The Importance Of Language Change

Languages are continually changing and developing, and these changes occur in many different ways and for a variety of reasons. Language change is detectable to some extent in all languages, and ‘similar paths of change’ can be recognised in numerous unrelated languages (Bybee, 2015, p. 139). Since users of language all over the world have ‘the same mental processes’ and ‘use communication for the same or very similar ends’ (Bybee, 2015, p. 1), similar changes occur on the same linguistic aspects, and in many cases these changes produce similar results in multiple languages. However, language change is limited by the function it performs. Languages must be learnt to such an extent which allows communication between the generation above and below one’s own (McMahon, 1994, p. 5). Hence language change is a gradual, lethargic process, as only small changes in

1st person singular grɔb
2nd person singular grebst
3rd person singular grebt
1st person plural grɔbn
2nd person plural grɔbt
3rd person plural grɔbn
(Fuss, 2005, p. 239)
Note the change in stem of the 2nd and 3rd person singular forms from the finite verb grɔben. Over time, these forms have become analogically levelled, resulting in a 2nd person singular of grɔbst and a third person singular of grɔbt (Fuss, 2005, p. 239). Once again, this analogical levelling performs the function of standardising the Yiddish language and making it much more uniform.
Analogical change can also occur on the morphological markers of a word, such as verb agreements. This change can be observed between the Old English and Modern English conjugation of the verb to sing and impacts the complexity of the paradigm, making the Modern English form recognisably more uniform. Old English Modern English
1st Person Singular singe sing
2nd Person Singular singest sing
3rd Person Singular singeþ sings
Plural singaþ