ASPECTS OF LANGUAGE & LINGUISTICS
Unit 5
F.T.Wood - Linguistic Changes - English Language Varieties - Idiolect, Dialect, Pidgin & Creole
Introduction
According to F. T. Wood, language is a living system that keeps changing with time. English did not develop suddenly but evolved slowly through history because of social, cultural, and historical changes. Linguistic change and language varieties help us understand how English adapts to human needs and social situations.
Linguistic Change
Linguistic change refers to the natural changes that take place in a language over time. F. T. Wood explains that language changes because people, society, and technology change. English Changes because New technology creates new words, Social trends change how people speak, English borrows words from other languages, Pronunciation changes over time, Economy of effort, Contact between different dialects and Social prestige and fashion in speech. Wood clearly shows that English survives and grows because it is flexible and open to change.
English Language Varieties
According to F. T. Wood, English does not exist in a single fixed form. It changes according to the speaker, region, social group, and situation. These differences create varieties of English such as idiolect, dialect, pidgin, and creole.
Idiolect
An idiolect is the unique way a single person speaks. Every individual has their own idiolect, like a personal language fingerprint that no one else has exactly the same. Idiolect is influenced by: Family language habits, Education level, Social background, Region, Personality style, Favourite vocabulary, Pronunciation pattern, Emotional expressions, Repeated phrases.
Idiolect examples:
• Lexical Choice: A person who always says “y’all” instead of “you all” in conversations.
• Vocabulary Preference: Someone who prefers using “fridge” instead of “refrigerator” regularly.
• Pronunciation Variation: A speaker who pronounces “water” as “wader” unique to their speech. One person says “ree-search,” another says “re-sirch.”
• Personal grammar habits: Someone always says, “I doesn’t know” by mistake.
• Unique tone and rhythm: Some speak fast; some speak softly; some use long pauses.
Dialect
A dialect is a form of a language spoken by a particular group of people, often in a specific region or community. Dialects differ from one another in vocabulary, pronunciation, cultural expressions and grammar but still belong to the same language family. Dialects can also show social or ethnic identity and cultural history. People within dialect groups understand each other but might sound quite different to outsiders.
Two types of dialects.
• Regional dialects are related to geographical areas, and they change from place to place; for example, Bengali English, Cockney spoken in London.
• Social dialects are related to social groups such as class, caste, or occupation, and they show differences in speech based on social status; for example, working-class English and upper-class British English.
Dialect examples:
• British English uses “flat” for apartment; American English uses “apartment.”
• Australian English uses “arvo” for afternoon; not common in other English dialects.
• Indian English includes unique words like “prepone” meaning to bring something earlier.
Pidgin
A pidgin is a simplified form of language created when speakers of different native languages need to communicate, usually for trade or work. They cannot speak each other’s languages. They mix simple vocabulary from different languages. It has limited vocabulary and simple grammar because it only serves basic communication needs. They develop quickly out of necessity and are practical tools rather than full languages.
Pidgin Examples
• Tok Pisin in Papua New Guinea: Traders say “mi go” for “I go” mixing English and local words
• Chinese Pidgin English is used in old trading ports. Example: “You no pay, I no give.”
• Nigerian Pidgin English – Example: “How you dey?” (How are you?)
Creole
A creole language develops from a pidgin once it becomes the first language of a community. Creoles have more complex grammar and vocabulary than pidgins. They often emerge in communities where multiple languages came into contact. Creoles are complete languages used for all aspects of daily life. It develops when Families settle in one place. Children grow up learning the pidgin. Creoles evolve naturally over generations and reflect the culture and identity of their speakers.
Creole example
• Tok Pisin is an official language of Papua New Guinea, and it clearly shows an English-based creole structure. Examples: “Mi go long skul.” – I am going to school; “Yu kam long we?” – Where are you coming from?
• Jamaican Creole (Patois): “Mi waan go” (I want to go), “She fraid” (She is afraid).
• Nigerian Pidgin: “Where you going?”, “Waata” (Water).
Conclusion
F. T. Wood presents English as a dynamic and evolving language. Linguistic change shows how language grows with society. Varieties like idiolect, dialect, pidgin, and creole clearly explain how individuals and communities shape language. According to Wood, the strength of English lies in its ability to adapt and change with human life.