LL-L "Language acquisition" 2009.10.19 (06) [EN]

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L O W L A N D S - L - 19 October 2009 - Volume 06
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From: heatherrendall at tiscali.co.uk <heatherrendall at tiscali.co.uk>
Subject: LL-L "Language varieties" 2009.10.19 (04) [EN]

  from Heather Rendall    heatherrendall at tiscali.co.uk

Mark wrote: As I see it children learn to speak by trial & error. If an
error turns out to be useful they retain it. Isn't that the case with slang
& jargon? The latter will develop with the development of new technologies,
& the former will change in every generation since speech as used is as much
a tool of association as it is of communication (who's in & who's out of the
group, & how will you show it? 'U' & non-'U' speech, of course). Both these
will apply even in total absence of contact with another language.



Children not only learn by trial and error but also by correction and
imitation. You only have to listen in to a Mothers' Tea Party to hear the
constant pattern of

"Wanna a biscuit" says child

" I'd like a biscuit, please." says mother

"'d like a biscuit" repeats child

" I'd like a biscuit, please." repeats mother

"'d like a biscuit, please." dutifully repeats child

"Well you can't have one; you've had four already and that's enough for one
meal"

If children aren't given sentences and phrases to copy/imitate in this way,
I would hazard a guess that their language will remain limited.

Similarly if parents never gave good example or repeated corrected phrases,
children would not self-correct to the extent they are normally encouraged
to do. Mistakes would become errors and become engrained and then hey
presto! this particular person's language has changed and is now ready to be
imitated by others.

That having been said, the power of the media is so great nowadays that
people will consciously change their own language to match what they are
hearing. Does this reflect an uncertainlity about their grasp /knowledge of
their own mother tongue?

Among others, changes wrought recently by TV and radio and now to be seen in
even the 'big' newspapers include   " between John and I"  or " He saw Mary
and I in the restaurant". I reckon it will soon be universal that " ... and
I' will be used in all circumstances.

" more earlier" or 'more stronger' - the doubling of the comparative is very
common in media speech too.

The shift of the stress in verbs like 'contribute' and 'distribute' is also
almost universal now on radio 4. Just occasionally you will hear the 'older'
pronunciations of ' con'TRIBute' rather than 'CONtribute'.

What other changes have people noticed?

Heather

Worcester UK

•

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