Article published In: Applied Folk Linguistics
Edited by Antje Wilton and Martin Stegu
[AILA Review 24] 2011
► pp. 55–67
Linking past and present
A view of historical comments about language
Published online: 22 December 2011
https://doi.org/10.1075/aila.24.04wil
https://doi.org/10.1075/aila.24.04wil
In this paper, we focus on comments on language issues from a historical perspective. The concept of the layperson (non-linguist) is discussed to identify laypeople and lay comments in history when the modern concept of a linguist did not yet exist. Two studies show how the historical perspective complements modern research on folk linguistics.
Firstly, historical comments about Latin will be put in relation to comments about English, focusing on their roles as linguae francae and exploring the potential and application of the ‘Latin Analogy’.
Secondly, an analysis of language appraisal texts of French and Romanian from 1500 to the present shows that the topoi used are still reflected in today’s perception of the languages by their native speakers, affecting the attractiveness of the languages for second language learners.
Cited by (3)
Cited by three other publications
Cotelli Kureth, Sara & Dorothée Aquino-Weber
Koushik, C.S.N., Shruti Bhargava Choubey & Abhishek Choubey
Rojas, Darío
2016. Polysemy in 19th century linguistic studies in Chile. In History of Linguistics 2014 [Studies in the History of the Language Sciences, 126], ► pp. 247 ff.
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