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In chapter 6, you read about the links that exist between language and culture.
One of the concepts talked about in this chapter was The Social Change Function, which demonstrates
how changes in our culture can create changes in our language or vice versa. Let’s take
a closer look at that idea. First, how does a change in culture create
a change in language. That’s fairly simple. Consider all of the changes that we have had
in technology and medicine over the past couple of decades. We have made discoveries, diagnosed
illnesses, created medicines, and invented new technologies. And with each new discovery,
diagnosis, or invention comes a need for new words to describe those things.
For example, when the car was first invented, the word “car” or “automobile” also
had to be created to describe it. The same thing happened with the airplane and computer.
If you were to travel back in time, say 200 years ago, nobody would know what you meant
if you used the words car, airplane, or computer. Take a second to think about some of the terms
that have come into existence during your lifetime.
One example might be spam. While Spam, the lunchmeat was invented in 1937 in Austin,
Minnesota, spam as it relates to unwanted emails wasn’t in existence until 50 years
later. Now consider all of the other technology-related
terms that have come into existence in the last couple of decades. How about medical
terms? There are even many terms that we’ll use in this class that are relatively new
to the English language. Take a second to think of your own examples.