User:Epcoker/sandbox

Grammar Article Evaluation

The article I've looked at for this assignment is Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo, because it looked deeply interesting. As far as a broad evaluation goes, I'd say content is largely appropriate for the subject and does not appear to be particularly biased. In improving the content, I would recommend using fewer parsings of the sentence more discerningly; while it is an admittedly difficult sentence to wrap your head around at first, I don't think it warrants a dozen parsings that get to the same point. It also defines the usages of the words used twice, which seems necessary as well. The citations are from credible professors and linguists with working links, and the talk page suggests that edits have been made very recently - though it seems much of the results from the talk page are to just add additional parsings or argue about syntax.

Change From Below Suggestions

As it stands, the WikiPage for Change from Below is essentially just a general definition with a reference to Labov and his Philadelphia study, with two citations.

The first change I think should be made is to expand the definition to include the different ways that this change can appear as/examples

Adding reference to major innovators in the subject -- it talks about Labov in the article, but does not talk about what he has contributed to the subject

Reference the role gender plays in conscious vs unconscious change

Change From Below: Article In Progress

Change from below is linguistic change that occurs from below the level of consciousness. It is language change that occurs from social, cognitive, or physiological pressures from within the system. This is in opposition to change from above, wherein language change is a result of elements imported from other systems.[1][2] Change from below first enters the language from below the level of consciousness; that is, speakers are generally unaware of the linguistic change.[2] These linguistic changes enter language primarily through the vernacular and spread throughout the community without speakers' conscious awareness. Since change from below is initially non-salient, the changing features are not marked characteristics and are difficult for speakers or linguists to perceive. As the changes occur, they will ultimately become stable changes that are stigmatized.

Curvilinear Principle: New linguistic changes that enter the language from below are most commonly used by the interior socioeconomic classes, as displayed by William Labov's curvilinear principle. Change from below is seen in Labov's Philadelphia study, where a series of new vowel changes was most often used by the central classes.[1][2] Age and gender similarly affect the way changes occur, where younger or female individuals are more likely to exhibit the change than older or male individuals in the community.[1] However, gender, age, and social class act independently in transmission. [3] The Roles of Women and Conformity: Change from below challenges societal norms; women (especially upper working class women, and those who are socially entrenched and involved in their community) lead this linguistic change. However, forms that have overt prestige are more prized by these groups, so when changes from below rise to the level of awareness, they are frequently stigmatized and rejected by the very people using them. [1] Change from below typically begins in informal speech. Often, those utilising the changing forms are young speakers using the language as a form of resistance to authority. The changes made by individuals such as these, who are upwardly mobile and intentionally nonconformist, then diffuse into the speech of broader groups as described by Bill Labov’s Constructive Nonconformity Principle. [1]

Three Phases of Change: Transmission The first phase of change from below is the acquisition of language by children. Typically, children learn the patterns of female caretakers. [3] Incrementation The second phase of change from below is the advancement of informal changes by young individuals. [3] Stabilization The third phase of change from below sees the individual’s speech shift towards more standard forms, and the change become socioeconomically diffused and stigmatized. [3]

Sources:

   Labov, William. 2001. Principles of linguistic change, Volume 2: Social Factors. Blackwell.
   Ash, Sharon. "Social Class". The Handbook of Language Variation and Change, 402–422. Malden, Mass: Blackwell.
   Michael, Lev (10/8/2017). "Social Dimensions of Language Change" (PDF). Berkeley Linguistics. Retrieved 10/8/2017.

Epcoker (talk) 22:22, 8 December 2017 (UTC)