Language Variation and Change
Expert-defined terms from the Postgraduate Certificate in Linguistic Anthropology course at London School of Planning and Management. Free to read, free to share, paired with a globally recognised certification pathway.
Language Variation and Change Glossary #
Language Variation and Change Glossary
Accommodation #
The process by which speakers adjust their language use to be more similar or different from their interlocutors. This can involve changes in pronunciation, vocabulary, or grammar to better match the speech of those around them.
Acronym #
A word formed from the initial letters of a name or phrase. For example, the acronym "UN" stands for the United Nations.
Adaptation #
The modification of a language or dialect to better suit the needs of its speakers. This can involve the incorporation of new words, expressions, or grammatical structures.
Code #
switching: The practice of alternating between two or more languages or dialects within a single conversation. Code-switching can serve various functions, such as signaling group identity or expressing nuanced meanings.
Creole #
A stable, full-fledged language that develops from a pidgin, incorporating elements from multiple languages. Creoles often arise in contact situations where speakers need a more complex means of communication.
Dialect #
A variety of a language spoken by a particular group of people, distinguished by features such as vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation. Dialects can vary based on region, social class, ethnicity, or other factors.
Diachronic #
Pertaining to changes in language over time. Diachronic linguistics examines how languages evolve and develop through historical processes.
Diglossia #
A sociolinguistic situation in which two distinct varieties of a language are used for different purposes or in different contexts. One variety is typically associated with formal or written communication, while the other is used for everyday speech.
Diphthong #
A complex vowel sound that glides from one vowel quality to another within a single syllable. English diphthongs include the sounds in "bait" and "loud."
Ethnography #
A qualitative research method used in anthropology to study and document the cultural practices and beliefs of a particular group of people. Linguistic anthropologists often use ethnographic techniques to understand language variation and change in context.
Ethnolinguistics #
The study of the relationship between language and culture within a particular community. Ethnolinguists investigate how linguistic practices reflect and shape social identities, values, and norms.
Glottal stop #
A consonant sound produced by briefly closing the vocal cords, as in the Cockney pronunciation of "butter" as "bu'er." The glottal stop is a common feature in many languages around the world.
Idiolect #
The unique variety of language spoken by an individual. An idiolect reflects a person's distinctive vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and style of speaking.
Interference #
The influence of one language on another in a contact situation, leading to the adoption of features from one language into the other. Interference can result in linguistic changes, such as the borrowing of words or structures.
Isogloss #
A line on a dialect map that marks the boundary between two linguistic features, such as pronunciation, vocabulary, or grammar. Isoglosses are used to visualize the distribution of dialectal variation.
Jargon #
Specialized vocabulary or language used by a particular group or profession. Jargon may be difficult for outsiders to understand due to its technical or specialized nature.
Laryngeal #
A consonant sound produced in the larynx, or voice box. Laryngeal sounds play a significant role in the phonological systems of many languages, affecting aspects such as tone and vowel quality.
Linguistic relativity #
The idea that language shapes the way we perceive and think about the world. Linguistic relativity suggests that speakers of different languages may have distinct cognitive frameworks based on their linguistic structures.
Linguistic typology #
The classification of languages based on their structural features and the ways in which they organize grammar and vocabulary. Linguistic typology helps researchers identify patterns and similarities across diverse language systems.
Multilingualism #
The ability to speak or understand multiple languages. Multilingualism is common in many parts of the world and can result from factors such as migration, education, or historical contact between language groups.
Neogrammarian #
A linguist who adheres to the principles of the Neogrammarian hypothesis, which posits that sound changes in language are regular and exceptionless. Neogrammarians laid the foundation for historical linguistics as a scientific discipline.
Orthography #
The conventional system of spelling and writing a language. Orthography includes rules for representing sounds with letters and symbols, as well as guidelines for punctuation and capitalization.
Palatalization #
A sound change process in which a consonant becomes palatalized, meaning it is articulated with the tongue raised toward the hard palate. Palatalization is a common phenomenon in language change, affecting sounds such as /k/ and /t/.
Paradigm #
A set of related words or forms that share a common grammatical feature, such as tense, person, or case. Paradigms help to organize and categorize the inflectional morphology of a language.
Phoneme #
The smallest distinctive unit of sound in a language that can change the meaning of a word. For example, the sounds /p/ and /b/ are separate phonemes in English, as in "pat" and "bat."
Phonetics #
The study of the physical properties of speech sounds, including their production, transmission, and perception. Phonetics is concerned with the articulatory, acoustic, and auditory aspects of human speech.
Phonological rule #
A systematic pattern or principle that governs the pronunciation of sounds in a language. Phonological rules describe how sounds change in different phonetic environments or under specific conditions.
Pidgin #
A simplified, makeshift language that arises in situations of prolonged contact between speakers of different languages who need to communicate. Pidgins lack a fully developed grammar and vocabulary but can serve as a means of basic communication.
Prescriptive grammar #
A set of rules and norms for "correct" language use, typically enforced by educational institutions, style guides, or language authorities. Prescriptive grammar often dictates what is considered proper or acceptable in written and spoken communication.
Quantitative sociolinguistics #
A research approach that uses statistical methods to analyze patterns of language variation and change in society. Quantitative sociolinguistics relies on large datasets and quantitative measures to study language phenomena.
Register #
A variety of language used in a particular social context or for a specific communicative purpose. Registers can vary based on formality, domain, or audience, influencing the choice of vocabulary, grammar, and style.
Sapir #
Whorf hypothesis: A theory in linguistic anthropology that posits a relationship between language and thought. The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis suggests that the structure and categories of language shape the way speakers perceive and conceptualize the world.
Sociolinguistics #
The study of how language functions in society, including issues of language variation, change, and identity. Sociolinguists investigate how social factors influence language use and how language reflects social structures.
Stylistic variation #
Variation in language use that is influenced by factors such as context, audience, or mode of communication. Stylistic variation can involve changes in vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, or other linguistic features.
Synchronic #
Pertaining to the study of language at a single point in time. Synchronic linguistics focuses on the analysis of a language's structure and system as it exists in the present moment.
Syntax #
The study of the rules and principles that govern the structure of sentences in a language. Syntax deals with how words are combined to form phrases and sentences, as well as the relationships between different elements in a sentence.
Top #
down processing: A cognitive process in which higher-level knowledge and expectations influence the interpretation of incoming information. Top-down processing can affect language comprehension, allowing speakers to make predictions and fill in missing information based on context.
Universal grammar #
A theoretical framework proposed by Noam Chomsky that posits the existence of innate linguistic structures shared by all human languages. Universal grammar suggests that humans are biologically predisposed to acquire language in a certain way.
Variety #
A term used in sociolinguistics to refer to a specific form of a language or dialect spoken by a particular group of people. Varieties can be defined based on factors such as geography, social class, ethnicity, or context of use.
Vernacular #
The everyday, informal variety of a language spoken by a community of speakers. Vernacular language reflects the local norms and practices of a group and may differ from more formal or standardized varieties.
Vowel shift #
A systematic change in the pronunciation of vowels in a language, affecting the quality and position of vowel sounds. Vowel shifts can have far-reaching effects on the phonological system of a language over time.
Word formation #
The process by which new words are created in a language. Word formation can involve processes such as derivation, compounding, blending, and borrowing to generate lexical innovations and expand the vocabulary of a language.