Theories and theorists of language change: Practice Questions

Which theory of language change suggests that linguistic shifts occur primarily because of the influence of a dominant language on a subordinate one, often as a result of migration, trade, or invasion?

A linguist observes that English has the words "waiter" and "waitress," but as society seeks gender-neutral terms, the word "server" becomes the dominant form. If this new term was adopted specifically because the existing lexicon lacked a common gender-neutral equivalent, which theory is being illustrated?

The S-curve model of language change, associated with Chen and Wang, describes the progress of an innovation through a population. What does the "steep" middle section of the curve represent?

Which of the theories and theorists of language change suggests that language evolves specifically to fill a 'need' for new terms, such as when a new invention like the 'smartphone' requires a name?

The word "stream," originally referring to a small river, has seen its meaning expand to include "to transmit or receive data continuously over a network." Which linguistic process of semantic change best describes this evolution?

What does the theory of lexical gaps suggest about the motivation for certain linguistic changes?

In the study of theories and theorists of language change, how does the Wave Model differ from the Tree Model in its representation of linguistic spread?

Discuss theories and theorists of language change by evaluating the Random Fluctuation Theory proposed by Postal and Hockett. How does this theory account for the unpredictable nature of certain linguistic shifts, such as the evolution of the term "pwned" from the common typo "owned" within digital gaming communities?

Within the study of theories and theorists of language change, the Substratum Theory provides an essential framework for understanding how language contact drives evolution.

(a) Define the term 'substratum' and contrast it with the term 'superstratum' in a linguistic context.

(b) Explain how the influence of Old Norse on the English language during the 8th and 9th centuries serves as a primary example of this theory.

(c) Briefly explain why grammatical changes resulting from substratum influence are often more resistant to reversal than simple lexical borrowings.

In his exploration of theories and theorists of language change, Guy Deutscher identifies three fundamental forces: 'Economy', 'Expressiveness', and 'Analogy'.

(a) Explain how the principle of Economy leads to the 'phonetic erosion' of words, using the evolution of the word goodbye as an example.

(b) Define Expressiveness and explain why it causes certain words to lose their impact over time, necessitating the creation of new terms.

(c) Discuss how Analogy acts as a regularizing force in language, specifically in the context of the shift from irregular to regular verb forms (e.g., clomb to climbed).