Checklist for Language Change

Spelling

- Does the spelling deviate from modern English?

- Is the same word spelt in more than one way? (Showing non-standardised spellings)

- Are letters interchangeable?

- Is the long s still used?

- Are all nouns capitalised?

Lexis/Vocabulary

- Do words derive from Old English, Norman French, Latin, Greek or elsewhere?

- Do words follow Zipf's Law? Ie. are words monosyllabic?

- Are words composites and compound words?

Semantics

- Semantic Change: Has a word changed its meaning?

- Are the words archaic?

- Does the level of formality vary according to context and audience?

Collocations

- Are there any sayings or combinations of words that seem dated?

Metaphors/Similes/Figurative Language

- Is the language literal or poetic?

Grammar

- Does the word order follow…