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Language

By Vito Bica for Design 21

Objectives for the Objectives for the ChapterChapter

Develop an appreciation for the significance of language to cultural identity.

Establish an understanding of the geographic distribution, globalization, and diffusion of the English language and its dialects.

Get a sense of the geographic distribution historical relationships of non-English language families.

Consider the situation of language extinction and potential solutions for language preservation.

LanguageLanguage How would you define language?

Why is it relevant to study languages in a cultural geography class?

Language Family TreeLanguage Family Tree Language families are

groups of languages that share an ancestral language in the distant past.

There are 90 language families, but six major ones.

The most widely spoken is Indo-European.

Diffusion of LanguagesDiffusion of Languages One theory is that

languages spread as a result of agriculture and the diffusion of farming cultures. As opposed to hunters

and gatherers, they were able to support larger populations.

Expansion of empires and trade were also important factors.

Diffusion of EnglishDiffusion of English Film: The Rise of English

Summarize the global spread of English: Where did it originate? Possibly in the region north of the Black and Caspian Seas or

in Anatolia (region comprising much of Turkey) around 5000 BCE.

Where has it spread?

What kind of diffusion?

Responses to Global Responses to Global Dominance of EnglishDominance of English

Language dominance – When one language becomes more powerful than another.

Today, English is the lingua franca, or a language of international communication. World’s English Mania

Yet, not all countries / regions are open to the dominance of English.

In the 70s and 80s, Québec faced a conflict between the dominant majority of French speakers and an English minority.

Quebec video – War of Words

A Global Language

World Resources World Resources Institute Fact-o-rama Institute Fact-o-rama

The globalization of English represents a threat to less widely used languages—or a conflict with local diversity.

There are roughly 6,900 languages.

Half of the world’s languages could disappear by 2100, with an average of one lost every two weeks.

Roughly 80% of the global population speaks 1% of the world’s languages

Preserving Language Preserving Language DiversityDiversity

Endangered and Extinct Languages Endangered languages – no longer taught to kids and

isn’t used for everyday interactions. Linguistic diversity index – expresses likelihood that two

randomly selected individuals in a country will speak different first languages.

City of Endangered Languages, Three Thousand Languages

Extinct languages – have no living speakers, a “dead” language. Languages revived: Hebrew (with the creation of Israel) Preservation: Celtic languages

Living Tongues Institute Living Tongues Institute for Endangered for Endangered

Languages, 2007Languages, 2007

Endangered Languages Map

Languages of AfricaLanguages of Africa

Language and DialectsLanguage and Dialects

Dialect – regional variation of a language. Unique vocab, spelling, and pronunciation. Isogloss - Line that represents a word usage boundary.

Standard dialect– when a language has multiple dialects, one may be recognized as the most acceptable for government, business, and communications.

DialectsDialectsMap Activity

Dialect Listening Activity

In the United States, there is greater variation in dialects from North to South than East to West. What do you think explains this pattern?

Every word not used nationally has a geographic boundary, known as an isogloss.

DialectsDialectsMy Fair Lady

How does a person’s dialect influence what you think about them?

What are common stereotypes associated with dialects in the United States?

PSU

Review –Things to Focus on Review –Things to Focus on In Reading and from ClassIn Reading and from Class

What is language? What does it include?

Language with the most speakers? Largest language family? Most dominant language?

Define language families. What family and branch is English part of? Origin of the Indo-European branch? Second largest family…what major language does it include?

Hearth of English, how did it diffuse historically? Today? Why do people learn English today? Be able to refer to the “Rise of English” clip.

Be able to summarize main points of the video about Quebec.

What makes languages endangered? What are the concerns about this?

Dialects-relevant terminology, explanation of dialect distribution in the US (east/west vs. north/south, impact on stereotypes.