Language defines our entire being as it tells our scattered and varied history, the relationships we’ve have had the places we’ve lived, the social groups and identities we have belonged to. Depending on the accent you have, other people can tell where you adopted that accent. The language you use can tell somewhat of your upbringing and education standards (controversial). It can also cause your acceptance or rejection from the many and varied social groups.
When I talk about Language imprints it always reminds me of when some young people are out and about, they use phrases like “init bruv” and dat type of speak man to show how cool they actually are, and should be accepted because they are like everyone else. Of course, in some cases when they get home they are polite and use language properly. Eventually if someone tlk lke dis all the tym they will eventually adopt this manner of speaking in their everyday conversations. Therefore making an impact, imprint, footprint or timeline depending on how you would like to visualise it on their language.
I myself use varied Language, with a non-regional accent it’s quite hard to tell my exact location on a map (I’m from surrey) I also do lots of work in London so have adopted some traits of typical London lingo. I do lots of work with young people and when I’m with them my language changes a little to be more informal and simplistic. I do lots’ of writing and get to hang around with all my more educated than me school friends and people I have to do work with. All this impacts my linguistic personality. The really wonderful thing is, its constantly changing and storing every imprint of your life.
Have a look at people you know and see if you can see if people’s language stereotypes have affected their life decisions or peoples perception of them.
For example if someone has a “camp” soft voice some people unfortunately automatically assume they are homosexual. Are they?
People who annunciate well and have a full use of grammar people assume they are posh. Are they?
Has society, after listening to the persons language, coming to their own preconceptions, discriminated against that person, guided their life choices which will then affect their language even more?
Language is a uniquely human gift, central to our experiences of being human.
It’s true, almost everything people say and how they say it comes from the way they were brought up and can usually show hints of the lifestyle they have had. I totally agree about stereotyping soft camp voices, well spoken people get it alot too. Surrey rules with it;s non regional accent, how can anyone possibly hate it?
I don’t believe that’s entirely true, I was brought up in NW London yet I’m quizzed American when I’ve heared nought but years of the bbc, with enough I think I’m cockney mates to even land “moi” in jail. I like your points yet broaden your spectrum.
Jack aka. Pod