AQA A Level English Language Paper 2
questions and answers
Nicolas Ostler - He thinks that instant translation technology will remove the need for people to learn
new languages and might prevent many languages around the world from becoming extinct
Kachru's Circles - A very important model of how English has developed and is developing across the
world
McArthur - The circle of World English
Crystal - Believes that English will break up into a series of distinct dialects (and ultimately languages?) as
happened to Latin
Graddol - Thinks speakers of English will need to become fluent in a number of varieties of English as the
world's economy shifts away from US (India could become the most populous country and third biggest
economy in the next 10-20 years)
Typical Inner Circle speakers - British, American and Australian English
Typical Outer Circle speakers - Singlish, Indian English, Jamaican Creole
Typical Expanding Circle speaker - Chinese English
Attitude towards Singlish - Prescriptivist attitude that Singlish is wrong and speakers should stick to the
standard form of English, not creole. - Government made a speak good English campaign.
,AQA A Level English Language Paper 2
questions and answers
Simon Jenkins - Those who don't speak English are at a 'universal disadvantage'
Alistair Pennycook (Post-colonial viewpoint) - English does not deserve to be the world's language; it has
only achieved this status through colonialism and brutality and has caused many of the world's
languages to disappear.
GVS - Great Vowel Shift
Aitchison's PIDC - Potential (e.g. Functionalist Theory or the influence of technology)
Implementation (i.e. how changes come into widespread use)
Diffusion (e.g. diffusion models)
Codification (changes confirmed in dictionaries, etc)
Aitchison's main forces for change - Fashion, social need and foreign influence
Inkhorn Controversy - Thomas Wilson - foreign borrowings into English
Jean Aitchison's Language Myths - Crumbling Castle
, AQA A Level English Language Paper 2
questions and answers
Damp Spoon
Infectious Disease
Haugen's SECI - Selection - The language selected (usually a prestigious one)
Elaboration - developed/expanded for linguistic resources
Codification - e.g. dictionairy and written standardisation
Implementation - How changes come into widespread use
Lowth's Grammar rules - Polite and correct
Sapir Whorf Hypothesis - You can only think what your language can articulate
Reflectionism - Your thoughts shape your language
Lexical Gaps - Language follows certain patterns and where examples that would fit such patterns are not
currently in existence, there is a strong chance they'll appear
questions and answers
Nicolas Ostler - He thinks that instant translation technology will remove the need for people to learn
new languages and might prevent many languages around the world from becoming extinct
Kachru's Circles - A very important model of how English has developed and is developing across the
world
McArthur - The circle of World English
Crystal - Believes that English will break up into a series of distinct dialects (and ultimately languages?) as
happened to Latin
Graddol - Thinks speakers of English will need to become fluent in a number of varieties of English as the
world's economy shifts away from US (India could become the most populous country and third biggest
economy in the next 10-20 years)
Typical Inner Circle speakers - British, American and Australian English
Typical Outer Circle speakers - Singlish, Indian English, Jamaican Creole
Typical Expanding Circle speaker - Chinese English
Attitude towards Singlish - Prescriptivist attitude that Singlish is wrong and speakers should stick to the
standard form of English, not creole. - Government made a speak good English campaign.
,AQA A Level English Language Paper 2
questions and answers
Simon Jenkins - Those who don't speak English are at a 'universal disadvantage'
Alistair Pennycook (Post-colonial viewpoint) - English does not deserve to be the world's language; it has
only achieved this status through colonialism and brutality and has caused many of the world's
languages to disappear.
GVS - Great Vowel Shift
Aitchison's PIDC - Potential (e.g. Functionalist Theory or the influence of technology)
Implementation (i.e. how changes come into widespread use)
Diffusion (e.g. diffusion models)
Codification (changes confirmed in dictionaries, etc)
Aitchison's main forces for change - Fashion, social need and foreign influence
Inkhorn Controversy - Thomas Wilson - foreign borrowings into English
Jean Aitchison's Language Myths - Crumbling Castle
, AQA A Level English Language Paper 2
questions and answers
Damp Spoon
Infectious Disease
Haugen's SECI - Selection - The language selected (usually a prestigious one)
Elaboration - developed/expanded for linguistic resources
Codification - e.g. dictionairy and written standardisation
Implementation - How changes come into widespread use
Lowth's Grammar rules - Polite and correct
Sapir Whorf Hypothesis - You can only think what your language can articulate
Reflectionism - Your thoughts shape your language
Lexical Gaps - Language follows certain patterns and where examples that would fit such patterns are not
currently in existence, there is a strong chance they'll appear
