1. Language Drift Gabriel Schubiner Seminar on Endangered Languages, 2010 Gabriel Schubiner Seminar on Endangered Languages, 2010

2. Types of Change Lexical: Early Modern English, bewrayeth Grammatical came unto him they (EME) > they came to him thou > you giveth > gives Phonetic: Great Vowel Shift, /u:/ > /au/ Borrowing: “accent” from French Orthographic: Latin ‘v’, French ‘ou’ in ‘thou’ Lexical: Early Modern English, bewrayeth Grammatical came unto him they (EME) > they came to him thou > you giveth > gives Phonetic: Great Vowel Shift, /u:/ > /au/ Borrowing: “accent” from French Orthographic: Latin ‘v’, French ‘ou’ in ‘thou’

3. Phonetic Change Conditioned or unconditioned Non-phonemic (allophonic) change does not change # of phonemes in language Phonemic Merger (A,B > B or A,B > C) irreversible Split (A > B,C) follows merger (loss of context) /mu:s/ > /mu:s/ > /mu:s/> /mu:s/>/maus/ /mu:si/> /my:si/> /my:s/ >/mi:s/>/mais/ Conditioned or unconditioned Non-phonemic (allophonic) change does not change # of phonemes in language Phonemic Merger (A,B > B or A,B > C) irreversible Split (A > B,C) follows merger (loss of context) /mu:s/ > /mu:s/ > /mu:s/> /mu:s/>/maus/ /mu:si/> /my:si/> /my:s/ >/mi:s/>/mais/

4. Chain shifts Latin > Spanish Step 1Step 2Step 3 LatinSpanishLatinSpanishLatinSpanish pp cuppap copap sapereb saberbb tt guttat gotat vitad vidad cadere ∅ caer kk bucca [bukka]k boca [boka]k amikag amigag regina ∅ reina

5. Borrowing To varying extents depending on contact and social situation Distinguished by: Phonological evidence Cognates Morphemes Geographic & Ecological To varying extents depending on contact and social situation Distinguished by: Phonological evidence Cognates Morphemes Geographic & Ecological

6. Analogical Change Large category Example: Leveling of strong verbs strive/strove/striven strive/strived/strived Back formation (cherise [fr.] > cherry) Meta/Re-analysis (a n ǣ ddre [OE] > an adder) Large category Example: Leveling of strong verbs strive/strove/striven strive/strived/strived Back formation (cherise [fr.] > cherry) Meta/Re-analysis (a n ǣ ddre [OE] > an adder)

7. Semantic Shift Usually through methods such as metaphor, metonymy, taboo avoidance, hyperbole In contact: Myan kye:x, deer > horse deer becomes k’iče’ kye:x (forest horse) Usually through methods such as metaphor, metonymy, taboo avoidance, hyperbole In contact: Myan kye:x, deer > horse deer becomes k’iče’ kye:x (forest horse)

8. Comparative Linguistics Reconstruction of dead languages through comparison of ‘child’ languages Should be able to write all changes in rule of form: X > Y | Context Phonetic drift should be consistent across language given context Reconstruction of dead languages through comparison of ‘child’ languages Should be able to write all changes in rule of form: X > Y | Context Phonetic drift should be consistent across language given context

9. Genetic Lineage

10. Wave Model

11. Cultural history or linguistic tendency? Theorized that nature of language determined the types of change likely to occur More recently, attention has been turned to cultural issues Sociocultural issues condition linguistic factors - Thomson & Kaufman Theorized that nature of language determined the types of change likely to occur More recently, attention has been turned to cultural issues Sociocultural issues condition linguistic factors - Thomson & Kaufman

12. Language Contact Borrowing vs. substratum interference bilingualism greater than lexical borrowing syntactic interference usually accompanies phonological interference Borrowing vs. substratum interference bilingualism greater than lexical borrowing syntactic interference usually accompanies phonological interference

13. Language Contact: Intensity Little or no interference if shifting group is small or bilingual Abrupt creolization is the extreme case Change from imperfect learning somewhat dependent on native language Little or no interference if shifting group is small or bilingual Abrupt creolization is the extreme case Change from imperfect learning somewhat dependent on native language

15. Markedness In language shift, markedness likely to decrease in transfer For a bilingual population, typological differences may be more important Interchange of morphological and syntactic structures for similar purpose Native language typology affects outcome of contact Clearly segmentable features more likely to be borrowed In language shift, markedness likely to decrease in transfer For a bilingual population, typological differences may be more important Interchange of morphological and syntactic structures for similar purpose Native language typology affects outcome of contact Clearly segmentable features more likely to be borrowed

16. Discussion Holistic view of influences in change No change occurs alone What does this mean for language conservation? What about the role of the researcher? Holistic view of influences in change No change occurs alone What does this mean for language conservation? What about the role of the researcher?

17. Modern Irish Every generation has a different language Linguistic integrity cultural integrity/maintenance of cultural knowledge Unnatural versus natural change Teaching materials Contrast with Okinawan where phrases have gained cachet Every generation has a different language Linguistic integrity cultural integrity/maintenance of cultural knowledge Unnatural versus natural change Teaching materials Contrast with Okinawan where phrases have gained cachet

18. Milroy Impact considerations: linguistic language attitudes and ideologies cognitive constraints Impact considerations: linguistic language attitudes and ideologies cognitive constraints

19. Martha’s Vineyard English, Portuguese, Native American, other Centralization of /ai/ and /au/ correlated with degree of resistance to vacationers (identification with island) English, Portuguese, Native American, other Centralization of /ai/ and /au/ correlated with degree of resistance to vacationers (identification with island)

20. Dialect Leveling Disappearance of dialects in response to social movement or change Dialect supported by strong community What strategies could we invoke to preserving dialogue differences? Disappearance of dialects in response to social movement or change Dialect supported by strong community What strategies could we invoke to preserving dialogue differences?

21. Death vs. Change bilingual vs semi-speaker total bilingualism leads towards isomorphic languages semi-speakers due to interruption of transmission Thought: teaching non-native speakers (even within the community) could accelerate language decay bilingual vs semi-speaker total bilingualism leads towards isomorphic languages semi-speakers due to interruption of transmission Thought: teaching non-native speakers (even within the community) could accelerate language decay

22. Example: Asia Minor Greek Entire syntax remodeled after Turkish Flexional to agglutinative morphology Grew to absorb entire declension pattern Yet, AMG not endangered language Entire syntax remodeled after Turkish Flexional to agglutinative morphology Grew to absorb entire declension pattern Yet, AMG not endangered language

23. Actualization of Change

24. Discussion