44 Language Change
Chapter 9: Language Change
Chapter Overview and Objectives
This chapter introduces students to some of the major concepts related to historical language
development, especially of English, and examines language change in semantics, syntax,
morphology, and phonology. After completing this chapter, students should be able to
٪ Identify patterns of semantic change (e.g., generalization, metaphor, etc.).
٪ Identify patterns of syntactic change (e.g., changes in word order and in rule
application).
Key Terms and Concepts
historical linguistics
diachronic linguistics
comparative linguistics
proto-language
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Indo-European
taboo
metaphor
association
dilution
language typology
postposition
strong verb
weak verb
fixed stress
Grimm’s Law
cognate
borrowing
Commentary on Chapter 9
Like the other applied chapters, Chapter 9 assumes that students have a good grasp of the
material in the theoretical chapters, especially semantics, syntax, morphology, and phonology.
While drawing primarily on data from the history of English, this chapter introduces general
principles of language change that also apply to other languages and will therefore
accommodate instructors who wish to bring in examples from outside of English.
Language Change 45
Suggested Answers to Exercises
Exercise A, p. 192–193
1. a. specialization
b. amelioration
Exercise B, p. 194
1. a. methinks: indirect object before verb = OV
Exercise C, p. 196
1. a. broken; yes, because broken is the past participle of the verb to break.
Exercise D, pp. 196–197
1. a. thou
46 Language Change
Exercise E, p. 198
1. a. no (note inflected future tense)
Exercise F, p. 199
1. a. twain
Exercise G, pp. 200–201
1. a. fire
d. eat
g. kin
Exercise H, p. 202
1. a. syntax; functionalism
Supplementary Exercises, pp. 203–204
1. a. OV (particle before verb)
b. OV (object before verb)
Language Change 47
6. They are cognates, in that both derived from a common ancestor; the English form
8. a. pepper
9. a. live; /v/ is voiced and therefore must have been followed by a vowel.
Exploratory Exercise, p. 204