b:chap5-98.not
GEOG 201
CHAPTER 5 STUDY NOTES
LANGUAGE
You should be aware that every chapter has a number of important maps. Most people do not realize it, but maps are really a DATA STORAGE DEVICE. Through graphics we record large amounts of information and relationships in the form of a visual diagram. (Now you might wonder if I'll ever ask you about maps and data storage on an exam... well I might just do that, thanks for the suggestion). As a result, it is just as important for you to be READING the maps as reading the text. So, be sure to put adequate effort into this part of every chapter.
I. Introduction
A. Need for foreign language study -- this cannot be over emphasized, education is an investment and learning a foreign language especially by studying abroad will more than repay the cost over your career.
B. Define and describe language
1. Language is -- a system of communication through speech, a collection of sounds that are understood by a group of people to have the same meaning.
a. The systematic use of symbols based initially on sounds
b. Recall the difference between Sign, Symbol & Signal
1) Symbol is a general representation of an idea
2. Why language is important
a. its ability to transmit and transport ideas
1) Methods -- oral, written, mathematical, electronic... (includes higher math & computer languages)
b. a means of organizing thoughts
1) Provides order
2) Based on pattern of sounds
3) Since language has order this implies code -- could be scrambled
c. misinterpretation can occur as move between languages -- misorganize thoughts -- realize nuance and culture also play a role -- LANGUAGE IS NOT ONLY SOUND
C. Tools geographers use to study spread & change of language
1. Point of Origin -- Hearth (re-read appropriate sections in Chap 1)
a. To determine hearth in PRE-HISTORIC TIMES -- use spatial object based vocabulary
1) Find common words for spatially based objects like plants, animals, natural features, climatic conditions coming from the various members of an existing language family
2) Determine which of these come from common roots, discard the rest from further consideration
3) Compare these common root-words especially for plants, climates, and physical environment to possible locations
4) The result will be possible historical locations for the languages hearth or origin point -- may need additional information to corroborate these conclusions
2. Diffusion (review also section in Chap 1)
a. Relocation -- Migration -- we will emphasis spread based on dominance, a new group arrives and so dominates a society that all accept the new language (i.e. Native Americans speak English today)
b. Expansion -- spread beyond original group
1) Hierarchical -- from a node or point -- node could be a social class -- might never reach all parts of region or society
2) Contagious -- very rapid diffusion to all parts of a region or society
c. Stimulus -- underlying principle transferred but not actual form
1) Use of unisex terms like chairperson might result in the creation of new terms in other languages (one might even argue that Americans are simply finally catching-up with ideas from the French revolution where the term citizen was coined to remove any idea of class)
3. Isolation -- when a group that speaks a common language becomes spatially or socially separated. Because of this separation, over time each language evolves or changes in different ways resulting in two languages emerging from one.
a. note that if the isolation for one group results in few or no contacts with other language speakers, then it tends to evolve very slowly, thus maintaining a language more similar to the original before the split occurred (what's an example???)
4. Evolution -- the continual change of a language -- all languages continually evolve
a. can be based on spatial interaction
b. may lead to acculturation -- the French are especially afraid that their language is being corrupted by American English, they have government agencies to battle the dominant American culture
5. Glottochronology -- study of rate of change in a language as it separates and evolves into independent groups -- occurs over time and space
a. Two assumptions
1) Basic vocabulary less subject to change
- parts of body
- lower numerals
- natural objects
2) Rate of loss (change) of vocabulary constant over time
- 26% loss over 1,000 years
- result could follow a language back as much as 10,000 years
- useful in tracing the migration of groups before written or oral histories were maintained
- basic tool in determining when member languages of a family separated
b. Criticism
1) Rate of loss may not be constant
2) Not clear that the words chosen are the ones that are least likely to be lost or change
6. Spatial Object Based Vocabulary
-some consider this a sub-category to the above description of Origin or Hearth area
-recall the class discussion about words like Beech (for the tree), Ocean, Elephant in the English and Hindi languages
7. Summary: the first two and last tools deal with the spatial origin & spread of language, the three through five with its change
II. History of Language in England -- Focusing on the arisal of English Language
A. 2,000 BC -- Arrival of the Celts (relocation diffusion)
1. Major branches included:
- Gaelic
- Cymric or Britannic
2. Some place names remain from original Celtic:
-Thames river
-Avon (meant river in Celtic ... not cosmetics)
-London -- although there is some dispute on this
3. Occasional sentence structure borrowed from Celtic remains in modern English
4. It is estimated that less than a dozen common words are from Celtic, one example:
Pucca - means spirit, became Puck the mischievous maker in Shakespeare (also the name of my old landlord's dog)
B. 55 BC
1. Julius Ceasar's initial probes into England over two summers
2. No real impact
C. 43 AD -- Latin (Hierarchical diffusion)
1. Emperor Claudius -- sends 40,000 troops, 3 years spent conquering
2. Veneer of Roman culture & society, language of rulers is Latin but of common people remains Celtic
3. Hierarchical Diffusion of Latin among the aristocracy
D. 410 AD -- Roman troops withdraw to protect shrinking empire
1. Primarily place names remain from this period, example:
Castra -- means camp, as in army camp or outpost, several city names derive from this like CHESTER, MANCHESTER, WINCHESTER
2. Common people continued their use of Celtic
E. 450 - 1150 AD Old English (relocation diffusion & acculturation)
1. Anglos, Saxons & Jutes (relocation) -- after 449 AD
a. After withdrawal of Romans, incursions from Scots & Picts from the north occur (Some scholars speculate that the King Arthur legends derive from this time of a Celtic king attempting to maintain some level of former Roman Civilization)
b. 449 AD Vortigern appeals to Jutes to send army to drive out invaders, promises Isle of Thanet as payment for task
c. Jutes along with Anglos and Saxons arrive, drive Scots & Picts back to the North, but scorn payment -- they like what they see in England and decide to stay
d. Jutes, Anglos & Saxons send back home for their families, friends and neighbors -- large scale migration (relocation) of Angles, Saxons and Jutes result
e. These three Germanic tribes set-up a variety of kingdoms based on clan allegiances -- see Figures for map of resulting dialects in old English
f. Celtic language overwhelmed, as a result Celts either:
- flee to edges of England (Wales, Cornwall, Scotland)
- flee to France (Brittany established)
- are killed
- absorbed by the new society (acculturation)
e. Roman civilization completely abandoned, native peoples such as the Britannics acculturated into the new "anglo" or English society
2. Old English language established
- form of lower German
- contained many dialects that became the basis for the current regional dialects in England (and USA)
- lacked Latin or French derivative words
3. Re-establishment of contact with Latin -- "Latin" trade century 6th & 7th century (mild acculturation & contagious diffusion)
a. During 6th & 7th century England slowly opens up to "Latin" traders through France and allows in Christian missionaries
b. "Latin" culture was now recognized as superior and the English kingdoms wished to obtain some of its products (like good alcohol) -- based on trade there was a contagious diffusion of words of commerce including:
wine, flask & cytel (kettle)
4. Viking Age -- late 8th century until 11th century (some relocation & acculturation)
a. 793 AD - Danes begin a series of raids with some settlement following in the north of England
b. Pattern is raids leading to battles with Anglo-Saxons, then agreements and settlement, followed by a short peace before more raids repeats the pattern
c. One such agreement with Danes is crucial
1) 878 AD Alfred the Great -- signs treaty ceding some northern towns to Danes
2) Laws in these towns were based on Danish customs and were known as town laws -- since the Danish word for town was BY (as in DERBY or the Town of Der) these became BYLAWS
3) However, Alfred also offered schooling to the Danes children, but under one crucial condition -- the teaching was in English (not Latin the scholarly language, and not Danish the local language)
a) result Danish children were acculturated into English language -- stop speaking Danish
d. Re-call map from class indicating Danish town names -- indicates extent of Danish invasion -- influential on current usage of the letter "r" in modern England
D. 1066 - 1362 AD -- The Normans & Middle English (Hierarchical Diffusion & Contagious Diffusion)
1. Norman Invasion -- Actually final chapter of Viking Age
a. 912 AD Norse men (men from the north) occupy present day Normandy in France
b. Become acculturated to French culture & soon represent leading group in Europe -- extremely adaptable to local conditions & highly successful -- sort of the "Japanese" of their era
c. 1066 AD William of Normandy decides to take English crown on death of distant cousin Edward -- in those days you didn't take over companies, you took over kingdoms
d. Invasion army drawn from across France & Europe; includes large numbers of French and Flemish
e. After conquest French becomes language of ruling classes (hierarchical diffusion), locals continue with English
f. Difference in language use based on Social position rather than race
1) Local French lords learned some English to communicate with their peasants
2) Sons & Daughters of nobility sent to France for education (prevent too much acculturation)
3) The legend of Robin Hood dates to this period, with Robin representing the underclass Anlgo-Saxons and Prince (later King) John the wealthy Norman upper class
g. As a superior culture, the French language has tremendous influence on English -- various estimates of amount of new vocabulary that arrives -- more than a third of our current words date from French and Latin terms introduced (contagious diffusion & acculturation)
2. End of the Norman era
a. King John (formerly evil Prince John) -- falls for the wrong girl, Isabel of Angouleme who has a super bad boyfriend in France, Hugh of Lusignans
b. After John runs away with Isabel, Hugh complains to the King of France, the King instructs Hugh to attack John's Normandy estates (sounds a bit like a soap opera, no??)
c. 1204 AD -- Normandy falls to Hugh, the Norman ties to France end
d. Nobel families in England no longer send their kids to school in France, French language usage begins to wane
3. 1362 AD -- Statute of Pleadings (law regarding pleading in courts)
a. English government makes English the official language of its courts instead of French
b. English again becomes the language of all classes
c. Middle English language of this era is much different than Old English from pre-Norman times and continues to evolve into the Modern English of Shakespeare in the 16th century
FINAL NOTES
This set of notes emphasizes two basic things, tools for looking at language & the history of language in England. There are many other things in Chapter 4, kindly familiarize yourself with these other things as well.
I. Where are different language families distributed?
A. Know the difference between language family, branch and group. What is English?
B. For Indo-European Languages know about the four major branches described in this section, and on map in general where they are located
C. Other language families -- read about these, only general questions will be asked from these sections
II. Why do people in different locations speak similar languages?
A. This is where our discussion of the History of English is important
B. Know what the Romance languages are and where they originated
C. What are the theories about the origin and diffusion of Indo-European languages? What tool was used to hypothesize about the origin location of this language family?
D. Know an example of an Isolated language
III. Why is one language spoken differently in different locations?
A. What is the standard pronunciation of British English?
B. What is the relationship between invasions of England and current dialects?
C. Why is English in America different?
D. Where is East Anglia and what does it have to do with "Pa'k you' ca' in Hava'd Ya'd" (park your car in Harvard Yard)?
E. By using the Figure describing the invasions of England, determine the tribal group most closely linked to the language of Virginia colony and thus the US's southern dialect
IV. Why do people preserve local languages?
A. Know the examples provided in the chapter
B. What examples are provided of multilingual states
C. What's a lingua franca, what's the example given
D. What's the politically controversial Ebonics?
E. What's Franglais and Spanglish? Can Franglais be legally banned in France?