New Guinea, has over 900 languages.

Using the maps explain what physical factors have led to this linguistic diversity (1 per map)?

V.  LanguageA.  During pre-historic times there could have been as many as 10,000 different languages

B.  Today there is between 5000-7000 different languages

C.  Language Family (Proto Language)

   

1.  About 50% of the world's languages belong to the Indo-European Family.  

a.  Dominant in Europe, Russia, North and South America, Australia, and parts of southwestern Asia and India.

b.  Includes Germanic and Romance languages, as well as Slavic, Indic, and Celtic  

b. Comprised of Chinese (which has the most number of speakers in the world), Burmese, Tibetan, Japanese, and Korean

2.  20% of the world's population speaks languages from the Sino-Tibetan Family

a.  Includes languages of most of Southeast Asia and China

3.  Last 30% belong to the Afro-Asiatic family including Niger-Congo, Altaic, or Austroneasian language families

D.  Language Group

1.  Ex: Spanish and Italian are both part of the Romance Family (languages derived from Latin) and have many similar words and they contain similar grammatical structures.

E.  Dialects

1.  English and Italian have many dialects which reflects the historical, social, and geographic differences between many diverse people.  

Down came the Squatter a riding on his thoroughbred Down came policemen - one, two, three "Where's that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag?", "You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me".

But the swagman he up and jumped into water hole Drowning himself by the Coolabah tree, And his ghost may be heard as you walk along the Billabong, “You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?"

Waltzing Matilda (an Australian folk song)  

There once was swagman camped by a Billabong Under the shade of a Coolabah tree And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled“You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?"

Down come a jumbuck to drink at the water holeUp jumped a swagman and grabbed him in glee And he sang as he stowed him away in his tucker bag"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me'".

Waltzing Matilda (an Australian folk song)  

There once was swagman camped by a Billabong Under the shade of a Coolabah tree And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled“You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?"

Swagman: Someone who lives on the open road. A hobo. The term came from the canvas bag that they would carry their bedroll and/or belongings in.

Billabong: A waterhole.

Coolabah tree: A type of native tree in Australia

BillyA can or small kettle used to boil water for tea.

Down come a jumbuck to drink at the water holeUp jumped a swagman and grabbed him in glee And he sang as he stowed him away in his tucker bag"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me'".

JumbuckA sheep. There are 20 times as many sheep as there are people in Australia.

Tucker bagA bag for storing food in the bush.

Down came the Squatter a riding on his thoroughbred Down came policemen - one, two, three "Where's that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag?", "You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me".

Squatter At one time, squatters claimed (seized) land for themselves in addition to land that they had been granted. Eventually through the continuous occupation of the land, their claims were legitimised in the eyes of the law.

But the swagman he up and jumped into water hole Drowning himself by the Coolabah tree, And his ghost may be heard as you walk along the Billabong, “You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?"

F.  Pidgin

1.  This occurs as language is spread by diffusion processes

2.  If over time the Pidgin becomes the primary language of those that speak it it is called a Creole

a.  Modern English, contains half a dozen aspects of different languages, because of the history of many foreign conquerors and visitors over the centuries.

English Words – Anglo-Saxon

Word Meaning Notes

Easter goddess of Spring A Christian festival.

Friday  A day of the week - from "Frigga", wife of the god Odin.

Tuesday  A day of the week - from "Tiw", the god of war.

Thursday  A day of the week - from "Thor", the god of thunder.

Welshspeakers of a strange language

The Celtic, pre-Anglo-Saxon inhabitants of Wales.

Wednesday  A day of the week - from "Odin", the god of inspiration.

Yule   The Christian festival of Christmas

English Words – Algonquin

caribou   A type of reindeer.

caucus advisor Political committee.

Massachusettsplace near the big little hills

USA state.

Missouri town of the large canoes USA state.

moccasins    

Oregon beautiful water USA state.

pecan   A type of nut.

racoon   Nocternal animal.

terrapin   A freshwater tortoise.

tomahawk  Originally an axe weapon - now a missile.

wigwam their house Native American dwelling.

Wisconsin grassy place USA state.

Wyoming place of the big flats USA state.

G.  Language and the Colonial Legacy 

1.  For example Ghana, which was colonized by the British, speak English, while its neighbor, Togo, colonized by the French, speak French.

2.  Lingua Franca

H.  Official Language US has no official language, Some countries, such as Canada, Switzerland, and Belgian recognize multiple official languages.

3.  Trade Language

I.  Language Extinction

1.  This process has accelerated during the last 300 years, particularly due to Colonization

2. Economic and Social acculturation are responsible for most of today's losses

3.  Many of the languages lost were those spoken by Native Americans

4.  Assimilation

4.  Some languages been lost to cultural extinction

5. There are movements today to try to regain language, such as in parts of Scotland, Ireland, Wales.  Hebrew was revived with the establishment of Israel after World War I, and many Native Americans are reestablishing their languages

J.  Literacy

1.  Most developed nations have rates near 100%

2.  In some African and Asian countries only half of the people can read or write

3.  Ex:  Niger: 24% of Men and 9% of women can read or write

K.  Toponyms

1.  For example many cities in the US still show heritage, like New York, Baton Rouge, San Diego, and El Paso

2.  Many states are named after Royalty

a.  Georgia for King George of England

b.  Louisiana for King Louis of France

c. Virginia for the Virgin Queen Elizabeth