1. Intro to Language
AP Human Geography

2. What is language?
Language – a set of sounds, combinations of sounds, and symbols that are used for communication.
Languages are not static, but change continuously.
Preliterate societies – no written language

3. What is language?
Dialects – differences in vocabulary, syntax (the way words are put together to form phrases), pronunciation, cadence (the rhythm of speech), and even the pace of speech
Isoglosses – geographic boundary within which a particular linguistic feature occurs, move over time  (e.g. Soda, Pop)

4. How is language formed? Language divergence –
when a lack of spatial interaction among speakers of a language breaks the language into dialects and then new languages.
Language convergence –
when peoples with different languages have consistent spatial interaction and their languages collapse into one.

5. Language is the heart of culture
Without language, culture could not be transmitted
Cultures of all sizes fiercely protect their language.  (ex. In 1975, France banned the use of foreign words in advertisements, television and radio broadcasts, and official documents.)

6. How do Languages Diffuse?
human interaction
print distribution
migration
trade
rise of nation-states
colonialism

7. Spatial Interaction helps create:
Lingua franca –
A language used among speakers of different languages for the purposes of trade and commerce.
Pidgin language –
a language created when people combine parts of two or more languages into a simplified structure and vocabulary.
Creole language –
a pidgin language that has developed a more complex structure and vocabulary and has become the native language of a group of people.

8. Linguistic Anthropology
Main areas of study:
How language is used
Relationship between language and culture
How humans acquire language
A Linguistic Anthropologist would look at:
Verbal language
Non-verbal language
Linguistic anthropologists study the variation in human languages, the roots of human languages, and the role of language in shaping human thought and behavior.
It is a subfield of cultural anthropology

9. Monolingual State a country in which only one language is spoken Multilingual State a country in which more than one language is in use Official Language should a multilingual state adopt an official language?

12. World Languages Over 7,000 languages spoken in the world

13. Language Families
Indo-European (Americas, Europe, Southwest Asia, Australia, South Africa)
Sino-Tibetan (China, Southeast Asia)
Japanese-Korean (Japan, Korean Peninsula)
Afro-Asiatic (North Africa, Arabian Peninsula)
Dravidian (India)
Malay-Polynesian (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Madagascar)
Ural-Altaic (Russia, Northern Asia, Finland, Turkey)
Niger-Congo (Sub-Saharan Africa)
American Indian (South America, Meso-America, Northern America)

14. Language Families
Language families – have a shared, but fairly distant origin (e.g. Indo-European, Sino-Tibetan)
Language subfamilies – commonality is more definite
Germanic: English, German, Danish, Norwegian & Swedish
Romance: French, Spanish, Italian, Romanian, Portuguese
Slavic: Russian, Polish, Czech, …
Celtic: Welsh, Gaelic,…
Language groups – consist of sets of individual languages
English is most spread, Chinese is most spoken (Mandarin: ~700 million)

16. Languages of Sub-Saharan Africa - extreme language diversity - effects of colonialism

17. Nigeria more than 400 different languages.

18. English Germanic Language
First spoken in early Medieval England (5th century; Anglo- Saxons)
Spoken by 328 million people worldwide
Third most common native language (after Mandarin & Spanish)
Lingua franca (unifying language)
International language of communication, science, business, seafaring, aviation, entertainment, diplomacy

19. English Old English: Middle English: Modern English: since 1550
Anglo-Saxon England
Best known work: Beowulf
Middle English:
began after Norman Conquest
Best known work: Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales
Modern English: since 1550
Best known works:
Shakespeare
King James Bible
Beginning of colonization

20. Changes in Language: British to American English
Dialects with US differ by region

21. Dialects by Region

22. Soft Drinks, Sodas, or Cokes?

23. Regional Dialects
(Tangier Island)
(Gullah)

24. Changes in Language Languages changes over time
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25. Jazz Age Glossary All wet Wrong; arguing a mistaken notion or belief
Applesauce
Bee’s Knees
Belly Laugh
Berries
Big Cheese
Bull Session
Bump Off
Carry A Torch
Cat’s Meow
Cheaters
Copasetic
Crush
Wrong; arguing a mistaken notion or belief
A term of derogation; non-sense; baloney
A superb person or thing
A loud, uninhibited laugh
Anything wonderful; similar to bee’s knees
An important person
An informal group discussion
To murder
To suffer from unrequited love
Eyeglasses
Excellent
An infatuation with a person of the opposite sex

26. Jazz Age Glossary Human feet A scapegoat
Dogs
Fall guy
Flapper
Giggle Water
Gin Mill
Goofy
Hard-Boiled
Heebie-Jeebie
Human feet
A scapegoat
A typical young girl of the 20’s
An alcoholic drink
A speak-easy
Silly
Tough; without sentiment
The jitters

27. 90’s Language 404 Clueless or naïve 411 Information Bag On
Check It Out
Clueless
Cool
Da Bomb
Dig It
Dipstick
Dis
Dog
Drop
Drop Knowledge
Dude
Clueless or naïve
Information
To tease, nag or complain
Pay attention
Unaware; naïve; lacking knowledge
Calm, fine, acceptable, neat exciting
Great; awesome; extremely cool
Do you understand?
A stupid person
To disrespect
To criticize sharply or act like a jerk
To give or tell
To share information or experience
Person, especially male – greeting

28. 90’s Language Get outta here Hang out Jam Rag Rap Rents School Totally
For Real
Trip
Turkey
Way
What’s Up
You must be kidding
To relax or to gather
To leave; to go
To tease, put down, criticize
To talk or a kind of music
Parents
To teach a lesson to
Very, very much
True? Is it true?
Unusual or strange, overreact
Someone who is stupid or silly
Yes, positive affirmation to “no way”
Hi. What’s new or happening?

29. Text Language BFF LOL BRB LMAO A3 CMIIW FOMCL IYKWIM JJA MTFBWU OTTOMH
PRW
SBTSBC
SMHID
UGTBK
Best friends forever
Laugh out loud
Be right back
Laughing off
Anytime, anywhere anyplace
Correct me if I'm wrong
Falling off my chair laughing
If you know what I mean
Just joking around
May the force be with you
Off the top of my head
Parents/people watching
Same bat time, same bat channel
Scratching my head in disbelief
You’ve gotta be kidding

30. Percent of People 5 Years and Older Who Speak a Language other than English at Home