18. Language change and fiction
-
Derek Denis
Abstract
This chapter discusses the connection between language change and fiction. We look at the relationship between change and fiction from two perspectives. First, we identify the ways in which language data from fiction is useful to the linguist interested in language change. We discuss its use both in the general sense as data in the investigation of change and in a specific sense, highlighting unique kinds of evidence that fiction provides particularly for historical pragmatics and sociolinguists. We then shift focus to what Eckert (2003) calls “the elephant in the room”: what’s the role of broadcast media in the diffusion of change? We review the sociolinguistics literature that has asked this question. Does fiction, especially in broadcast media, result in language change, spread innovation, or accelerate diffusion? Or, is the language in broadcast media simply a reflection of the everyday vernacular? We discuss a series of case studies, several of which consider phenomena that bridge historical pragmatics and sociolinguistics (pronominal variation, quotative be like, intensifiers, the pragmatic marker eh, and the marker of solidarity dude).
Abstract
This chapter discusses the connection between language change and fiction. We look at the relationship between change and fiction from two perspectives. First, we identify the ways in which language data from fiction is useful to the linguist interested in language change. We discuss its use both in the general sense as data in the investigation of change and in a specific sense, highlighting unique kinds of evidence that fiction provides particularly for historical pragmatics and sociolinguists. We then shift focus to what Eckert (2003) calls “the elephant in the room”: what’s the role of broadcast media in the diffusion of change? We review the sociolinguistics literature that has asked this question. Does fiction, especially in broadcast media, result in language change, spread innovation, or accelerate diffusion? Or, is the language in broadcast media simply a reflection of the everyday vernacular? We discuss a series of case studies, several of which consider phenomena that bridge historical pragmatics and sociolinguistics (pronominal variation, quotative be like, intensifiers, the pragmatic marker eh, and the marker of solidarity dude).
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter i
- Preface to the handbook series v
- Preface ix
- Table of contents xi
- 1. Introducing Pragmatics of Fiction: Approaches, trends and developments 1
-
I. Pragmatics of fiction as communication: Foundations
- 2. Participation structure in fictional discourse: Authors, scriptwriters, audiences and characters 25
- 3. The pragmatics of the genres of fiction 55
- 4. Fictional characterisation 93
- 5. The role of dialogue in fiction 129
- 6. Narrative perspectives on voice in fiction 159
- 7. Pragmatics of style in fiction 197
-
II. Features of orality and variation
- 8. Oral features in fiction 235
- 9. Doing dialects in dialogues: Regional, social and ethnic variation in fiction 265
- 10. Multilingualism in fiction 297
- 11. The pragmatics of estrangement in fantasy and science fiction 329
-
III. Pragmatic themes in fiction
- 12. Pragmatics and the translation of fiction 367
- 13. Subtitling and dubbing in telecinematic text 397
- 14. (Im)politeness in fiction 425
- 15. (Im)politeness and telecinematic discourse 455
- 16. Stance in fiction 489
- 17. Language and emotion in fiction 515
- 18. Language change and fiction 553
- Bionotes 585
- Index of authors of scholarly work 591
- Index of authors of fictional work 603
- Index of fictional sources 605
- Subject index 609
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter i
- Preface to the handbook series v
- Preface ix
- Table of contents xi
- 1. Introducing Pragmatics of Fiction: Approaches, trends and developments 1
-
I. Pragmatics of fiction as communication: Foundations
- 2. Participation structure in fictional discourse: Authors, scriptwriters, audiences and characters 25
- 3. The pragmatics of the genres of fiction 55
- 4. Fictional characterisation 93
- 5. The role of dialogue in fiction 129
- 6. Narrative perspectives on voice in fiction 159
- 7. Pragmatics of style in fiction 197
-
II. Features of orality and variation
- 8. Oral features in fiction 235
- 9. Doing dialects in dialogues: Regional, social and ethnic variation in fiction 265
- 10. Multilingualism in fiction 297
- 11. The pragmatics of estrangement in fantasy and science fiction 329
-
III. Pragmatic themes in fiction
- 12. Pragmatics and the translation of fiction 367
- 13. Subtitling and dubbing in telecinematic text 397
- 14. (Im)politeness in fiction 425
- 15. (Im)politeness and telecinematic discourse 455
- 16. Stance in fiction 489
- 17. Language and emotion in fiction 515
- 18. Language change and fiction 553
- Bionotes 585
- Index of authors of scholarly work 591
- Index of authors of fictional work 603
- Index of fictional sources 605
- Subject index 609
