Contributions by Steve Long

[Larry Trask]

Stanley Friesen writes:

>>> This actually accords with what one book on linguistic change suggested is
>>> the *main* cause of language change: a social desire to differentiate one's
>>> group from some other group.  ...

[LT]

>> I don't know of any book or article which makes such a strong claim as this,
>> and I must confess I find it implausible.  But there *has* been some recent
>> work showing that this desire for linguistic distance has been a major
>> factor in certain cases.

> I may have slightly overstated (without the actual book, I cannot get a
> quote: all I know is the source of this is certainly NOT Hock's book).

> But I am fairly certain that the book at least cast doubt on the importance
> of "mis-hearing" by children in language change.  So, I think saying the
> author asserts that it is the most important cause of change is reasonable.

The idea that all, most or much language change results from imperfect learning
by children has very occasionally been defended, but few linguists, I think,
take it seriously: there is just too much evidence against it.

At the same time, I know of nobody who is currently defending the claim that
all or nearly all language change results from a desire for linguistic
distance.  Of course, we know that such a desire can be important, and we have
data on a number of cases in which it has clearly been a major factor.  But
*all* language change?  Who is defending such a view?

Larry Trask
COGS
University of Sussex
Brighton BN1 9QH
UK

larryt at cogs.susx.ac.uk