Tradition
Language shift
Overview
Language shift, also known as language transfer, language replacement or language assimilation, is the process whereby a speech community shifts to a different language, usually over an extended period of time. Often, languages that are perceived to be of higher-status stabilize or spread at the expense of other languages that are perceived—even by their own speakers—to have lower status. An example is the shift from Gaulish to Latin during the time of the Roman Empire.
Language assimilation may operate alongside other aspects of cultural assimilation when different cultures meet and merge.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
Possible passages
Found by search and not yet checked by a person; they may only mention the idea in passing.
Of what consequence it is to regulate the structure of our language, may be easily tried by selecting a well-wrought period from some Orator of reputation, and changing the arrangement of the words; [Footnote: Professor _Ward_ has commented upon an example of this kind from the preface to the Vth volume of the Spectator:--"_You have acted in so much consistency with yourself, and promoted the interests of your…
Marcus Tullius Cicero, Cicero's Brutus or History of Famous Orators
Close in meaning to Language shift; the term itself is not named.
Yet it might be that some ancient languages had altered very little and had given rise to few new languages, whilst others had altered much owing to the spreading, isolation and state of civilisation of the several co-descended races, and had thus given rise to many new dialects and languages. The various degrees of difference between the languages of the same stock would have to be expressed by groups subordinate…
Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection
Close in meaning to Language shift; the term itself is not named.
These two distinct but interwoven elements of speech have been undergoing a simultaneous development. We know that in the course of civilisation words have been multiplied, new parts of speech have been introduced, sentences have grown more varied and complex; and we may fairly infer that during the same time new…
Herbert Spencer, Essays on education and kindred subjects
Close in meaning to Language shift; the term itself is not named.
Philosophers who discussed Language shift
Related ideas
- French language
- French Revolution
- Anglo-Norman language
- Florence
- German language
- German Empire
- Hong Kong
- Language contact
- Hindi
- Hungarian language
- Iceland
- Japanese language
- Latin
- London
- Ethiopia
- American English
- Prehistory
- Maltese language
- Macau
- Parthia
- Mandarin Chinese
- Muslims
- Dutch language
- Russian Empire
Place in the tradition
Part of Language.