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Why does language change?


Diskusi 8 Sociolinguistics and Language Teaching

Why does language change?

Answer:

According to Ronald Wardhaugh (2006) in his book An Introduction to Sociolinguistics, there are four main reasons why language changes:

  1. Internal factors. These are changes that occur within a language due to its own internal logic. For example, the sound change known as "the Great Vowel Shift" in English, which occurred in the 15th and 16th centuries, was an internal factor that caused the pronunciation of many vowels to change.
  2. External factors. These are changes that occur in a language due to contact with other languages. For example, the English language has borrowed many words from other languages, such as "pizza" from Italian and "robot" from Czech.
  3. Social factors. These are changes that occur in a language due to social and cultural factors. For example, the use of different slang terms by different social groups can lead to changes in the language.
  4. Idiosyncratic factors. These are changes that occur in a language due to the individual choices of speakers. For example, some speakers may choose to use certain words or pronunciations that are not common among other speakers.

These four factors can all contribute to language change. The relative importance of each factor can vary depending on the specific language and the time period. However, all four factors play a role in the ongoing evolution of language.

According to April McMahon (1994), there are three main reasons why language changes:

  1. Innovation. This is the process by which new forms are created in a language. Innovations can be caused by a variety of factors, such as the need for greater efficiency or expressiveness. 
  2. Selection. This is the process by which some innovations are adopted by the majority of speakers, while others are not. The factors that determine whether an innovation will be selected can be complex and vary depending on the specific language and the time period. However, some general factors that can influence selection include the perceived social value of the innovation, the ease of learning the innovation, and the communicative advantage that the innovation provides.
  3. Stabilization. This is the process by which innovations become established in a language. Once an innovation has been adopted by a majority of speakers, it will eventually become stabilized and become part of the standard language. However, stabilization can take a long time, and even after an innovation has stabilized, it may continue to vary from speaker to speaker.

Meanwhile, Aitchison, as cited by Jufrizal and Refnaldi (2017), identified four main factors contributing to language change. These factors are as follows:

  1. Fashion and Random Fluctuation: Some linguists argue that language change is entirely random and unpredictable, comparing it to unpredictable trends in fashion. They believe that language fashions change without any specific reason or pattern.
  2. Foreign Elements: The introduction of foreign elements is a significant cause of language change. The substratum theory, a widely accepted perspective, suggests that when immigrants settle in a new area or when a native population adopts the language of recently arrived conquerors, they do so imperfectly, leading to alterations in the language.
  3. Social Needs: The prevailing theory on the sociolinguistic causes of language change emphasizes the concept of necessity. Language evolves in response to the changing requirements and demands of its users. As society changes, language adapts to meet new communication needs.
  4. Politeness: Politeness plays a role in motivating language change. Humans generally exhibit courteous behavior towards each other, and language changes partly because polite speech often leads to better outcomes than impolite speech. Politeness norms and considerations influence the way people communicate, which can impact language evolution.

In conclusion, Aitchison's analysis highlights that language change can result from random fluctuations, the influence of foreign elements, social needs, and politeness norms. These factors contribute to the dynamic nature of language and its continuous evolution over time.

It is important to note that language change is a gradual and ongoing process. Different regions, social groups, and generations may experience language change at different rates and in different ways. Additionally, language change does not necessarily mean that older forms of a language become obsolete. Varieties of language can coexist and evolve alongside one another, resulting in dialectal and regional differences.

References:

Jufrizal and Refnaldi. 2017. Buku Materi Pokok MPBI5302/3SKS/Modul 1-9: Sociolinguistics and Language Teaching. Tangerang Selatan, Banten: Universitas Terbuka.

McMahon, A. (1994). Understanding language change. NY: Cambridge University Press.

Wardhaugh, R. (2006). An Introduction to Sociolinguistics. Malden: Blackwell Publishing.