Cover not available

In:Language Variation - European Perspectives VII: Selected papers from the Ninth International Conference on Language Variation in Europe (ICLaVE 9), Malaga, June 2017
Edited by Juan-Andrés Villena-Ponsoda, Francisco Díaz Montesinos, Antonio Manuel Ávila-Muñoz and Matilde Vida-Castro
[Studies in Language Variation 22] 2019
► pp. 85–102

Get fulltext from our e-platform
JBE logo with link
PDF logo with download linkDownload Book PDF
authorization required

Chapter 5
Language change caught in the act

A case study of Frisian relative pronouns

 | Fryske Akademy, Leeuwarden | Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning
 | Fryske Akademy, Leeuwarden
 | Radboud University, Nijmegen
 | Radboud University, Nijmegen
 | Radboud University, Nijmegen
 | Fryske Akademy, Leeuwarden
Published online: 12 December 2019
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/silv.22.05dij
Abstract
This study investigates language change in Frisian relative pronouns in a corpus of Frisian radio broadcasts (1966–2015). In spite of the limitations of this corpus, we were able to catch language change in the act. The analyses show that until the 1980s the younger speakers in these broadcasts lead the rise of t-full relative pronouns, a change that was first observed in literature at the end of the 19th century. From the 1980s onwards the new younger generation reversed this change and increasingly started using the t-less relative pronouns. Additionally, the increase of t-less forms occurred mostly in non-scripted, spontaneous speech. It does not seem to play a role whether the speaker is a presenter or an interviewee/guest.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Omrop fryslân
  • 3.Frisian in the Netherlands
  • 4.Relative pronouns
  • 5.Method
    • 5.1The data
    • 5.2Procedure
    • 5.3Analysis
  • 6.Results
  • 7.Discussion
  • 8.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
References (48)
References
Amino, Kanae and Takashi Osanai. 2014. Native vs. Non-native accent identification using Japanese spoken telephone numbers. Speech Communication 56. 70–81. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Barbiers, S., H. Bennis, G. De Vogelaer, G., M. Devos and M. van der Ham. 2006. Dynamische syntactische Atlas van de Nederlandse Dialecten (DynaSAND). Amsterdam, Netherlands: Meertens Institute. Retrieved from [URL], accessed June 30, 2018.
Bell, Allan. 1982. Radio: The style of news language. Journal of Communication 32 (1). 150–164. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 1984. Language style as audience design. Language in Society 13 (2). 145–204. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 1999. Styling the other to define the self: A study in New Zealand identity making. Journal of Sociolinguistics 3/4. 523–541. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2001. Back in style: Reworking audience design. In Penelope Eckert and John R. Rickford (eds.), Style and sociolinguistic variation, 139–169. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bell, Allan and Gary Johnson. 1997. Towards a sociolinguistic style. University of Pennsylvania Working Papers in Linguistics 4 (1). 1–22.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bloemhof, Henk, Germen de Haan and Arjen P. Versloot (2013). Language varieties in the province of Fryslân. In Frans Hinskens and Johan Taeldeman (eds.), Language and space. An international handbook of linguistic variation. Volume 3: Dutch, 721–738. Berlin-Boston: de Gruyter.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Brouwer, J. H. 1959. Mei té of sûnder té [With /t/ or without /t/]. De Pompebledden 30. 62–64.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Christensen, Rune Haubo B. 2015. Ordinal – regression models for ordinal data. R package version 2015.6–28. Retrieved from [URL].
Coupland, Nikolas. 1985. Hark, Hark, the Lark: Social motivations for phonological syle-shifting. Language and Communication 5 (3). 153–471. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2001. Dialect stylization in radio talk. Language in Society 30. 345–375. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cucchiarini, Catia, Helmer Strik and Lou Boves. 2002. Quantitative assessment of second language learners’ fluency: Comparisons between read and spontaneous speech. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 111 (6). 2862–2873. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cutillas-Espinosa, Juan Antonio and Juan Manuel Hernández-Campoy. 2006. Nonresponsive performance in radio broadcasting: A case study. Language Variation and Change 18. 317–330. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cutillas-Espinosa, Juan Antonio, Juan Manuel Hernández-Campoy and Natalie Schilling-Estes. 2010. Hypervernacularisation and speaker design: A case study. Folia Linguistica 44 (1). 31–52. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
De Haan, Germen J. 1997. Contact-induced changes in modern West Frisian. Us Wurk 46. 61–89.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
2001. Grammar of modern West-Frisian. Groningen: University of Groningen.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Dellwo, Volker, Adrian Leemann and Marie-José Kolly. 2015. The recognition of read and spontaneous speech in local vernacular: The case of Zurich German. Journal of Phonetics 48. 13–28. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Evans Wagner, Suzanne and Isabelle Buchstaller (eds..) 2017. Panel studies of variation and change. New York: Routledge. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Fokkema, K. 1948. Beknopte Friese Spraakkunst [Concise Frisian Grammar]. Groningen: J.B. Wolters.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 1967. Beknopte Friese Spraakkunst [Concise Frisian Grammar] 2nd edition. Groningen: J.B. Wolters.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hernández-Campoy, J. M. and J. A. Cutillas-Espinosa. 2010. Speaker design practices in political discourse: A case study. Language and Communication 30. 297–309. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hernández-Campoy, Juan Manuel and Juan Antonio Cutillas-Espinosa. (eds.) 2012. Style-shifting in public. New perspectives on stylistic variation. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hernández-Campoy, Juan-Manuel and José María Jiménez-Cano. 2003. Broadcasting standardisation: An analysis of the linguistic normalisation process in Murcian Spanish. Journal of Sociolinguistics 7. 321–347. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hoekstra, Jarich. 2002. Relativisation in Frisian. In Patricia Poussa (ed.), Relativisation on the North Sea Littoral, 63–76. Muenchen: Lincom Europa.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Labov, William. 2001. Principles of linguistic change, Vol 2: Social factors. Malden, MA: Blackwell.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Levin, Harry, Carole A. Schaffer and Catherine Snow. 1982. The prosodic and paralinguistic features of reading and telling stories. Language and Speech 25 (1). 43–54. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Popkema, J. 2006. Grammatica Fries [Grammar Frisian]. Houten: Het Spectrum.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Postma, G. and P. de Clerq. 1904. Lytse Fryske Spraekleare [Concise Frisian Grammar]. Leeuwarden: R. van der Velde.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Provinsje Fryslân. 2015. De Fryske Taalatlas [The Frisian Language Atlas]. Ljouwert: Provinsje Fryslân.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Schilling-Estes, Natalie. 1998. Investigating “self-conscious” speech: The performance register in Ocracoke English. Language in Society 27 (1). 53–83. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2002. Investigating stylistic variation. In J. K. Chambers, P. Trudgill and N. Schilling-Estes (eds.), The handbook of language variation and change, 375–401. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Skiednis Omrop Fryslân [History Omrop Fryslân] n.d. Omrop Fryslân. Retrieved from [URL], accessed June 30, 2018.
Sipma, P. 1949. Ta it Frysk III [On Frisian III]. Leeuwarden: R. van der Velde.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Statline. Retrieved from [URL]
Sytstra, O. H. and J. J. Hof. 1925. Nieuwe Friesche spraakkunst [New Frisian grammar]. Leeuwarden: R. van der Velde.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Taalportaal | Relative pronouns [Language Portal | Relative pronouns]. 2018. Taalportaal [Language Portal]. Retrieved from [URL], accessed June 30, 2018.
Tiersma, Pieter Meijes. 1999. Frisian reference grammar. 2nd edition. Leeuwarden: Fryske Akademy.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Tolsma, Rein (ed.) 2009. Stylboek Omrop Fryslân [Style Book Omrop Fryslân]. Ljouwert: Omrop Fryslân.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Van Blom, Ph. 1889. Beknopte Friesche Spraakkunst voor den tegenwoordigen tijd [Concise Frisian Grammar for the present time]. Joure: Zijlstra.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Van Coetsem, Fr. 1960. De Friese relative en conjuncties met ’t [The Frisian relative pronouns and conjunctions with ’t]. In K. Dykstra, K. Heeroma, W. Kok and H. T. J. Miedema (eds.), Fryske Stúdzjes: Fryske Stúdzjes oanbean oan Prof. Dr. J.H. Brouwer op syn sechstichste jierdei 23 augustus 1960 [Frisian Studies, Frisian studies offered to Prof. Dr. J.H. Brouwer at his sixtieth birthday 23 August 1960], 327–334. Assen: Van Gorcum.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Van de Velde, Hans, Roeland van Hout and Marinel Gerritsen. 1997. Watching Dutch change: Real time study of variation and change in standard Dutch pronunciation. Journal of Sociolinguistics 1 (3). 361–391. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Van der Meer, Geart. 1991. The subclause signal ’t in Frisian. Its origin and function. Leuvense Bijdragen 80. 43–59.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Van der Woude, G. 1960. Oer it gebrûk fan ’t by bynwurden [On the use of ’t in conjunctions]. In K. Dykstra, K. Heeroma, W. Kok and H. T. J. Miedema (eds.), Fryske Stúdzjes: Fryske Stúdzjes oanbean oan Prof. Dr. J.H. Brouwer op syn sechstichste jierdei 23 augustus 1960 [Frisian studies. Frisian studies offered to Prof. Dr. J.H. Brouwer at his sixtieth birthday 23 August 1960], 335–343. Assen: Van Gorcum.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Van Maastricht, Lieke, Emiel Krahmer and Marc Swerts. 2016. Native speaker perceptions of (non–)native prominence patterns: Effects of deviance in pitch accent distributions on accentedness, comprehensibility, intelligibility and nativeness. Speech Communication 83. 21–33. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Vieru, Bianca, Philippe Boula de Mareüil and Martine Adda-Decker. 2011. Characterisation and identification of non-native French accents. Speech Communication 53 (3). 292–310. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Wet Gebruik Friese Taal [Law use Frisian language]. 2014. Overheid [Government]. Retrieved from [URL]
Yılmaz, Emre, Henk van den Heuvel, Jelske Dijkstra, Hans Van de Velde, Frederik Kampstra, Jouke Algra and David van Leeuwen. 2016. Open source speech and language resources for Frisian. Proceedings Interspeech, 1536–1540. San Francisco, CA. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cited by (2)

Cited by two other publications

Fernández Cuesta, Julia
2022. Der Geist, der stets verneint: Roger Lass’s epistemology of linguistic change. Language & History 65:1 ► pp. 39 ff. DOI logo
Dijkstra, Jelske, Wilbert Heeringa, Lysbeth Jongbloed-Faber & Hans Van de Velde
2021. Using Twitter Data for the Study of Language Change in Low-Resource Languages. A Panel Study of Relative Pronouns in Frisian. Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence 4 DOI logo

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 2 december 2025. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.

Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue