Language Evolution

noun a word or expression that is no longer in common use, typically from an earlier time period

• The use of 'thee' and 'thou' in modern English is considered an archaism.
• Using 'whilst' instead of 'while' is an archaism that some people still use.
• Dude, saying 'thy' instead of 'your' is such an archaism.
• In a world of constant change, holding onto archaisms can feel like a comforting link to the past.

noun a person who studies the history of words, their origins, and how their meanings have changed over time

• The etymologist studied the origins of words and their meanings.
• My friend is an etymologist and loves discovering the history behind words.
• I never knew being an etymologist could be so fascinating!
• As an etymologist of emotions, she delved into the roots of human feelings.

noun a constructed language created in 1879 by Johann Martin Schleyer

• Volapük is a constructed language that was created in the late 19th century.
• Have you heard of Volapük? It's a really interesting made-up language.
• I tried learning Volapük but it was too complicated for me.
• Trying to understand quantum physics felt like trying to decipher Volapük.

pronoun a word that can function by itself as a noun phrase and that refers either to the participants in the discourse (e.g., I, you) or to someone or something mentioned elsewhere in the discourse (e.g., she, it, this).

• It is important for individuals to take care of theirselves in order to maintain good health.
• They should really start looking out for theirselves before it's too late.
• They need to do what's best for theirselves and stop worrying about what others think.
• Sometimes people lose sight of theirselves in pursuit of success, but it's important to stay true to who you are.

noun QWERTY phenomenon - a term used to describe the pattern of letters on a keyboard, specifically the layout of the keys on a standard English-language keyboard

• The QWERTY phenomenon refers to the layout of keys on a standard keyboard.
• Have you ever noticed the QWERTY phenomenon on your computer keyboard?
• I can't type fast because of this QWERTY phenomenon!
• In the world of technology, the QWERTY phenomenon remains a constant presence.

noun a word formed by removing one or more syllables from the beginning or end of a longer word, often with an affix attached

• Affix-clipping is a linguistic process where a part of a word is removed to create a new word.
• I learned about affix-clipping in my linguistics class.
• Some people use affix-clipping to create trendy new words.
• In literature, affix-clipping can be used to symbolize the simplification of language.