CHAPTER 5

LANGUAGE

ISSUE #1

Where are Languages Distributed?

LANGUAGE LEARNING

UNITED STATES• Most only know 1 language

• Fewer than half of high school students study a foreign language

• About 25% can hold a conversation in a second language

OTHER COUNTRIES• Netherlands – required to

learn at least two foreign languages in high school

• Netherlands – about 66% learned at least 3 foreign languages in high school

• UK – 66% of 10 year olds learn a foreign language in school

LANGUAGE

• Language - definition on p.143

• Official language – used by government and for laws (ex. Street signs, money)

• Do all spoken languages have a literary tradition?

• Language is a HUGE part of culture (along with religion and ethnicity)

– “To have another language is to possess a second soul” – Charlemagne

– Sense of pride for people/nations– Language can be controversial

• Huckleberry Finn vid

• Distribution of languages is a result of past migrations (ex. English spoken in India)

• Geographers look at the similarity of languages to understand the diffusion and interaction of people around the world

ORGANIZTION/CLASSIFCATION OF LANGUAGES

FAMILY

BRANCH

GROUP

Language Family Trees

Fig. 5-12: Family trees and estimated numbers of speakers for the main world language families. Trunks = language families; Branches = language branches; Smaller Branches/Ends of Branches = language groups; Leaves = individual languages

DISTRIBUTION OF LANGAUGE FAMILIES

• For the information on pages 146-149 see your packet

Language Families of the World

Distribution of the world’s main language families. Languages with more than 50 million speakers are named. Make sure you know the difference between family, branch and group and examples of each.

LOGOGRAMS

ISSUE #2

Why is English Related to Other Languages?

INDO-EUROPEAN FAMILY• English is part of the Indo-

European language family (the largest language family in the world)

• I-E is divided into 8 branches– Albania, Armenian, Balto-

Slavic, Celtic, Germanic, Greek, Indo-Iranian, Romance

Family

Branch

Group

DISTRIBUTION OF I-E BRANCHES

• You are responsible for the information on pages 150-153 on your own

ORIGIN OF ENGLISH

• Germanic Invasions– Angles, Saxons and Jutes

invaded the British Isles– Modern English evolved

from their languages– Who are Anglo-Saxons?– Where does “England”

come from?

• Norman Invasion– Normans (France) conquered

England in 1066– French was the official language

for 300 years– During this time the Germanic

language of the common people mixed with the French of the upper class and formed a new language……..what turns into modern English

DIFFUSION OF ENGLISH TO NORTH AMERICA

• English diffused from England to North America in the 17th century with colonization

• As England colonized other parts of the world it spread its language

• In recent history the U.S. has been responsible for spreading English– Ex. Philippines

ORIGIN & DIFFUSION OF ROMANCE LANGUAGES

• Romance Languages are common in SW Europe– Developed from Latin

• The Roman Empire spread Latin

• Latin mixed with the local languages

• What was Vulgar Latin?

• As the Roman Empire collapsed isolation led to the rise of distinct languages

ORIGIN & DIFFUSION OF I-E(what is meant by Proto-Indo European?)

KURGAN• Homeland near steppes near border

of Kazakhstan and Russia

• About 4300 B.C.

• Nomadic herders

• Migrated westward through Europe, eastward towards Siberia, and southeast to Iran and South Asia– conquered much of this area between

3500 B.C. – 2500 B.C.– Spread language through military

conquest– Theory argued by Marija Gimbutas

ANATOLIAN• Homeland in eastern Anatolia (think

Turkey)

• Renfrew says2,000 years before Kurgans, some lie Gray say even earlier, maybe 6,700 B.C.

• Migrated westward through Greece through Europe and South Asia

• Spread language through agricultural practices and population growth, not military conflict (as the Kurgans did)

ISSUE #3

Why do Individual Languages Vary Among Places?

ENGLISH – DIALECTS (general)• Dialect – a regional variation

of a language distinguished by distinctive vocabulary, spelling, and pronunciation

• Dialects reflect distinctive features of the places people live

• A result of migration (English has a LOT…..why?) What do you

call this?

DIALECTS IN THE U.S.

• Originated due to different dialects among original settlers

• Early settlers were clustered in the East, particularly:– New England – almost all from England; 2/3 from in SE England– Midlands - (N England, Ireland, Scots, German, Dutch, Swedish –

most diverse of the 3 regions)– Southeast – about ½ came from SE England but were diverse in

terms of social status

– Very interesting PBS site on language in the U.S.

DIALECTS IN THE U.S. cont.• Major dialect differences

primarily on the East Coast– 3 major in the East but also 1 in

the West

• What is an isogloss?

• Media/technology has affected this but differences in word choice and pronunciation still exist– Boston Accent video (need to

find)

Dialects in the Eastern U.S.

Fig. 5-4: Hans Kurath divided the eastern U.S. into three dialect regions, whose distribution is similar to that of house types (Fig. 4-9).

DIALECTS IN THE U.S. cont.• Regional pronunciation

differences are more common than differences in word use

• Westward movement of colonists diffused dialects to middle and western parts of the U.S.

• Standard pronunciation of the West comes from the Mid-Atlantic states (midlands)

American Dialects QuizRegional DAREWhat are they saying? Mental Floss

DIALECTS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

• Standard Language – recognized as the most established and proper dialect of a language– For England it’s Received

Pronunciation (RP)• Origins of RP?

• Like the U.S., the UK has regional dialects and isoglosses

• Isoglosses have been moving due to migration patterns

DIFFRENCES BETWEEN BRITISH &

AMERICAN ENGLISH

• Early colonists are most responsible for the dominant language patterns we see today in the U.S.

• The Atlantic led to isolation (in terms of language) between the two, leading to differences in languages

• 3 main differences are:vocabulary, spelling, and

pronunciation

• Role of Webster (agenda?)

Isolation

Nike Commercial

DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN LANGUAGES & DIALECTS

• Romance Branch– Standard languages such as

French and Spanish are recent

– Development of Spanish and Portuguese

– Diffusion of Spanish and Portuguese

• Pope Alexander VI’s decision• Treaty of Tordesillas• Standardization of Portuguese –

controversy?

DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN LANGUAGES & DIALECTS cont.

• Sometimes it is difficult to determine if two languages are distinct languages or dialects of the same language– Know examples on page 163– What is a creole/creolized

language?

Sign in Spanish, graffiti in Catalan

ISSUE #4

Why Do People Preserve Local Languages?

PRESERVING LANGUAGE DIVERSITY

• The distribution of a language is a measure of the fate of a cultural group (what does this mean?)

• Language displays the competing trends of globalization and local diversity

• In some countries multiple languages coexist peacefully, in others there is tension between speakers of different languages

MULTILINGUAL STATES• Trouble can emerge at the

boundary of two languages– Exs. – Belgium, Switzerland,

Belgium

• Belgium – southerners (Walloons) speaks French while northerners (Flemings) speaks Flemish– Compounded by economic and

political differences– Two different autonomous

regions, Flanders and Wallonia– Some want two different countries

Language Divisions in Belgium

There has been much tension in Belgium between Flemings, who live in the north and speak Flemish, a Dutch dialect, and Walloons, who live in the south

and speak French.

Bookstore in Brussels, Belgium

The name of the bookstore is printed in both French (top) and Flemish (bottom).

MUTILINGUAL cont.

• Switzerland – peacefully exists with multiple languages– Why? Decentralized

government and use of voter referenda

– 4 official languages (German, French, Italian, Romansh)

Language Areas in Switzerland

Fig. 5-17: Switzerland remains peaceful with four official languages and a decentralized government structure.

MUTILINGUAL cont.

• Nigeria– Africa’s most populous

country– 527 distinct languages,

only 3 are widely spoken– This leads to great

tension, even fighting– Some groups hope to

secede– The capital was moved

to reduce tension

ISOLATED LANGUAGES• No relation to others, not

part of any language family

• Arise through lack of interaction with speakers of other languages

– Know examples on pages 166-167

Calls for self-determination for Basque Country

A student in Quebec writing in an Algonquian language (Cree), rather than French or English

REVIVING AND EXTINCT LANGUAGE: HEBREW

• Hebrew is a rare example of an extinct language that has been revived (why? 1948?)

• Most of the Jewish Bible is written in Hebrew– Its daily use diminished in the

4th century; retained primarily for religious purposes

– Creation of Israel as a new nation in 1948 – Hebrew and Aramaic become its official languages

• Why was Hebrew chosen?• Why was reviving it so difficult? Reinventing Hebrew vid

Signs in Jerusalem written in Hebrew, Arabic, and English

PRESERVING ENDANGERED LANGUAGES: CELTIC

• CELTIC– Major language before Germanic invasions

– Were once spoken in various parts of the continent, now only in remote parts of Scotland, Wales, Ireland and the Brittany Peninsula of France

– History of Celtic is a good example of the impact of politics/history on a language & efforts to preserve a language

– Celtic language branch is divided into 2 groups(Gaelic & Brythonic)

– Efforts to preserve this endangered language• Welsh, Irish, Breton, Scottish, Cornish

Preserving Irish Gaelic #1 Preserving Scottish Gaelic

Ireland Road Signs

Road signs in Ireland are written in both English and Gaelic (Goidelic).

Members of the Welsh Language Society protests the closure of small, rural schools with signs that say “save our

Welsh-speaking village schools”

PRESERVING ABORIGINAL & MAORI IN AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND

AUSTRALIA• 1 % of the population is

Aboriginal

• Education is aimed at teaching English more than preserving local languages

• Role of British policy and fear of immigration?

• What are immigrants required to do now?

NEW ZEALAND• More than 10% of population is

Maori

• NZ had adopted policies to preserve Maori languages

• Maori is one of NZ’s 3 official languages, along with English and sign language

• Can many people speak Maori?

• Immigration policies?

A sign in Maori for the name of a town. It is said to be the world’s second-longest place name, at 85 letters. The Maori translates as “the summit where Tamatea, the man with big knees, the climber of mountains, the land-swallower who travelled about, played his nose flute to his loved one.”

PRESERVING OCCITAN IN FRANCE

• Major linguistic difference in France is between the north and south

• North – most people speak French, which became the official language in the 16th century (role of Paris?)

• South – 2 million speak Occitan (derived from Aquitaine) and has many dialects

• What is meant by langue d’oil and langue d’oc?– The word yes?

People demonstrate in Beaucaire, France, for the preservation of the Provencal language langue d’oc

GLOBAL DOMINANCE ENGLISH

• English has become the language of int’l communication

• The dominance of English has spread pop culture, science, and the growth of int’l trade but at what cost?

– Lingua franca (created to facilitate trade – history and meaning?)

• Lingua franca vs. pidgin

• 90% of students in the EU learn English in middle or high school

• Why are people/students around the world want to learn English?

• Modern lingua franca languages: English, Swahili (East Africa), Hindi (South Asia), Indonesian (Southeast Asia), Russian (former Soviet Union)

• Trend/impact of Americans trying to learn other languages? Learning English in Myanmar vid

English being taught in China

EXPANSION DIFFUSION of ENGLISH

• LF’s have historically diffused through migration and conquest– Latin (Roman Empire)– English (British Empire)

• Recent spread of English has been by expansion diffusion

the world

English

expansion diffusion

CHANGES TO MODERN ENGLISH

AFRICAN-AMERICAN ENGLISH• Some AAs speak a dialect influenced

by their unique cultural heritage (slavery in southern colonies)

• Many AAs moved north in the 20th century and brought this dialect with them

• Dialect became known as Ebonics in the 1990s – What characterizes Ebonics?– What controversies/debates surround

it?

APPALACHIAN ENGLISH• Located in the eastern U.S., in

states such as West Virginia

• What characterizes it?

• Same pros and cons as Ebonics?

• Bidialectict – speak the “standard” form of English as well as their regional dialect

DIFFUSION of ENGLISH TO OTHER LANGUAGES

• English has, more and more, become integrated with other languages

• Many French do not like the growing influence of English and the mixing if English words with French

• Franglais – combination of French and English– French pride detests spread of English– Extreme protection of French in

Quebec

A restaurant awning mixes French (dejeuner, salads, and pates), English (burgers and bagels), and Franglais (club sandwiches)

DIFFUSION of ENGLISH TO OTHER LANGUAGES

• Spanglish – combination of Spanish and English

– 34million Hispanics speak Spanish in the U.S.

– It’s a mixing of words, not just a borrowing of them

– Includes the invention new words (ex. textear)

– Widespread in popular culture such as music, TV, magazines

– Cubonics?

• Denglish – diffusion of English words into German – Many German companies

use English for advertising

– use of happy birthday

• English has spread into other languages as well– ex. Baseball is beisboru in

Japanese

Spanish Signs in New York City

A restaurant sign in California mixes Spanish and English

An advertisement for a radio station in Berlin, Germany, mixes German and English

SPANISH & FRENCH IN THE U.S. & CANADA

SPANISH – U.S.• What is meant by linguistic unity?

• Due to large-scale immigration, Spanish has become more prevalent/important in the U.S. in recent years– Signs, gov’t documents,

advertisements, newspapers

• Controversy surrounding the growing use of Spanish in the U.S.?– States passing laws about language?

FRENCH - CANADA• French and English are Canada’s

two official languages

• Most French speakers are in Quebec – why?

• Since the 1960s there has been a large effort to encourage French culture and language– Laws about the use of French in

Quebec?– Immigration challenges in Quebec?

The largest percentages of Spanish speakers are in the Southwest and Florida? Why?

French is the first language of 81 percent of those living in the province of Quebec and 8 percent of Canadians living elsewhere in the country

French Signs in Québec City

ENGLISH ON THE INTERNET

• The emergence of the internet has only increased the use of English– Why did English dominant

the early use of the interment?

– What will happen in 2020?– In what ways does the U.S.

still remain the leader in regards to the internet?

Chapter 05: Review

Which of the following will encompass the largest number of speakers?

a) Language familyb) Language branchc) Individual languaged) Dialect e) Language group

Which of the following will encompass the largest number of speakers?

a) Language familyb) Language branchc) Individual languaged) Dialect e) Language group

Explanation:The categories are organized hierarchically: family, branch, group, language, and dialect.

Which of the following is not a Romance language?

a) Frenchb) Germanc) Italiand) Portuguesee) Spanish

Which of the following is not a Romance language?

a) Frenchb) Germanc) Italiand) Portuguesee) Spanish

Explanation:Germanic languages predominate in northern and central Europe.

The oldest roots of the English language have been traced back to present-day

a) Belgium.b) Canada.c) Denmark.d) Iceland.e) Netherlands.

The oldest roots of the English language have been traced back to present-day

a) Belgium.b) Canada.c) Denmark.d) Iceland.e) Netherlands.

Explanation:Angles, Jutes, and Saxons invaded England from the their homes on the Danish peninsula.

The relocation of the Nigerian capital from Lagos to Abuja

a) reflects tensions between rival groups. b) reflects a cultural preference for inland sites. c) was a direct order from the United Nations.d) was undertaken to promote economic

development.e) The capital has not been relocated.

The relocation of the Nigerian capital from Lagos to Abuja

a) reflects tensions between rival groups. b) reflects a cultural preference for inland sites. c) was a direct order from the United Nations.d) was undertaken to promote economic development.e) The capital has not been relocated.

Complete the following analogy: Argentina is to Spanish as

a) Brazil is to Portuguese.b) Belize is to Portuguese.c) Guyana is to Spanish.d) Suriname is to French.e) Panama is to English.

Complete the following analogy: Argentina is to Spanish as

a) Brazil is to Portuguese.b) Belize is to Portuguese.c) Guyana is to Spanish.d) Suriname is to French.e) Panama is to English.

Explanation:Portuguese is the predominant language of Brazil just as Spanish is spoken in Argentina.

A creolized language is a local language mixed with

a) another local language.b) at least 20 percent slang.c) the language of a colonial power.d) English.e) French.

A creolized language is a local language mixed with

a) another local language.b) at least 20 percent slang.c) the language of a colonial power.d) English.e) French.

Explanation:Creole languages develop due to the interchange of indigenous language(s) and the colonizer’s language.

Complete the following analogy: southern Europe is to Romance as

a) southwestern Europe is to Iberian.b) eastern Europe is to West Germanic.c) eastern Europe is to Balto-Slavic.d) southeast Europe is to Greek.e) northern Europe is to Celtic.

Complete the following analogy: southern Europe is to Romance as

a) southwestern Europe is to Iberian.b) eastern Europe is to West Germanic.c) eastern Europe is to Balto-Slavic.d) southeast Europe is to Greek.e) northern Europe is to Celtic.

Explanation:Romance languages predominate in southern Europe as Balto-Slavic languages do in eastern Europe.

In both the Kurgan and Anatolian theories of Indo-European, the language family spread via __________ diffusion.

a) contagiousb) expansionc) hierarchicald) relocatione) stimulus

In both the Kurgan and Anatolian theories of Indo-European, the language family spread via __________ diffusion.

a) contagiousb) expansionc) hierarchicald) relocatione) stimulus

Globally, today’s predominant lingua franca is

a) Swahili.b) Pidgin.c) Creole.d) French.e) English.

Globally, today’s predominant lingua franca is

a) Swahili.b) Pidgin.c) Creole.d) French.e) English.

Explanation:In part due to Britain’s colonial legacy, English is the world’s most popular lingua franca.

Complete the following analogy: Hindi is to India as

a) Austrian is to Austria.b) Celtic is to Denmark.c) Mandarin is to China.d) Russian is to Ukraine. e) Spanish is to the Philippines.

Complete the following analogy: Hindi is to India as

a) Austrian is to Austria.b) Celtic is to Denmark.c) Mandarin is to China.d) Russian is to Ukraine. e) Spanish is to the Philippines.

Explanation:Hindi is the most spoken language in India as is Mandarin in China.

Which one of these languages is found in the North Germanic Language Group?

a) Danishb) Englishc) Frisiand) Germane) Netherlandish (Dutch)

Which one of these languages is found in the North Germanic Language Group?

a) Danishb) Englishc) Frisiand) Germane) Netherlandish (Dutch) Explanation: The rest of the languages are in the West Germanic Language Group.

Which of these languages is not one of Switzerland’s four official languages?

a) Englishb) Germanc) Italiand) Frenche) Romansh

Which of these languages is not one of Switzerland’s four official languages?

a) Englishb) Germanc) Italiand) Frenche) Romansh Explanation:There may be a substantial amount of people in Switzerland who can speak English, but it is not one of their official languages.