Language change over time is a positive thing - language is evolving.
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Card 17
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Language change over time is a negative thing, standard English should always be used. Language is declining.
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Card 18
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Language used reflects our way of thinking eg. using '****' reflects prejudice towards immigrants,
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Card 19
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People can be persuaded to alter their language to be more acceptable, leading to new ways of thinking. Forms basis for political correctness - eg. '******' to 'African-American'.
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Card 20
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English Language is beautiful and needs to be preserved. It is valuable due to its heritage and history and new words/phrases are an attack on this priceless architecture.
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Card 21
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Queasy distaste towards new words, pronunciations and structures. Lazy act, degrading to English Language.
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Card 22
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We catch 'bad English' from other people, like a disease.
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Card 23
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Language change will have an original small group of users. Once it begins to catch on, growth will be rapid until reaching a plateau where everyone likely to pick up the change will have. Will create an 'S' curve on a graph.
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Card 24
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Language changes due to random errors and events that happen within a language system, as a response to the ever changing context of language use and its users. Language is as unpredictable as fashion.
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Card 25
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New words arise if there is a need for them. Eg. new inventions will need new labels/shifts in meaning to accommodate them.