L anguage

What is Language and Why is it important? Language is a system of communication through a collection of sounds and symbols that a group of people understand to have the same meaning Provides the single most common variable by which cultural groups are identified Because languages vary spatially, they reinforce the sense of region and place

Language is the integral Part of CULTURE During colonization it is common for the colonizer to force the colonized people to speak the language of the colonizer. United States forced American Indians to learn and speak English. Clare Swan of the Dena’ina Indians of Alaska:

“No one was allowed to speak the language. The American government didn’t allow it in schools, and a lot of women had married non- native men, and they said ‘your American now so you cant speak the language.’ So, we became invisible in the community, invisible to each other. And, then, because we couldn’t speak the language- What happens when you cant speak your own language is you have to think with someone else’s words and that’s a dreadful kind of Isolation.”

How many languages? There were 7299 languages in 2007 now about 6912 different languages on the planet earth… 10 Languages spoken by at least 100 million people 100 languages spoken by at least 5 million people (this includes first 10) Over 6000 Languages spoken by fewer than 2 million people 133 languages are spoken by fewer than 10 people

Distinction between language and Literary Tradition Language deals with the spoken communication Literary Tradition is a system of written communication

Judea-Christian vs Scientific Explanation In Genesis 11:1-9 - All men spoke the same language after flood, built a tower to heaven and God felt it was not a tribute to him and “Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth”

Judea-Christian vs Scientific Explanation Many linguistics and Geographers believe in an early language or languages from the beginning of human’s ability to communicate called NOSTRATIC language. Through Human movements and then through Isolation and Interaction the Language changes. At First into a Dialect and then over time into its own language.

Dialect = regional variation of a language distinguished by distinctive vocabulary, spelling and pronunciation – Typically, speakers of one dialect can understand speakers of another – Geographers interested because they reflect distinctive features of the environments in which groups live Ex. United States, Britain, Australia, India, and Pakistan all speak English – just different dialects There may be different dialects within the same country – Ex. United States = northerners and southerners Dialects of English

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English dialects in the United States Dialects reveal a vivid geography American English is hardly uniform from region to region At least three major dialects, corresponding to major culture regions, developed in the eastern United States by the time of the American Revolution – Northern – Midland – Southern

New England and southern accents sound odd because most of western migration came from the Middle Atlantic states Different dialects are seen throughout the Midwest and West because of specific migration areas Mobility of Americans has been a major reason for the relatively uniform language that exists throughout much of the west Dialects in the United States

Dialects Frequently dialects are marked by actual differences in vocabulary Vocabulary differences are caused by isolation and different experiences. Isogloss = a geographic boundary of a particular word or words. – Pronunciations, vocabularies, colloquial phrases, and syntax all part of isogloss

colloquial phrases – informal form of speech – Some examples of informal colloquialisms can include words (such as "y'all" or "gonna" or "wanna"), phrases (such as “ain't nothin‘”), or sometimes even an entire aphorism ("There's more than one way to skin a cat"). Syntax - rules for constructing sentences

What do you call these?

What do you call this?

Depending on Dialect Wreck Grinder Subway Sub Hero Hoagie Italian sandwich— Maine and other parts of New England. po' boy Wedge Blimpie Bomber Cosmo (cosmopolitan) — North Central Pennsylvania near Williamsport Williamsport Poor boy — Saint LouisSaint Louis Po-boy — Southern Louisiana Rocket Spuckie — Boston, MassachusettsBoston, Massachusetts Torpedo — New York, New Jersey, other areas. Tunnel — Various New England areas. Wedge - Yonkers, New York and other parts of Westchester County, New York, The Bronx, lower Fairfield County, Connecticut, and portions of Upstate New YorkYonkers, New YorkWestchester County, New YorkThe Bronx Upstate New York Zeppelin or Zep

Official Language Country designate at least one language which is used by the government for laws, reports, and street signs, money, and stamps The United States Official language is English – Not by law but by fact English is the official language in 50 countries – Two Billion people live in a country where English is the official language

Fig. 5-1: English is an official language in 50 countries, including some in which it is not the most widely spoken language. It is also used and understood in many others. English Speaking Countries

Distribution of English speakers around the world exists because people of England migrated to colonies over past four centuries – North America in 17 th century – Ireland in 17 th century – South Asia in mid 18 th century – Southern Africa in late 19 th century English became official language even if only officials and elite could speak Origin and Diffusion of English

Three Germanic tribes – the Angles, Jutes, and Saxons – invaded British Isles around 450 A.D. – Came from present day Denmark and Germany All Germanic people spoke a common language, but this was prior to written records Language differences occurred when Germanic groups migrated to separate territories and lived in isolation – allowing their languages to continue evolving independently Other groups (Vikings) invaded and added their languages to the basic English German Invasion

Invasions of England: 5 th – 11 th Centuries Fig. 5-2: The groups that brought what became English to England included Jutes, Angles, Saxons, and Vikings. The Normans later brought French vocabulary to English.

m/videoplay?docid= &hl=en# Old English Combination of languages, Celts + Three Germanic tribes + Vikings = Old English Beowulf oldest record of English literature …Orally passed on from 700’s to about the year 1000

Normans (French) invaded England in 1066 and made French the official language for 300 years – Majority of people still spoke English Constant conflict between English and French led to mingled form of a new language Numerous words have Germanic roots, while others have French roots 28.3% of all English words have French roots s_of_French_origin s_of_French_origin Norman Invasion

The Timeline of the English language