Language

Language and Culture Tone, structure, gestures “speak”

volumes about the values of a culture Ex: Spanish Subjunctive Tense

Symbol of unity Source of pride

Language Vocab Language family

Languages that share unknown origins

Ex: Indo European

Language branch Languages that share

origins found in the archeological record

Ex: Germanic

Language group Languages within a branch

that share recent origins and share very similar vocab and grammar

Western Germanic Groupo Language: English

Indo-European Language Family

Most extensively spoken language family Includes: Indo-Iranian, Romance,

Germanic, and Balto-Slavic Clustered from S. Asia in India and

Iran to Europe (including Russia) to N. America and Australia

What is English?

Language Vocab Dialect

Regional language variations differing in Pronunciation, Grammar, and Vocab

Standard Language Most acceptable dialect for

Gov. Biz., Ed., Mass communication

Isogloss Regional boundaries between

word-usage

Evolution of Languages

Result of interaction and isolation

Interaction ~> same language ~> migration ~> isolation ~> dialects ~> new languages

FUNtivity

Origins of Indo-European Similar roots for:

Beech, oak, bear, deer, pheasant, bee Winter and snow So what type of environment may this family

have originated in Marija Gimbutas’s Theory

4300 BCE Kurgan People (Btwn Russia and Kazakhstan)

Nomadic Herders: Warriors spreading to Asia and Europe

Origins of Indo-European Colin Renfrew

6300 BCE From Anatolia in Turkey, Eastward and Westward

Migrated with agriculture not militarily

British~>American English

What do you think was the biggest factor? No voice technology until 20th century American influenced by Environment

Took Native American words for new things New inventions new words [elevator (lift); flashlight

(torch)] US Dialects result of independent colonies

Distribution of English

English is the official language in more countries than any other language

Why???? British

Colonization

Language Vocab

Creole language Mixing of colonizer’s language and

indigenous language Ex: Haitian Creole (mix of French from

colonizers and indigenous, African, and Spanish influences)

Lingua Franca Languages created through trade Mixes elements of both languages English is the predominant lingua

Franca today

Centripetal Force: unifying force Countries where different peoples speak the same

language united (Ex?) Centrifugal Force: dividing force

Countries with multiple languages less united Ex: India: 18 official languages

o Business in Englisho Hindi majority (33 %)o Others less connected

Isolate Languages surrounded by other languages but share no

ancestry with those other languages Ex: Bosque Language in Spain Small ethnic group in Northern Spain(isolate

themselves in the Pyrenees Mountains along the border with France) speak a distinct language completely unrelated to Spanish or any other Indo-European Language

Causes separatism between these groups without protection by Spanish government

Language Vocab

Revival of Folk Languages Predominance of

colonizing languages, especially English, are making ethnic languages disappear.

People are trying to change this despite globalization: Maintaining distinct

culture: Elders determined to teach younger generation their language:

Ex: Native Americans (trying to get grants to teach certified Native American teachers their first language to pass on to the children before elders are gone)

Revival of Folk Languages Governments promote

unity: Countries with multiple cultures make more than one language official in order to lower the risk for division

Ex: India , although these multiple languages can be a centrifugal force, India tries to diminish this problem by giving each recognition within the government

Revival of Folk Languages Increased Communication Technology:

Distance Decay is reduces because areas have telephones and the internet to stay in contact and utilize native languages regardless of space. Also, specialized cable networks and newspapers are created to keep heritage and language alive Ex: Hispanic Radio stations and TV

networks broadcast Latin American programming in the US