Regional variations: changing London's dialects
Task 1
In this article James Orr talks about how the cockney slang is "dying out" and how only small amounts of people within the 2,000 people he interviewed actually knew any of this slang on the meanings behind it. The most popular cockney slang still used today was "porky pies" but only 13% (260 people) of all the people interviewed were still using this phrase and 1 out of 10 people were still using the phrase "cream crackered". As there was such a low use of this slang out of the 2,000 people, it shows that cockney rhyming slang really is on the decline. Although, there are still new phrases being made and getting added onto the list of phrases, these include things like; "he was wearing his Barack Obamas" - this shows that even tho the use of cockney slang is on the decline, people who are still using it and modernizing it.
Task 2
Q1 - What does Nikesh Shukla believe has happened to Cockney rhyming slang?
From what he's saying, I'm getting the impression that he believes the language has migrated to the East of the country with the people and at the time more people were using it as they saw the language as new. But now, because it hasn't kept up with the times and hasn't changed to suit the new generations less people are using it. They may not be using it also because they see it as an old thing more so than a new as it hasn't recent;y migrated to them.
Q2 - What does he believe has replaced cockney rhyming slang.
Nikesh Shukla believes that things revolved around the internet are what have replaced the cockney rhyming slang. Music such as grime and hip hop are things he thinks have replaced it as the vocabulary they use within the music is being 'soaked up. He also believes things lime social media; Twitter, Facebook, blogging, streaming - he believes all of these things play a part in the replacing of the old slang. Within the social media and internet people are using different words and abbreviations to help get their points across much faster and in a more effective way of showing their emotions as that can't be portrayed through a text very easily. abbreviations include; OMFG, LOL, totes. etc. etc.
Q3 - What reasons does he give for this?
Nikesh Shukla states things like "bait". This noun makes it seem like people are being reeled in by something they like and once they get a hold of it they're trapped in the loop. Shukla also states that people need to "update" their slang to make it more "relevant" and "current" by saying these things eh telling people that they need to build on the old and make a new, new. He's saying that people are trying to make their won slang that suits them instead of staying in the past using older slang, they want to make things for themselves.
Q4 - What are the origins of MLE?
There are many origins for MLE and other types of slang. Lots of slang used in the past and being used currently are a result of multi-ethnolect. This means that's lost of languages have come together to make slang that can be good for everyone to use. Examples of slang we use in England from other countries include;
- "Wonga" - Romany
- "Shtoom" - Germany
- "Kasher "- Yidish
- Hindi - "Pukka", "Blighty", "Bandana", "Cushti".
These examples prove that different slang in England is the result of people migrating to England and sharing their languages with those in England creating new types of slang that everyone uses.
Task 3
Q1 - What are the main linguistic elements of MLE? Give some examples.
There appear to be two types of slang that is being used, the most common is youth slang but "core users" of MLE have it as a type of accent and their dialect - MLE isn't necessarily slang, it's just the mix of languages. In this article there is a little section called, "Blud, your endz is bare cotch' - Vocabulary for MLE learners." These words mean;
- Blud = friend
- Endz = neighbourhood
- Bare = very
- Cotch = relax
Meaning the whole sentence in standard English would be; Friend, your neighbourhood is really relaxed"?
Q2 - What has it developed from?
Lots of the slang we see nowadays appears to be originated from Afro-america and/or Jamaica. The only difference for the slang in London is that the pronunciation is different due to the accents over here. However, MLE can be developed from a young age and appears to be most present within schools that have over 50% of students that have English as their second language. This process would make MLE and slang seem "home grown" as it;s developed from a mix of languages and accents heard in some parts in London.
Q3 - Why do people use it?
People may use it just because that's where they were raised and that's the dialect they use or, they could be using it as a type of wall to be able to put up with failure and discrimination. Emine Sinmaz uses a quote from Mr Kerswill that states "A lot of the core speakers are in the East Enf of London, where they have low opportunities, and so one of the mechanisms when people find themselves unable to progress in life or [are] discriminated against is to speak differently, to use that as an exclusionary strategy"
Q4 - How can you relate this to William Labov? Write a short paragraph explaining how Labov's findings on Martha's vineyard in 1961 apply here.
In this article James Orr talks about how the cockney slang is "dying out" and how only small amounts of people within the 2,000 people he interviewed actually knew any of this slang on the meanings behind it. The most popular cockney slang still used today was "porky pies" but only 13% (260 people) of all the people interviewed were still using this phrase and 1 out of 10 people were still using the phrase "cream crackered". As there was such a low use of this slang out of the 2,000 people, it shows that cockney rhyming slang really is on the decline. Although, there are still new phrases being made and getting added onto the list of phrases, these include things like; "he was wearing his Barack Obamas" - this shows that even tho the use of cockney slang is on the decline, people who are still using it and modernizing it.
Task 2
Q1 - What does Nikesh Shukla believe has happened to Cockney rhyming slang?
From what he's saying, I'm getting the impression that he believes the language has migrated to the East of the country with the people and at the time more people were using it as they saw the language as new. But now, because it hasn't kept up with the times and hasn't changed to suit the new generations less people are using it. They may not be using it also because they see it as an old thing more so than a new as it hasn't recent;y migrated to them.
Q2 - What does he believe has replaced cockney rhyming slang.
Nikesh Shukla believes that things revolved around the internet are what have replaced the cockney rhyming slang. Music such as grime and hip hop are things he thinks have replaced it as the vocabulary they use within the music is being 'soaked up. He also believes things lime social media; Twitter, Facebook, blogging, streaming - he believes all of these things play a part in the replacing of the old slang. Within the social media and internet people are using different words and abbreviations to help get their points across much faster and in a more effective way of showing their emotions as that can't be portrayed through a text very easily. abbreviations include; OMFG, LOL, totes. etc. etc.
Q3 - What reasons does he give for this?
Nikesh Shukla states things like "bait". This noun makes it seem like people are being reeled in by something they like and once they get a hold of it they're trapped in the loop. Shukla also states that people need to "update" their slang to make it more "relevant" and "current" by saying these things eh telling people that they need to build on the old and make a new, new. He's saying that people are trying to make their won slang that suits them instead of staying in the past using older slang, they want to make things for themselves.
Q4 - What are the origins of MLE?
There are many origins for MLE and other types of slang. Lots of slang used in the past and being used currently are a result of multi-ethnolect. This means that's lost of languages have come together to make slang that can be good for everyone to use. Examples of slang we use in England from other countries include;
- "Wonga" - Romany
- "Shtoom" - Germany
- "Kasher "- Yidish
- Hindi - "Pukka", "Blighty", "Bandana", "Cushti".
These examples prove that different slang in England is the result of people migrating to England and sharing their languages with those in England creating new types of slang that everyone uses.
Task 3
Q1 - What are the main linguistic elements of MLE? Give some examples.
There appear to be two types of slang that is being used, the most common is youth slang but "core users" of MLE have it as a type of accent and their dialect - MLE isn't necessarily slang, it's just the mix of languages. In this article there is a little section called, "Blud, your endz is bare cotch' - Vocabulary for MLE learners." These words mean;
- Blud = friend
- Endz = neighbourhood
- Bare = very
- Cotch = relax
Meaning the whole sentence in standard English would be; Friend, your neighbourhood is really relaxed"?
Q2 - What has it developed from?
Lots of the slang we see nowadays appears to be originated from Afro-america and/or Jamaica. The only difference for the slang in London is that the pronunciation is different due to the accents over here. However, MLE can be developed from a young age and appears to be most present within schools that have over 50% of students that have English as their second language. This process would make MLE and slang seem "home grown" as it;s developed from a mix of languages and accents heard in some parts in London.
Q3 - Why do people use it?
People may use it just because that's where they were raised and that's the dialect they use or, they could be using it as a type of wall to be able to put up with failure and discrimination. Emine Sinmaz uses a quote from Mr Kerswill that states "A lot of the core speakers are in the East Enf of London, where they have low opportunities, and so one of the mechanisms when people find themselves unable to progress in life or [are] discriminated against is to speak differently, to use that as an exclusionary strategy"
Q4 - How can you relate this to William Labov? Write a short paragraph explaining how Labov's findings on Martha's vineyard in 1961 apply here.
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