Theories and Models of Language Change Innovation Recombination - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Roland Mühlenbernd Introduction Motivation Linguistic Variation Theories and Models of Language Change Innovation Recombination Randomness Session 3: Evolutionary Approaches - Variation and Linguistic Selection Selection Social VS Functional Factors Selection and Drift The Problem of Linkage Homeworks Roland Mühlenbernd May 5, 2015

Motivation: Universal Darwinism Roland Mühlenbernd Introduction Motivation ◮ Universal Darwinism stands for general evolutionary Linguistic Variation Innovation mechanisms: variation, selection and self-replication Recombination Randomness ◮ biological and cultural (also linguistic) evolution, both are Linguistic Selection manifestations of these mechanisms Social VS Functional Factors Selection and Drift The Problem of Linkage Homeworks

Motivation: Universal Darwinism Roland Mühlenbernd Introduction Motivation Linguistic Variation Innovation Recombination Dennett’s conditions for evolution: Randomness Linguistic Selection 1. variation : continuing abundance of different elements Social VS Functional Factors Selection and Drift The Problem of Linkage 2. replication : elements have capacity to create copies Homeworks 3. selection (differential “fitness”): number of copies of element depending on interaction between element features and environmental features

Variation and Change Roland Mühlenbernd Introduction Motivation Linguistic Variation Innovation Recombination ◮ Labov and Herzog (1968) distinguish between the Randomness emergence of a new variant from their spread through the Linguistic Selection Social VS Functional Factors speech community Selection and Drift The Problem of Linkage ◮ Both processes essentially mirror variation and selection: Homeworks new variants come into use, and selectional pressures lead to their replication ◮ But how does variation come about? How does linguistic innovation arise?

Innovation and Actuation Roland Mühlenbernd Introduction ◮ Linguistic research has primarily addressed the Motivation spread/propagation of change rather than its innovation Linguistic Variation Innovation ◮ Notable exception: Milroy & Milroy 1985; Milroy 1992 Recombination Randomness address the process of actuation in terms of Linguistic Selection social-network analysis 1 Social VS Functional Factors Selection and Drift ◮ New variants may emerge for various reasons, but they The Problem of Linkage Homeworks only turn into a change once they come to bear on the linguistic system ◮ Actuation is the minimal step an innovation needs to become a change ◮ Croft (2000) distinguishes between creation ( innovation / actuation ) and diffusion ( propagation ) of a new form ◮ Note: it’s only the successful innovation that we register 1 Note that innovation and actuation are two separate processes.

Emergence of New Variants Roland Mühlenbernd Three ways new linguistic variants can arise (Lass 1997) Introduction 1. borrowing from other languages Motivation Linguistic Variation 2. genuine invention/creation out of nothing Innovation Recombination 3. transformation of already existing material Randomness ◮ exaptation : re-use of old material for different purpose Linguistic Selection Social VS Functional Factors Selection and Drift The Problem of Linkage Homeworks Example from Traugott 2004: Exaptation and Grammaticalization ◮ analogical extension : generalization of form/construction to a new context (e.g. regularization of irregular forms like English Plural ‘-s’ generalizes from OE masculine Plural ‘-as’ of strong nouns; metaphorical change) ◮ reanalysis 2 : creation of a new form/construction or rule on the syntagmatic level (e.g. English modals: from full to auxiliary verbs with specific properties: (i) no inflection, (ii) defective (no infinitive/passive), (iii) do-support) 2 Reanalysis differs from analogy: the latter is just an extension to a new form/context, the former leads to the creation of a new form/construction

Recombination of Linguistic Elements Roland Mühlenbernd Introduction Croft (2000) distinguishes various ways of reanalysis (of Motivation form/function relationships): Linguistic Variation Innovation Recombination 1. hyperanalysis : reduction of function (e.g. semantic Randomness bleaching (‘have got (to)’) Linguistic Selection Social VS Functional Factors 2. hypoanalysis : enlargement of function/exaptation Selection and Drift The Problem of Linkage (e.g. German Umlaut emerged from phonetic adaption in Homeworks Plural forms, and became a Plural marker) 3. metaanalysis : shift of function (e.g. German new pre- positions as case/gender markers ’in dem/das → im/ins’) 4. cryptoanalysis : enlargement of form (e.g. pleonasm (semantic enlargement): “most unkindest”; “poodle dogs”; “klammheimlich”; double coding: “Maurers” (German, coll. masons), “you can’t tip no fireman.” )

Random or Functional Innovation? Roland Mühlenbernd Introduction 1. Claim: variation arises randomly, and only the process of Motivation selection brings ‘order’ into language change (McMahon Linguistic Variation Innovation 1994) Recombination Randomness 2. Claim: innovation in language is amenable to functional Linguistic Selection motivation (Croft 2000) Social VS Functional Factors Selection and Drift The Problem of Linkage This controversy... Homeworks ◮ is often a question of theoretical interpretation: e.g. Blevin’s CCC-model of sound change states that sources of innovation in sound change are phonetically motivated ◮ and therefore functionally motivated according to Croft (2000) ◮ whereas Blevin considers them as random 3 3 Randomness might be interpreted in different ways: e.g. form partially constrained/motivated transition steps a random process?

Exercise I Roland Mühlenbernd What are the mechanisms for the emergence of new variants Introduction according to Blevin’s CCC-model? 4 Assign each mechanism to Motivation Linguistic Variation its description? Innovation Recombination ◮ Change : misinterpretation of the phonetic signal due to Randomness Linguistic Selection perceptual similarity Social VS Functional Factors Example: 2nb@"liv@b@l → 2mb@"liv@b@l Selection and Drift The Problem of Linkage ◮ Chance : phonetic signal is accurately received, but Homeworks different association due to phonological ambiguity Example: bit → bIt ◮ Choice : receiver associates a phonological form with the set of variants which differs from the phonological form in the speaker’s grammar, therefore makes a different selection due to various representation Example: dA:ns → dæns 4 According to Blevin (2004): Evolutionary Phonology.

Linguistic Selection: Choose a Variant Roland Mühlenbernd Introduction Motivation � A: � Linguistic Variation d ns æ Innovation Recombination � a Randomness � you can’t tip fireman. Linguistic Selection no Social VS Functional Factors � ’ve got to Selection and Drift � I go. The Problem of Linkage gotta Homeworks � cattle � They offer the best in town. beef � taught � My daddy me all I know. teached � zu dem � Wir gehen Strand. zum

Linguistic Selection Roland Mühlenbernd Introduction Motivation Linguistic Variation Innovation Two pathways of linguistic selection: Recombination Randomness 1. One variant ousts the other : e.g. ‘village’ substitutes Linguistic Selection Social VS Functional Factors ‘thorp’ Selection and Drift The Problem of Linkage 2. The variants persist over time and become specialized Homeworks (functionally and/or socially) ◮ e.g. semantic function: ‘pork/pig’ refer to ‘meat/animal’ ◮ e.g. speaker groups: 5 pal, buddy [Am.], dude [Am.], bro [Am.], mate [Br.], cobber [Aus./NZ], cully [archaic] 5 classification according to dict.cc for finding a translation for German Kumpel .

Exercise II Roland Mühlenbernd Introduction Motivation Linguistic Variation Innovation What is "differential replication"? Recombination Randomness ◮ Selection according to structural patterns of linguistic Linguistic Selection variants Social VS Functional Factors Selection and Drift ◮ Selection according to social factors of linguistic variants The Problem of Linkage Homeworks ◮ Selection according to the distribution of linguistic variants √ Differential replication: Selection does not lead to a specific variant, but to a stable distribution (or eqilibrium ) of variants.

Exercise III Roland Mühlenbernd Introduction Motivation What are - according to Croft (2000) - main determinants of Linguistic Variation linguistic choices? Innovation Recombination Randomness ◮ context Linguistic Selection ◮ social status Social VS Functional Factors Selection and Drift ◮ prestige √ The Problem of Linkage ◮ accommodation √ Homeworks Note: Croft argues that the selection process ◮ is only driven by social factors ◮ has an outcome that must be functionally adaptive