1. Author John McWhorter argues that language is a fundamentally mutative phenomenon. How does language change? Use the five faces of language change to support your answer. (Ch. 1, reference p. 18- 35 for criteria discussion)
The five faces of language are:
Language is constantly changing and there are many factors that effect this change. The five faces of language are the how and why language has changed.
Sounds continually change from each generation through dropping of sounds, or the slight change in the way a sound is produced. During the time from 1450-1700, words like, bait, became beet, and boat became boot. This was known as “The Great Vowel Shift.” This is the first face of language, called, “Sound Change.”
Grammar has changed through time as well, for example, Latin endings have changed and plural forms of words have gone through a type of metamorphosis, in which, words like, tongue or tongues, used to be spelled “tunge” and the plural was “tungan.” This is the second face of language, called, “Extension”
“Long ago, if you were naughty, you had naught or nothing. Then the word, naughty, came to mean evil or immoral, and now it means you are just badly behaved.” 20 words that once meant something very different. (2014). Retrieved July 30, 2016, from http://ideas.ted.com/20-words-that-once-meant-something-very-different/. Words and phrases have changed their meanings over time, and have often lost their “punch.” This is an example of the third face of language, “The Expressiveness Cycle.”
The fourth face of language, “Rebracketing,” can be described as, breaking down a word according to different components. For example, the word, “apron”: in Middle English the word was napron, however, over time the n was dropped and the word became apron. This often occurred due to the confusion that existed with the words, “a” and “an.”
“Semantic Change” is the fifth face of language. This means the word or phrases meaning has changed. Words and phrases meanings often become broader or more narrow through time.
2. The theme “Today’s Dialect is Tomorrow’s Language” runs through the text (p. 92). McWhorter argues this as a kind of mantra for the linguistic discussion: “Dialects is all there is.” Using McWhorter’s analysis of the eight languages of the Chinese versus eight Chinese dialects, support your understanding of this theme in Chapter 2.
McWhorter uses the eight Chinese languages and dialects to explain the vast amount of languages in the world today. The Chinese dialects are so different that the could be considered different languages, however, the Chinese language uses symbols to represent words rather than sounds to represent letters, so the writing of words in different dialects is very similar. The different dialects of the same language occur for reasons such as: immigration, the size of the area, education, culture and political institutions.
3. The author describes how language proceeds in myriad directions. Dialects form by migration, communication, and education. How would you relate the examples of the family tree or making stew from the text in discussing how language change and mixing is inherent according to the author (p. 93-94).
I liked how the author explains the different dialects of language with the analogy of a family tree. When you create a family tree, you start with the oldest know relatives, their brothers and sister, then their children, and so on. With language, it changes with each person or family, their experiences, education and migration. It begins as one language and gradually changes to form other dialects.
4. What would be the benefit for having the Latin language as a foundation for learning English? (p. 98). Author McWhorter posits that Latin teaches vocabulary and base words, grammar, and how to have an economy of words in speaking. Do you agree with this point of view? Does learning any second language facilitate learning English? Support your opinion with Ch. 3 concepts.
I agree with McWhorter that the Latin language has affected the English language and can help understand vocabulary and root forms of words. Because half of the English language is made up of Latin words and roots, understanding Latin would help to understand words that you were unfamiliar with. For example, the Latin word for fire is ignis, from which we get ignition and igneous rock, molten rock, which means made from fire. Learning a second language definitely facilitates learning English. Learning a foreign language: reinforces core subjects, improves scores on testing, allows learners to see the similarities and differences between languages and creates a connection with another culture.
5. Give examples of usage of English vocabulary words in other languages. Discuss the relationship of English words that are being incorporated into other languages.
Words used by speakers of one language from a different language are called loanwords. These words are, borrowed, from another language. Many are borrowed because their language doesn’t have a word to represent a word. Foods, plants and animals differ from one region to the next, and thus words are borrowed to represent these things. Many English words were borrowed from languages such as: Latin, German, French, and Greek. Often they were borrowed through contact with another culture. Japan has taken on many English words such as: baseball, T-shirt, fax, boyfriend and apple pie. Other countries, such as France and Spain, have borrowed words for greetings, foods, sports, technical terms, popular culture references and music. The English language has borrowed many words, but things seem to have shifted and more and more words are being borrowed from it. This could be because the English language is so widely spoken around the world and is taught in so many countries. It is also the official language for “aeronautical and maritime communications.” English-speaking world. (n.d.). Retrieved August 04, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English-speaking_world
6. Discuss the development of a new dialect of Spanish in America--Spanglish (p. 119-120) as it relates to Question 5. You may prefer to give another symbiotic language example like Konglish or Denglisch (p. 117) to support your answer in discussing hybrid linguistic development, where English language has bled into other languages. Answers may vary. (Ch. 3)
“Spanglish is a form of speech that results from an interaction between Spanish and English and is used by people who speak both languages or parts of both languages.” Spanglish. (n.d.). Retrieved August 04, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanglish
Words such as: Clickear, which means to click, el mouse, which refers to a computer mouse, and mandar un mail, which means to send an email, are considered Spanglish words. There are Spanish alternatives for all of these words, however, English and Spanish are mixed together and create a new word, a Spanglish word. Many Spanglish words are technical words, foods and objects. Spanglish originally began when Latin Americans immigrated to North America. Many immigrants, bilinguals and Mexican-Americans speak Spanlish.
7. How do Pidgin English and tone relate to the development of language? Is there a difference when people use the language without having the need to acquire it? Explain. (Chapters 4 and 5, p. 206)
Pidgin language is language brought down to its “bare bones.” It’s very basic and has no tone. It is often used between groups that speak different languages and are involved in some sort of trade. The origination of a Pidgin language arises from the need to communicate, between people that have regular contact and who do not know the same language. Tone is usually absent as this is language at its most basic form and words are being used for basic communication. I believe there is a difference between learning a language and learning just enough to get by. When you learn a language you want to be able to communicate in all aspects of life: work, social, and day to day activities. When you use a language to meet a need there is no need to work to learn more. Basics are enough.
8. In Chapter 5, the author argues that world languages are densely overgrown and contain utterly unnecessary decorations, and fluff. How would communication be without evidentiary markers?
According to McWhorter, the world languages that have been around for a long time have “layers of decorative gunk.” However, newer languages have very little. Without, evidentiary markers, word endings that tell your source of information, then we could see miscommunication within some languages. However, I, personally, agreed with McWhorter that evidentiary markers are “decorative gunk.” As I read, Chapter 5, in, The Power of Babel, I was confused by the use of evidentiary markers. They were very similar to one another and were only used to tell you that the source was either heard, seen, or known. They seemed unnecessary and felt the language would be easier to understand if left in its basic state.
9. Intonation influences the meaning and register of a word. Could you give an example of how precise Chinese syllable stress is key in communicating? (p. 194)
The Chinese language is a difficult language in that tone has a large role in the meanings of words. There are 4 sometimes 5 tones in the Chinese language. The first tone is high, the second is moderately high, the third rises and falls again, and the fourth starts high and then drops quickly. There is also a neutral tone. For example, ma, can mean: mother, hemp, horse or scold, depending on the tone.
mā using the first tone means mother.
má using the second tone means hemp.
mă using the third tone means horse.
Mà using the fourth tone means to curse.
If you are inexperienced or just beginning to learn the Chinese language, this can lead to misunderstandings.
10. McWhorter argues in Ch. 5 that tone is not a necessary feature of the human language. “It is a cognitively parsable, but ultimately accidental, permutation of a language’s original material, which can result only from a language, which began without it.” (p. 197) Why is this linguistic argument important? Explain.
Tone is not needed in the structure of the language, however, it is needed to communicate with others. Tone creates attitude and represents intent and ideas the speaker wants to emphasize. Without tone, you will see things misunderstood. For example, texting. Tone is hard to convey in a text. I have often thought something was written with attitude when it wasn’t and vice versa. Therefore, I believe tone is essential to language.
11. Discuss the author’s point of view on Sign Language (p. 214).
McWhorter states that sign language is a “real” language. It follows grammatical rules and includes human emotions and expressions, such as, flirting and teasing. I found it fascinating that English Language Learners have an “accent” in sign language.
12. Spoken language is an ever-changing system, the very nature of which is to be always in a process of transformation into a new language. Can we justify the double negative is grammatically acceptable in the English language today? Who is Falstaff?
Sir John Falstaff is a fictional character that appears in several Shakespeare plays. In the play Henry IV, Sir John Falstaff said, “There’s never none of these demure boys come to any proof.” The use of never none is considered a double negative which is not correct English grammar now. During the time of Shakespeare, the use of double negatives was an “emphatic strategy, rather stronger negativity. In some languages, using double negatives cancel each other out. In the English language, “a double negative can be used to be affirmative. ” For example, “I’m not feeling bad.”
Double negative. (n.d.). Retrieved August 11, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_negative
Works Cited
Does English still borrow words from other languages? (n.d.). Retrieved August 04, 2016, from http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-26014925
Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue: Loanwords From French, German, Latin, and Spanish. (n.d.). Retrieved August 04, 2016, from http://grammar.about.com/od/words/a/Loanwords-In-English-The-Bastard-Tongue.htm
English-speaking world. (n.d.). Retrieved August 04, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English-speaking_world
Spanglish. (n.d.). Retrieved August 04, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanglish
Pidgin. (n.d.). Retrieved August 05, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pidgin
McWhorter, J. H. (2001). The power of Babel: A natural history of language. New York: Times Books.
Learning the Four Tones of Spoken Mandarin Chinese. (n.d.). Retrieved August 11, 2016, from http://mandarin.about.com/od/pronunciation/a/tones.htm
Falstaff. (n.d.). Retrieved August 11, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falstaff
McWhorter, J. H. (2001). The power of Babel: A natural history of language. New York: Times Books.
Double negative. (n.d.). Retrieved August 11, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_negative
LANGUAGE, TONE AND AUDIENCE - University of South Florida ... (n.d.). Retrieved August 11, 2016, from http://usfsm.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/tone-audience.st-joseph-college.pdf
The five faces of language are:
- Sound Change
- Extension
- The Expressiveness Cycle
- Rebracketing
- Semantic Change
Language is constantly changing and there are many factors that effect this change. The five faces of language are the how and why language has changed.
Sounds continually change from each generation through dropping of sounds, or the slight change in the way a sound is produced. During the time from 1450-1700, words like, bait, became beet, and boat became boot. This was known as “The Great Vowel Shift.” This is the first face of language, called, “Sound Change.”
Grammar has changed through time as well, for example, Latin endings have changed and plural forms of words have gone through a type of metamorphosis, in which, words like, tongue or tongues, used to be spelled “tunge” and the plural was “tungan.” This is the second face of language, called, “Extension”
“Long ago, if you were naughty, you had naught or nothing. Then the word, naughty, came to mean evil or immoral, and now it means you are just badly behaved.” 20 words that once meant something very different. (2014). Retrieved July 30, 2016, from http://ideas.ted.com/20-words-that-once-meant-something-very-different/. Words and phrases have changed their meanings over time, and have often lost their “punch.” This is an example of the third face of language, “The Expressiveness Cycle.”
The fourth face of language, “Rebracketing,” can be described as, breaking down a word according to different components. For example, the word, “apron”: in Middle English the word was napron, however, over time the n was dropped and the word became apron. This often occurred due to the confusion that existed with the words, “a” and “an.”
“Semantic Change” is the fifth face of language. This means the word or phrases meaning has changed. Words and phrases meanings often become broader or more narrow through time.
2. The theme “Today’s Dialect is Tomorrow’s Language” runs through the text (p. 92). McWhorter argues this as a kind of mantra for the linguistic discussion: “Dialects is all there is.” Using McWhorter’s analysis of the eight languages of the Chinese versus eight Chinese dialects, support your understanding of this theme in Chapter 2.
McWhorter uses the eight Chinese languages and dialects to explain the vast amount of languages in the world today. The Chinese dialects are so different that the could be considered different languages, however, the Chinese language uses symbols to represent words rather than sounds to represent letters, so the writing of words in different dialects is very similar. The different dialects of the same language occur for reasons such as: immigration, the size of the area, education, culture and political institutions.
3. The author describes how language proceeds in myriad directions. Dialects form by migration, communication, and education. How would you relate the examples of the family tree or making stew from the text in discussing how language change and mixing is inherent according to the author (p. 93-94).
I liked how the author explains the different dialects of language with the analogy of a family tree. When you create a family tree, you start with the oldest know relatives, their brothers and sister, then their children, and so on. With language, it changes with each person or family, their experiences, education and migration. It begins as one language and gradually changes to form other dialects.
4. What would be the benefit for having the Latin language as a foundation for learning English? (p. 98). Author McWhorter posits that Latin teaches vocabulary and base words, grammar, and how to have an economy of words in speaking. Do you agree with this point of view? Does learning any second language facilitate learning English? Support your opinion with Ch. 3 concepts.
I agree with McWhorter that the Latin language has affected the English language and can help understand vocabulary and root forms of words. Because half of the English language is made up of Latin words and roots, understanding Latin would help to understand words that you were unfamiliar with. For example, the Latin word for fire is ignis, from which we get ignition and igneous rock, molten rock, which means made from fire. Learning a second language definitely facilitates learning English. Learning a foreign language: reinforces core subjects, improves scores on testing, allows learners to see the similarities and differences between languages and creates a connection with another culture.
5. Give examples of usage of English vocabulary words in other languages. Discuss the relationship of English words that are being incorporated into other languages.
Words used by speakers of one language from a different language are called loanwords. These words are, borrowed, from another language. Many are borrowed because their language doesn’t have a word to represent a word. Foods, plants and animals differ from one region to the next, and thus words are borrowed to represent these things. Many English words were borrowed from languages such as: Latin, German, French, and Greek. Often they were borrowed through contact with another culture. Japan has taken on many English words such as: baseball, T-shirt, fax, boyfriend and apple pie. Other countries, such as France and Spain, have borrowed words for greetings, foods, sports, technical terms, popular culture references and music. The English language has borrowed many words, but things seem to have shifted and more and more words are being borrowed from it. This could be because the English language is so widely spoken around the world and is taught in so many countries. It is also the official language for “aeronautical and maritime communications.” English-speaking world. (n.d.). Retrieved August 04, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English-speaking_world
6. Discuss the development of a new dialect of Spanish in America--Spanglish (p. 119-120) as it relates to Question 5. You may prefer to give another symbiotic language example like Konglish or Denglisch (p. 117) to support your answer in discussing hybrid linguistic development, where English language has bled into other languages. Answers may vary. (Ch. 3)
“Spanglish is a form of speech that results from an interaction between Spanish and English and is used by people who speak both languages or parts of both languages.” Spanglish. (n.d.). Retrieved August 04, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanglish
Words such as: Clickear, which means to click, el mouse, which refers to a computer mouse, and mandar un mail, which means to send an email, are considered Spanglish words. There are Spanish alternatives for all of these words, however, English and Spanish are mixed together and create a new word, a Spanglish word. Many Spanglish words are technical words, foods and objects. Spanglish originally began when Latin Americans immigrated to North America. Many immigrants, bilinguals and Mexican-Americans speak Spanlish.
7. How do Pidgin English and tone relate to the development of language? Is there a difference when people use the language without having the need to acquire it? Explain. (Chapters 4 and 5, p. 206)
Pidgin language is language brought down to its “bare bones.” It’s very basic and has no tone. It is often used between groups that speak different languages and are involved in some sort of trade. The origination of a Pidgin language arises from the need to communicate, between people that have regular contact and who do not know the same language. Tone is usually absent as this is language at its most basic form and words are being used for basic communication. I believe there is a difference between learning a language and learning just enough to get by. When you learn a language you want to be able to communicate in all aspects of life: work, social, and day to day activities. When you use a language to meet a need there is no need to work to learn more. Basics are enough.
8. In Chapter 5, the author argues that world languages are densely overgrown and contain utterly unnecessary decorations, and fluff. How would communication be without evidentiary markers?
According to McWhorter, the world languages that have been around for a long time have “layers of decorative gunk.” However, newer languages have very little. Without, evidentiary markers, word endings that tell your source of information, then we could see miscommunication within some languages. However, I, personally, agreed with McWhorter that evidentiary markers are “decorative gunk.” As I read, Chapter 5, in, The Power of Babel, I was confused by the use of evidentiary markers. They were very similar to one another and were only used to tell you that the source was either heard, seen, or known. They seemed unnecessary and felt the language would be easier to understand if left in its basic state.
9. Intonation influences the meaning and register of a word. Could you give an example of how precise Chinese syllable stress is key in communicating? (p. 194)
The Chinese language is a difficult language in that tone has a large role in the meanings of words. There are 4 sometimes 5 tones in the Chinese language. The first tone is high, the second is moderately high, the third rises and falls again, and the fourth starts high and then drops quickly. There is also a neutral tone. For example, ma, can mean: mother, hemp, horse or scold, depending on the tone.
mā using the first tone means mother.
má using the second tone means hemp.
mă using the third tone means horse.
Mà using the fourth tone means to curse.
If you are inexperienced or just beginning to learn the Chinese language, this can lead to misunderstandings.
10. McWhorter argues in Ch. 5 that tone is not a necessary feature of the human language. “It is a cognitively parsable, but ultimately accidental, permutation of a language’s original material, which can result only from a language, which began without it.” (p. 197) Why is this linguistic argument important? Explain.
Tone is not needed in the structure of the language, however, it is needed to communicate with others. Tone creates attitude and represents intent and ideas the speaker wants to emphasize. Without tone, you will see things misunderstood. For example, texting. Tone is hard to convey in a text. I have often thought something was written with attitude when it wasn’t and vice versa. Therefore, I believe tone is essential to language.
11. Discuss the author’s point of view on Sign Language (p. 214).
McWhorter states that sign language is a “real” language. It follows grammatical rules and includes human emotions and expressions, such as, flirting and teasing. I found it fascinating that English Language Learners have an “accent” in sign language.
12. Spoken language is an ever-changing system, the very nature of which is to be always in a process of transformation into a new language. Can we justify the double negative is grammatically acceptable in the English language today? Who is Falstaff?
Sir John Falstaff is a fictional character that appears in several Shakespeare plays. In the play Henry IV, Sir John Falstaff said, “There’s never none of these demure boys come to any proof.” The use of never none is considered a double negative which is not correct English grammar now. During the time of Shakespeare, the use of double negatives was an “emphatic strategy, rather stronger negativity. In some languages, using double negatives cancel each other out. In the English language, “a double negative can be used to be affirmative. ” For example, “I’m not feeling bad.”
Double negative. (n.d.). Retrieved August 11, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_negative
Works Cited
Does English still borrow words from other languages? (n.d.). Retrieved August 04, 2016, from http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-26014925
Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue: Loanwords From French, German, Latin, and Spanish. (n.d.). Retrieved August 04, 2016, from http://grammar.about.com/od/words/a/Loanwords-In-English-The-Bastard-Tongue.htm
English-speaking world. (n.d.). Retrieved August 04, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English-speaking_world
Spanglish. (n.d.). Retrieved August 04, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanglish
Pidgin. (n.d.). Retrieved August 05, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pidgin
McWhorter, J. H. (2001). The power of Babel: A natural history of language. New York: Times Books.
Learning the Four Tones of Spoken Mandarin Chinese. (n.d.). Retrieved August 11, 2016, from http://mandarin.about.com/od/pronunciation/a/tones.htm
Falstaff. (n.d.). Retrieved August 11, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falstaff
McWhorter, J. H. (2001). The power of Babel: A natural history of language. New York: Times Books.
Double negative. (n.d.). Retrieved August 11, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_negative
LANGUAGE, TONE AND AUDIENCE - University of South Florida ... (n.d.). Retrieved August 11, 2016, from http://usfsm.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/tone-audience.st-joseph-college.pdf