Ideas around Standardisation

It is just fine There are some style issues, but it is perfectly understandable It has some grammar issues It is awful writing for a number of reasons including style and grammar

https://youtu.be/J7E-aoXLZGY 1. Is Stephen Fry a descriptivist?  Prescriptivist?  Provide evidence? 2. What does he suggest about people and their use of language/attitude towards language? 3. Note any interesting terms.

Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary (1755) and Jonathan Swift’s Proposal (1712) What was happening in terms of language change in the 1700s? Dictionary-writers look at different kinds of English, and begin to explore the idea of standardization and ‘correct’ spelling. English is fully established as the language of literature and government, and reading becomes more widespread. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOSYiT2iG08

18th Century Prescriptivists In 1712 Jonathan Swift writes to the Lord Treasurer, urging the formation of an English Academy to regulate usage as "many gross improprieties" could be found in the language of "even the best authors". Dr. Samuel Johnson, in the preface to his 1755 Dictionary of the English Language, notes that "tongues have a natural tendency to degeneration" but mocks the lexicographer who imagines that his dictionary "can embalm his language", as "to enchain syllables, and to lash the wind, are equally the undertakings of pride". In the act of giving us the most enduring of our authorities for standard forms, Johnson sees its limitations. Samuel Johnson's 'Dictionary of the English Language' is one of the most famous dictionaries in history. First published in 1755, the dictionary took just over eight years to compile and listed 40,000 words. Johnson required only six helpers. Each word was defined in detail; the definitions illustrated with quotations covering every branch of learning.

Critique of Swift and Johnson Both men attempted to ‘fix’ the language, their writing was in protest against lexical development. They both demonstrate ‘change from above’, a conscious attempt by those in authority to impose a ‘correct’ form of language on users, however the lexicon continued to expand. By contrast, ‘change from below’ occurs when language users adapt language to suit a particular need. With repeated usage, the change enters the language without comment as users are not consciously aware of it. https://www.bl.uk/learning/timeline/item104671.html

Swift’s Concerns Vagueness in language – ‘the poverty of conversation’ Shortened words (e.g mob-short for mobile vulgus, Latin for ‘the fickle crowd’) Unnecessary contractions (e.g disturb’d)-poets were to blame for these contractions so that their ideas could fit verse lines. Unnecessary polysyllabic words which made meanings unclear. Words ‘invented by some pretty fellow ‘ (e.g banter, shuffling), which he claimed had unknown etymologies or that had undergone semantic shift; he claimed that these were mere ‘fashion’ and therefore likely to fall out of use.

Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary Rewrite your paragraph in modern English Identify any interesting language features and analyse for meaning and effect https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb_UdA2NO_E

homework Access the VLE Revise topics for mocks & learn terminology Finalise coursework (we will finalise commentary in January) Analyse data for investigation- you need about 10 different language features analysed in terms of what it is and why is it there. Due first week back (w/b Jan3rd)

Top Tips for answering language change questions:              Stick to frameworks/methods Get as much context as you can in - eg look at the date and try to think what would have been happening at the time. A key period is following the introduction of the printing press (1476) and the introduction of the first dictionary (1755 - Samuel Johnson). Also remember the grammar books that appeared at the time - the writers that tried to "fix" the language. All these had an influence on the language, and helped it to become standardised (slowly - remember it didn't all happen at once). Important point: the dictionary (Samuel Johnson 1755) was prescriptivist! It taught people how words should be defined and spoken, Mr Johnson also excluded words he found unfashionable from the dictionary. The finished version was very expensive and could only be afforded by the wealthy.

David Crystal Videos https://youtu.be/fhAiTuTI8Vs https://youtu.be/P2XVdDSJHqY