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Lesson 9 Language change and factors that influence it.
Changing Voices
All languages change over time, and vary from place to place. They may change as a result of social or political pressures, such as invasion, colonisation and immigration. New vocabulary is required for the latest inventions, such as transport, domestic appliances and industrial equipment, or for sporting, entertainment and leisure pursuits. But a language can also change by less obvious means.
Influenced by others
Language also changes very subtly whenever speakers come into contact with each other. No two individuals speak identically: people from different geographical places clearly speak differently, but even within the same small community there are variations according to a speaker’s age, gender, ethnicity and social and educational background. Through our interactions with these different speakers, we encounter new words, expressions and pronunciations and integrate them into our own speech. Even if your family has lived in the same area for generations, you can probably identify a number of differences between the language you use and the way your grandparents speak. Every successive generation makes its own small contribution to language change and when sufficient time has elapsed the impact of these changes becomes more obvious.
Handout 1
Imagine the following three children: Katie, Billy and Kim. First, let's meet Katie. Katie's environment is full of stimulation. She has two older siblings who interact with her regularly and Katie's mother is at home with her during the day. They often go on outings together. Katie also attends an educational daycare program three mornings a week.
Now, let's meet Billy. Billy's environment is less stimulating. He's an only child, and his mother suffers from depression. No extended family lives in the area, and he does not attend a daycare program. Billy's basic needs are met, but he has very little interaction with others. Most of Billy's day is spent in front of a TV.
Finally, we are introduced to Kim. Katie and Billy are growing up in the United States, but Kim lives in China. Kim has loving parents and grandparents who give him lots of attention. He does not attend daycare, but time is spent teaching him daily at home and he often interacts with other children in his neighborhood. Katie, Billy and Kim are all of the same age and ability, but their experiences and culture are different.
Handout 2
Match the words with its definitions
Impact a. to be like or similar to
Reinforce b. relating to qualities that person or animal is born with
Resemble c. to have an immediate and strong effect on something or somebody
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Imitation d. to walk with short tottering steps in the manner of a young child
Rapid e. a person who gives help and protection
Acquisition f. a word that is used instead of a noun or noun phrase
Innate g. the development of a new skill
Sufficient h. a regular way of doing things in a particular order
Toddler i. to strengthen by additional assistance
Routine j. the records of a diplomatic conference or congress that show the
agreement arrived at by the negotiators.
Protocol k. enough to meet the needs of a situation
Pronoun l. happening in a short amount of time.
Caregiver m. the act of copying
Match the words with its definitions
Impact a. to be like or similar to
Reinforce b. relating to qualities that person or animal is born with
Resemble c. to have an immediate and strong effect on something or somebody
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Imitation d. to walk with short tottering steps in the manner of a young child
Rapid e. a person who gives help and protection
Acquisition f. a word that is used instead of a noun or noun phrase
Innate g. the development of a new skill
Sufficient h. a regular way of doing things in a particular order
Toddler i. to strengthen by additional assistance
Routine j. the records of a diplomatic conference or congress that show the
agreement arrived at by the negotiators.
Protocol k. enough to meet the needs of a situation
Pronoun l. happening in a short amount of time.
Caregiver m. the act of copying
Handout 3
Read and fill the gaps
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