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English Language (AQA B) Language Change help!

Hi! I have my exam on the 19th of June and I need some theorists for Language Change! I have looked at Crystal and Aitchison but they are too lengthy to just slip in to an exam. Can anyone help?

Also, if you have any advice on how to remember key context throughout the years, that would be helpful.

Thank you,
Declan :smile:

Reply 1

Interrobang

Moved to English, where you're more likely to get an answer :smile:

Reply 2

msr176

Original post by declanbell

Hello,

Theories for language change go into the AO2 section of marks and so are together with the key dates like Printing Press, Dictionary etc so don't think that the theories are too too important for your exam.

David Crystal has a good, small quote that is easy to use in an introduction or conclusion, "language is like a tide" obviously meaning that it changes constantly and cannot be stopped.

There are simpler theories to put in that are very easily applicable to your exam though

Functional Theory - Halliday
>He suggests that language changes due to the needs of the user.
>This has happened more recently due to technological advancements, inventions and discoveries. So if you find a neologism of an invention/discovery then link it to the theory.
>If you find an archaism like "horse carriage" or "club" (weapon) you can say it has become archaic due to inventions making these obsolete.

Accommodation Theory - Giles
> Archaisms such as "thus", "thence" etc can be put down to the informalisation (another Ao2 point).
> This can therefore be linked to accommodation theory because writers are downwardly converging towards the more informal and less complex lexis of a modern society.

Substratum Theory
> Language changes as a result of contact.
> In the past this would have been invasions (French influence k->c or the Anglo-Saxon capitalisation rule)
> But now it's to do with immigration and travel so any borrowings found in the text can easily be linked to this theory and globalisation.

Hope this helped, any other questions just ask!