Alternative Histories of English by Trudgill Peter; Watts Richard J.;

Author:Trudgill, Peter; Watts, Richard J.;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2011-09-04T16:00:00+00:00

H (a non-native speaker of English) has asked D and G (young adult native speakers of US English) about the difference in meaning between ‘gift’ and ‘present’. D begins, perhaps like any serious lexicographer, by investigating contrasting situations to uncover any subtle nuances of meaning. He is reminded by his partner, however, that that is not the right path, and he hastens to agree that there is ‘really no difference’. He goes on, however, to add the amazing (for linguists at any rate) comment that there may be a difference – but only in ‘the way we use it’.

Rumsey, therefore, has it right but does not go far enough. These speakers of US English not only see a difference between ‘use’ and ‘language’ but obviously assign a priority (whether ‘really’ or ‘technically’) to ‘language’. Figure 7.1 shows what I believe to be the ordinary speaker of US English’s theory of language. The flow (as the arrow on the right shows) is down from ‘the language’ into the performances of those who use ‘good language’. (Ignore for the moment the other possibilities.)

I believe this ‘flow’, however, is not from a socially (or even historically) determined repository of language norms. ‘The language’ is a Platonic ideal, one whose existence is not due to a process which has determined its shape from prior or recent performances of ‘good speakers’ or even from honoured texts or language experts. These latter, like the perspicacious philosopher, may see rather more clearly what only dances flickeringly on the cave wall for the rest of us and then record its essence in such places as ‘The dictionary’.

Figure 7.1 The typical US nonlinguist’s theory of language4

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.