What are five key thoeries of language change?

Five of the most useful theories which are easily applied to exams questions are:

ROMAINE

 Romaine states that language changes as a result of internal influences within the language e.g. the dictionary and new word formation, and external influences of social contexts e.g. class and gender.

RANDOM FLUCTUATION THOERY

HOCKETT

Language changes due to its instability because of random errors and events within the language system as a response of the ever-changing context of language use and its users e.g. why has ‘book’ become a synonym for ‘cool’ – predictive texting.

POSTAL

Language is as unpredictable as fashion and therefore changes in language are totally random.

KELLER

THE INVISIBLE HAND 

In order to avoid misunderstandings, speakers use familiar, unambiguous synonyms and avoid difficult expression.

The ambiguous form falls into disuse and thus is not acquired by the following generation of speaker.

ZIPF

People have over time, preferred monosyllables as it is easier to communicate – we even short words that are polysyllabic e.g. disrespect – dis.

THEORY OF LEXICAL GAP

Words are invented, converted or borrowed in order to fill a gap in usage as well as a phonological gap in our language.