Mind Over Matter

Language variation and language change are two related but distinct phenomena that affect the forms and functions of human communication. Language variation refers to the differences in the use of language across different speakers, groups, regions, or situations. Language change refers to the historical process of how languages evolve, often due to language variation.

Some examples of language variation are dialects, accents, registers, styles, and genres. Geography, social class, education, occupation, age, gender, and context all have an impact on these. Some examples of language Changes are sound shifts, grammaticalization, lexical innovation, and borrowing. These are driven by mechanisms such as analogy, reanalysis, diffusion, and contact.

Language variation and language change are interrelated because variation is the source of change. When a linguistic feature becomes widespread or dominant among a group of speakers, it may lead to a change in the language system. For instance, the Great Vowel Shift was a series of changes in the pronunciation of English vowels between the 15th and 18th centuries. It resulted from the variation in how different regions and social classes pronounced their vowels.

However, language variation and language change are also distinct because variation does not always lead to change. Some linguistic features may remain stable or fluctuate over time without affecting the overall structure of the language. For example, the use of “like” as a discourse marker in English is a variant that has been observed since the 1950s. It is more common among younger speakers and in informal contexts, but It has yet to replace other discourse markers or change the grammar of English.

Globalization and Language Variation

 Globalization is increasing interconnection and interdependence among people, cultures, and economies worldwide. Globalization has a significant impact on language variation, as it creates new opportunities and challenges for communication and interaction among speakers of different languages and varieties Globalization can affect language variation in several ways, such as:

Language contact: Globalization facilitates the contact and exchange of languages through migration, trade, tourism, education, media, or technology. Language contact can result in the borrowing or mixing of words. Grammatical structures or sounds vary from one language to another. For example, English has borrowed many words from other languages due to globalization, such as sushi, karaoke, yoga, or tsunami. Language contact can also create new varieties or languages, such as pidgins, creoles, lingua francas, or mixed languages. For example, Swahili is a lingua franca that developed from contacting Bantu languages with Arabic and other languages in East Africa.

Language shift: Globalization can also influence the choice of and use of languages by speakers in different domains and situations. Language shift occurs when speakers abandon their native or heritage language in favor of another language with more prestige, power, or utility. For example, many indigenous or minority languages are endangered or extinct due to globalization as their speakers shift to dominant or global languages, such as English, Spanish, Mandarin, or Hindi.

Language standardization: Globalization can also affect the norms and expectations of language use by speakers and listeners. Language standardization is the process of establishing and promoting a uniform or ideal variety of a language that is considered to be correct, appropriate, or prestigious. Language standardization can be influenced by political, educational or media institutions that aim to regulate or unify language use across different regions or groups. For example, many countries have official or national languages that are standardized, taught in schools and used in government or media.

Language variation and change are essential aspects of linguistic diversity and dynamism. They reflect the social and historical dimensions of human communication and culture. They also pose challenges and opportunities for language teaching and learning, as well as linguistic research and documentation. Globalization is one of the significant factors that shapes language variation and change in the contemporary world. Therefore, it is essential to understand how globalization affects language variation and its implications for linguistics and society.