language. language and culture tone, structure, gestures “speak” volumes about the values of a...
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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