrony and Synchrony: A new Perspective?
Conclusion
Objectives and Core Themes
The primary aim of this work is to explore the diverse factors influencing the transmission of linguistic change. It challenges the purely social-centric view by demonstrating that language change is a complex, multifaceted phenomenon rooted in a convergence of social, biological, structural, and functional mechanisms.
- The distinction between internal transmission and external diffusion of language change.
- Generative perspectives on innate language predisposition and Universal Grammar.
- Functionalist explanations, specifically the "ease of effort" theory in language evolution.
- The reconciliation of diachronic and synchronic dimensions in linguistic analysis.
- The interplay between social environment and innate biological constraints in language systems.
Excerpt from the Book
Transmission and Diffusion of Language Change
The distinction between the concept of transmission of language change within languages and diffusion of language across languages significantly shaped the understanding of these processes (Labov, 2007). The difference derives from different processes of language learning, that is language acquisition by young children and language contact between adults. At the basis of these processes lies the family tree model, as well as the wave model.
From the traditional approach towards language change, transmission and diffusion provide the basis for the differentiation between internally motivated change and externally motivated change. While the family tree model illustrates change that is created from within the system, the wave model depicts change that derives from external sources (Tagliamonte 57), especially with regard to language contact situations as for example in the formation of pidgins and creoles (Labov, 2007). The family tree model builds on the concept of linguistic descent and with respect to transmission, on incrementation. Incrementation takes part in the creation of internal changes that contribute to the increasing distances between the branches in the family tree model over time. This takes place within the language system of successive generations of children who advance the change beyond the level of the previous generation (Labov, 1994).
It is important to keep in mind that linguistic transmission in this context refers to the unbroken generational continuation of the language system in the course of language acquisition by children. Through the preservation of the older generation’s language, the distances of the branches of the family tree remain intact. In the case of imperfect replication, that is internal language change, also called change from below, the distances between the branches of the family tree increase. Nonetheless, linguistic descent can be preserved (Labov 2007). Consequently, internal language change from within the system causes increases the distances between the family tree branches and promotes the atomisation of a language evolution over time.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: This chapter outlines the diverse perspectives on linguistic change and establishes that the phenomenon is not limited to social factors, but involves a complex interplay of internal, biological, and functional causes.
The Transmission of Linguistic Change: Approaches and Causes: This section investigates the mechanisms of language development, distinguishing between internal transmission and external diffusion while introducing key models like the family tree and the wave model.
Transmission and Diffusion of Language Change: This chapter details how generational language acquisition leads to internally motivated change, contrasted with externally motivated change resulting from language contact.
Generative Language Learning and Universal Grammar: This segment examines how innate predisposition and the concept of Universal Grammar contribute to the formal understanding of language continuity and change.
The Predestination of Language Evolution: This chapter explores functionalist theories, specifically the "ease of effort" model, which posits that natural tendencies in the human articulatory system drive certain evolutionary patterns.
Negotiating Diachrony and Synchrony: A new Perspective?: This section discusses the theoretical shift toward a more holistic integration of synchronic and diachronic analyses to better understand the complexity of linguistic change.
Conclusion: The final chapter synthesizes the various approaches, reaffirming that while social factors are significant, they represent only one part of the complex puzzle of linguistic evolution.
Keywords
Linguistic change, Transmission, Diffusion, Family tree model, Wave model, Generative approach, Universal Grammar, Language acquisition, Internal factors, External factors, Functionalism, Ease of effort, Diachrony, Synchrony, Sociolinguistics
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this work?
The work investigates the multifaceted causes of linguistic change, arguing that it is not solely a social phenomenon but one deeply influenced by biological, functional, and structural factors.
What are the central thematic fields covered?
Key themes include the distinction between linguistic transmission and diffusion, the generative perspective on language learning, functionalist constraints like "ease of effort," and the interplay between diachronic and synchronic linguistic dimensions.
What is the primary research objective?
The essay aims to demonstrate that linguistic change arises from a variety of sources and that social factors, while important, are not the exclusive drivers of evolutionary patterns in language.
Which scientific methods are utilized?
The author employs a comparative approach, juxtaposing traditional models (family tree/wave model) with generative theories and functionalist perspectives to provide a holistic view of language evolution.
What topics are addressed in the main body?
The main body treats the mechanical differences between internal and external change, the role of children's innate language predisposition, the "ease of effort" theory in sound changes, and the conceptual relationship between diachrony and synchrony.
Which keywords best describe this research?
Key concepts include linguistic change, transmission and diffusion, Universal Grammar, functionalism, and the intersection of internal and external factors in language development.
How does the author explain the difference between transmission and diffusion?
Transmission refers to the internal process of language acquisition across generations of children, while diffusion pertains to the transfer of linguistic features between communities due to language contact.
What role does the "ease of effort" theory play?
This functionalist theory suggests that there is a predestined element to language evolution where natural limitations in the human articulatory system lead to recurring changes, such as the deletion of word-final consonants.
What is the significance of the "non-binary" view of diachrony and synchrony?
The author suggests that viewing these dimensions as separate entities is often merely a choice of the researcher; combining them allows for a more unified and accurate understanding of how languages evolve over time.
- Citation du texte
- M. Amira (Auteur), 2021, Is Transmission of Linguistic Change limited to Social Factors?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1330367
