Language Change

LING-001LING-001

November 25, 2002November 25, 2002Uri Horesh <urih@babel.ling.upenn.edu>Uri Horesh <urih@babel.ling.upenn.edu>

LING-001 Fall 2001(Liberman)

The major chain shifts of North American English(Labov 2002)

Family tree model of historical relationships between languages and dialects over time (Sankoff 2002)

A B C[ Language 2 ] [ Language 3]

time

Language 1X

Y

MambumpWins

BugwevReges

Vagau

Buweyew

Muniau

Mapos

Papekone

Mangga

HEADWATERS BUANG

MAPOS BUANG (11 villages)

MANGGABUANG (8 villages)

CB

A

Snake River Valley, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea

Two proposals for the classification of Semitic languages:Proto-Semitic

East Semitic West Semitic

Akkadian NW Semitic SW Semitic

Aramaic Emorite Ugaritic Canaanite Ethiopian S.Arabian Arabic

Phoenician Moabite Hebrew

Proto-Semitic

East Semitic Central Semitic South Semitic

Akkadian Arabic Aramaic Canaanite S.Arabian Ethiopian

Traditional view (e.g., Blau)

Hetzron’s proposal

Montreal [r] [R] in real and apparent time: a trend and panel comparison

Gillian Sankoff, University of PennsylvaniaGillian Sankoff, University of Pennsylvania

Hélène Blondeau, University of OttawaHélène Blondeau, University of Ottawa

Apparent Time

Relies on the finding thatthe linguistic traits of an age cohort

will remain the same over time

Major variants of (r) in Montreal French:

I. Apical -[r], either flapped or trilled

II. Posterior- [R] either a uvular trill or a velar fricative

III. Vocalized -typical of codas with final diphthong/lengthened vowel + (r),e.g.. boire, père, pour, sûr

IV. Deleted - typical of final clusters, e.g. autre [ot]

V. Retroflex – (American /r/) rare variant occurring sporadically in English-origin or English- associated words, e.g. Steinberg, Montréal

[R]/([R]+[r]) by age for 113 speakers in 1971 (Clermont & Cedergren 1979)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

20 30 40 50 60 70

Age

S-curve as a model for the progress over time of a linguistic innovation

32 Panel Speakers, % [R]1971 - 1984

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Speaker Age

Panel 71

Panel 84Pierre D.

Gilles T.

Lysiane B.

Louise L.

Louis-Pierre R.

Alain L.

Joseph R.

7 speakers 1971

5 speakers 1971

4 speakers 1984

6 speakers 1984

Mean percentage [R] use over time, Panel and Trend samples

Panel Speakers over time

Two separate Trend samples

1984 63.9% 80.4%

1971 52.0% 56.0%

Mean increase 11.9% 24.4%

Increase over 1971 level

23% 44%

% [R] for 32 Trend Speakers,1971and for 32 matched Trend Speakers, 1984

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

5 15 25 35 45 55 65

Speaker Age

Trend 71Trend 84

Patterns of change in the individual and the

community [adapted from Labov 1994:83]. Synchronic

PatternInterpretation Individual Community

Flat 1. Stability stable stable

Monotonic slope with age

2a. Age-grading unstable stable

Monotonic slope with age

2b. Lifespan change

unstable unstable

Monotonic slope with age

3. Generational change

stable unstable

Flat 4. Communal change

unstable unstable

Conclusions I. The [r] I. The [r] [R] change: [R] change:

Change in the community is a result of individual Change in the community is a result of individual speakers, especially younger speakers, being speakers, especially younger speakers, being added to the pool of majority-users or categorical added to the pool of majority-users or categorical users of [R].users of [R].

Conclusions II. Apparent time:II. Apparent time: The apparent time interpretation was The apparent time interpretation was correctcorrect in indicating in indicating

a rapid change in progress in /r/-pronunciation in Montreal a rapid change in progress in /r/-pronunciation in Montreal on the basis of the 1971 data. on the basis of the 1971 data.

However, it However, it underestimatedunderestimated the rate of progress of the the rate of progress of the change. Insofar as 1/3 of the older speakers in our sample change. Insofar as 1/3 of the older speakers in our sample progressed significantly in the direction of the change, progressed significantly in the direction of the change, their starting points as young speakers would have been their starting points as young speakers would have been much less far along in the course of change than the point much less far along in the course of change than the point they have reached as adults. Thus, the distance they have they have reached as adults. Thus, the distance they have travelled is greater than an assumption of stability after travelled is greater than an assumption of stability after initial acquisition would lead us to believe.initial acquisition would lead us to believe.

Conclusions III. Trend and Panel Studies:III. Trend and Panel Studies:

Our results confirm the view that Our results confirm the view that TrendTrend studies studies yield the most accurate view of change in yield the most accurate view of change in progress. The progress. The PanelPanel study, however, gave unique study, however, gave unique insight into the relationship between language insight into the relationship between language change at the level of the community, and change at the level of the community, and language change as experienced by individual language change as experienced by individual speakers across their lifespans. speakers across their lifespans.

Conclusions IV. Critical AgeIV. Critical Age

A majority of speakers showed stability in adult A majority of speakers showed stability in adult life, but a sizeable minority progressed life, but a sizeable minority progressed significantly in the direction of the change. significantly in the direction of the change.

We believe that this variability in later life is characteristic of later We believe that this variability in later life is characteristic of later language learning in general, and that our results are consonant with language learning in general, and that our results are consonant with

those of second-language and second-dialect acquisition.those of second-language and second-dialect acquisition. We believe that different levels of linguistic organization are We believe that different levels of linguistic organization are

differentially susceptible to alteration in later life, and that this differentially susceptible to alteration in later life, and that this differential linguistic lability relates to the modularity of language. differential linguistic lability relates to the modularity of language.

Clearly an important topic for future research!Clearly an important topic for future research!

Dylan 1963

The line it is drawnThe curse it is castThe slow one nowWill later be fastAs the present nowWill later be pastThe order isRapidly fadin’.And the first one nowWill later be lastFor the times they are a-changin’.