Australian English is evolving into a more globalised form of English as the language is consistently changing due to external pressures. Australian English is seeing the adaptation of Americanisms as common American English lexemes permeate our forms of expression, while ‘Netspeak’ has become a common concept in the language of Australian youth. Semantic variations are evident as electronically-mediated communication impacts the semantics of lexemes as many broaden in meaning; likewise, the introduction of several ethnolects become apparent as migrants attempt to incorporate personal identity into Australian English. Australian English is seeing the defining move towards the general Australian accent which can be correlated to the loss of …show more content…
“Given the global presence of the USA as a cultural and political superpower, it would be surprising if there weren’t some sort of linguistic steamrolling going on” (Jean Mulder and Kate Burridge)[1] . Features of American English are apparent, such as the discourse particle ‘like’ which proves to be a highly versatile lexeme as it functions to be a pause filler, to substitute for ‘approximately’ and to reduce conviction, however, when overused it is perceived that the speaker is less articulate. The use of American lexemes ‘buddy’ and ‘man’, which act as substitutes to the typically used ‘mate’, is not a decline in Australian English, but rather an expansion of lexical items. Netspeak is said to be a deterioration of language as it brings a new informality to speech as parts of lexemes are omitted for the ease of the internet; for example, ‘tomorrow’ can be seen as the neologism ‘tomoz’ and ‘what’s up’ is seen as ‘sup’. The integration of these lexemes into spoken English can be said to be decreasing the standard of spoken English, as speech strays from customary formality. Similarly, acronyms that have formed from the net such as ‘ttyl’ for ‘talk to you later’ and ‘LOL’ for ‘laugh out loud’ are also spoken, blurring the line of Netspeak and standard spoken English. The incorporation of such lexemes into Australian English can be seen as a deterioration in the standard of spoken English, however, when used in an informal circumstances or on the Internet, it has no negative on the
1. The main point Kirk Johnson, writer of “Today’s Kids Are, Like, Killing the English Language” published by the New York Times, illustrates is a shift in the way society nowadays communicates and expresses themselves with the emergence of technology and other forms of media in this new era compared to the precedent and placid century.
The constant changing of technology and social norms makes difficult for different generations to understand one another and fully relate to each other. Diction and slang change as years pass and what is socially acceptable may have been prohibited in the previous generations.
In “Do You Speak American?” by Robert MacNeil, MacNeil uses outside sources, personal anecdotes, and familiar diction in attempts to prove that the transformation of American English is a positive outcome and should be accepted.
The New York Times Poetry Pairing “Sestina: Like” dives into whether or not “like” is a hindrance on conversation and social media or an innovation linguistically. A.E. Stallings’s poem “Sestina: Like” takes the stance that “like” creates a barrier against communication and discussion. While “They’re, Like, Way Ahead of the Linguistic Currrrve” by Douglas Quenqua takes a different view by explaining the nature of language to change, therefore using “like” for emphasis is simply an alteration, not an issue.
Another difficulty cultures deal with is language and the way people speak. In some cases, people struggle to belong by making changes in the way they speak the English language just to be assimilated. They attempt to use words and letters, as well as body language that fit in the norm; all in an attempt to denounce their original intonation and style of pronunciation. One ...
“Your Ability to Can Even: A Defense of Internet Linguistics” by Tia Baheri, is a great read. The article focuses on the new language that has been created among Internet users and how some critics think it is a negative impact on the English language and how others, such as Baheri herself, think that there is nothing wrong with the change what so ever. After reading the article, I agree with Tia Baheri, I also think that language is as she states, “Supposed to flex and shape itself to convey what we mean to say as directly and efficiently as possible”. Yes, some who do not spend a lot of time on the Internet may not understand some of the newly used phrases but for others it is the best way to express themselves.
In Robert MacNeil’s article “Do You Speak American?” MacNeil discusses how the United States English started to become more diverse through the ongoing changes in the way English is being spoken throughout the States.MacNeil includes different demographics, groups of people and dialects to depict the progress that has come about over the years. With this in mind, he wants people to view this change as a step in the right direction.He aims to persuade people who are against this shift, so they can grow to tolerate and view this growth in a more positive manner. Since this article was published after his show on PBS in USA magazine he aims to convince people who have an above average knowledge of the English language to view change as a progressive
Tracing the changes in Australian English from the First Fleet to present day is really about exploring the story of the nation, author Kel Richards says. The English language arrived in Australia a little more than 200 years ago and since that time it has been levelled, shaped and restyled to give Australians a specific dialect.
In the article " Do You Speak American?" the audience is the general American public. MacNeil purpose here is to inform the general American public of the differences of the English dialect. He does this by looking at the changed backgrounds, races, and experiences people have that can impact their specific dialect. MacNeil talks about how the words each evolving social orders, innovations, and impacts change the way English are talked and comprehended across the country. All through MacNeil's article he talks about diverse dialects found in the middle of blacks and whites, and accents that change from area to locale. In this article, McNeil converses with the assorted American population by expressing numerous examples of the change in English
• the English language, as the national language, is an important unifying element of Australian society.”
Robert McNeil's effectively uses expert opinions, personal anecdote and metaphors to inform how and why American English is evolving and proves to instructors, linguists and researchers that these changes are beneficial allowing a more diversified English language to emerge.
Regarding the motion of the English language, Tocqueville states, “Democratic nations, moreover, like movement for itself. This is seen in language as well as in politics. Even when they do not have the need to change words, they sometimes feel the desire to do it” (453). In analyzing current American English, one can see that a need really does not exist to create words or give old words new meaning, yet words like “hype” develop new meanings. The word “hype” formally meant to “intensify,” but now it is used in everyday speech to mean “excited.” Even though the word “excited” was sufficient enough to cover the subject, younger Americans sought to transform the word anyway. Tocqueville also notes that Americans “sometimes placed together words that in the language of the mother country were customarily kept separate” (453). One cannot deny that the English language often combines words for convenience and efficiency of speech. This phenomenon especially exists in “text speak” with words such as “chillax” and “brunch.” The word “chillax” combines the separate words “chill” and “relax,” and the word “brunch” fuses the distinct words “breakfast” and “lunch.” The notion of making words more efficient developed from America’s taste for industry. Tocqueville remarks, “the heart of democracy tends, on the contrary, to renew constantly the face of language like that of business” (453). Americans are preoccupied with industry, so their language serves as a reflection of their habits and even provides a means of promoting business. Though the English language seems to be increasingly adding words and phrases to the dictionary, some words and concepts are actually falling into disuse. On this subject, Tocqueville writes, “The language will constantly stretch in that direction [towards industry], whereas on the contrary it will abandon little by little
Since the Industrial Revolution, technology has permeated and become an integral part of our everyday lives. In fact, a life without technology seems almost impossible to imagine. Almost everyone, around the globe, has access to technology in one form or another. Consequently this type of technology has become ingrained into our culture. Its roots are so deep that it is now peculiar to see someone without a smartphone than with one. Consequently, smartphones and the Internet have radically changed the manner in which we communicate and how we communicate with one another. Our speech has metamorphosed so much from that of our grandparents that it almost seems like a foreign language due to the incorporation of slang and “text talk.” With the sudden surge of email, blogs, and instant messaging that occurred within the last couple of decades, the impact that technology has on our linguistics has become more pronounced. Technology has helped to bridge the gap between people by allowing us to communicate as easily as we breathe. On this note, one would think that the dawn of the Era of Technology would give birth to a renaissance of the English language but, instead, the converse is taking place. With such widespread prevalence of technology such as smartphones and computers, the degradation of the English language is a problem now more than ever.
Language as a dynamic structure is exposed to constant development, transformation and alteration. Media, society, culture, science, technology and politics are the core factors that contribute towards language evolution. Due to numerous linguistic and extra linguistic factors, newly coined units in the language are in the process of entering and influencing the English language. These new units, known as neologisms, serve as our guidance in understanding the never-ending evolution in the English language. Furthermore, neologisms ease each individual’s process of coping with changes by creating mental bridges between the old and the contemporary. The English language vocabulary is facing constant change, as neologisms enter in a blink of an eye through the media. The mass media being the major source and ground on which English neologisms are coined, plays a significant role of intermediary between the English population as active consumers and the language itself.
In the last twenty-five years, advancements in technology combined with the unbridled growth of social media, has dramatically altered not only the methods used to communicate but the linguistics as well. The meteoric rise in the use of new media sources have resulted in the creation of a type of shorthand English. With today’s social media, abbreviations such as LOL, OMG, BRB, and ROFL are easily recognizable by its followers yet remain a mystery to those not connected. The preference of the younger generation for social media such as texting, Twitter, and Facebook over face–to-face communication has not only had an effect on communication skills, but has also led to a further disconnect with the adult population. Twenty years ago, when a family went out to dinner it was considered family time; an opportunity for all the family members to get caught up with what was going on in each other’s life. Today, watching that same family outing, one is much more likely to see each of them sitting at the same table, looking down at a smart phone texting, and very little if any co...