LANGUAGE CHANGE AS A MATTER OF FACT
Abstract
All physical aspects of the universe and all aspects of human life are
subject to change, and languages are no exception. Indeed, “one of
the eternal truths about living languages is that they all change”
(Winkler, 2007, p. 197). Individual changes can be quite abrupt and
obvious, as when new words make an appearance and become
popular. Normally, however, language change is gradual, almost
imperceptible. In fact, its speakers are usually unaware of the
changes as they are occurring, as with the slow alteration in
pronunciation when one generation speaks slightly different from
another. In light of this, in the majority of cases, language change is
the consequence of changes in the socio-political structure of a
particular population.
Key Words: language, change, socio-political structure