Origins…

• “Break a Leg.”• “Mind your P’s and Q’s.”• “Let’s get the hell outta Dodge.”• “Mind your own Beeswax.”• “The Rule of Thumb.”

CHAPTER 8 CLASS NOTES

A GEOGRAPHY

OF LANGUAGE

Language is at the Heart of Culture

• No Culture exists w/out Language

• Change constantly• HOW???

• 5,000 – 6,000 Languages in use today in the world (1 dies every 2 weeks)

• LANGUAGE – Communication of Sound (vocalization) is crucial

• Meanings of sounds must be learned

• Preliterate Society – People who speak a language, but don’t write it

• Disadvantage ???

• No written record

• STANDARD LANGUAGE – (In advanced societies) what the elite seek to use as the norm (some variation)

• “The Queen’s English” in UK• Matter of cultural and national identity• Use in gov’t, docs, schools, media, courts

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE -• Official State Language of a Country

• Nationally Recognized to promote internal cohesion

• USA is one of few countries NOT to have one (table on p. 147)

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• DIALECTS – • Regional variants of a standard language• Differences in: Syntax, pronunciation,

cadence etc.

• “You all” = “Y’all” in TX• “Oil” in NE might sound like “Ahll” in

the South

USA vs. ENGLAND

• REsearch vs. reSEARCH

• GaRAge vs. GAR…rarge

• Sch (k) edule vs. Shhedule

• ISOGLOSSES – Geographic boundary marking linguistic features

• (extent to where one term is used, then switch)

• Say “Dinner” in N. IL, but in S. IL…• say “Supper” in S. IL• Say “Water Fountain” in IL, but in WI…• It’s a “Bubbler”

• Soda = • Pop• Couch = • Davenport (Sofa)• Patio / Deck• Lanai

• Thank You = • Cheers!• Gas = • Petrol• Bathroom = • Loo / Water Closet• Body Shop (Mechanic) = • Garage• Garage = • Carport

WORLD LANGUAGES

• Language Family – Way to group languages thought to have shared, but distant origins

• See chart in book, p. 117 for complete list

INDO-EUROPEAN FAMILY

• More people speak a language from this one family than any other• English, Spanish, German, Russian, French

• Chinese = single most spoken language(Sino-Tibetan Family)

Where did they ever come from???

MORE FAMOUS ENGLISH SAYINGS

• “Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.”

• “Its raining cats and dogs.”

• “Dirt poor.”

• “The Threshold.”

• “Go to a wake.”

• “Chew the fat.”

• “The Graveyard Shift.”

• “Saved by the Bell.”

• “Ring around the Rosie,Pockets full of posies,Ashes, ashes,We all fall down!”