Master Jean Aitchison’s influential theories on language change with this comprehensive, ready-to-teach PowerPoint. Specifically designed for A-Level English Language (9093), this lesson tackles the debate between prescriptivism and descriptivism through Aitchison’s 1991 work, Progress or Decay?.
Key Features:
The Three Metaphors: Deep-dive analysis of the Damp Spoon Myth, the Crumbling Castle View, and the Infectious Disease Assumption.
PIDC Model: A clear breakdown of the process of change: Potential, Implementation, Diffusion, and Codification.
Theories of Change: Exploration of Functional Theory, Random Fluctuation, and Substratum Theory as drivers of linguistic evolution.
Linguistic Context: Integrates modern perspectives including William Labov’s research on overt/covert prestige and the S-Curve Model of language spread.
Exam-Ready Analysis: Encourages students to view language change as a “perpetual stalemate” between disruption and therapy rather than simple deterioration.
Interactive Content: Includes recap tasks on the Wave and Tree models, plus critical thinking prompts on how technology (e.g., predictive texting) accelerates change.
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