Barbarism (linguistics): Difference between revisions
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{{wiktionary|barbarism}} |
{{wiktionary|barbarism}} |
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'''Barbarism''' refers to a non-standard [[word]], [[sentence (linguistics)|expression]] or [[pronunciation]] in a [[language]],<ref>Usage note: the term ''barbarism'' is contrasted with ''barbarity'' as the two terms have different meaning. ''Barbarism'' specifically indicates a misuse of language, but also more generally indicates ''culturally lacking in refinement or distinction.'' In contrast, ''barbarity'' indicates ''a severity of cruelty or brutality'' that is generally unacceptable among a civilized people. (See etymology note ''infra'').</ref> particularly one [[Prescription (linguistics)|prescriptively]] regarded as an error in [[Morphology (linguistics)|morphology]], while a ''[[solecism]]'' is something prescriptively regarded as an error in [[syntax]].<ref>Livy's Patavinitas Kurt Latte ''Classical Philology'', Vol. 35, No. 1 (Jan., 1940), pp. 56-60</ref> The term is used mainly for the written language. With no accepted technical meaning in modern formal linguistics the term is little used by descriptive scientists. |
'''Barbarism''' refers to a non-standard [[word]], [[sentence (linguistics)|expression]] or [[pronunciation]] in a [[language]],<ref>Usage note: the term ''barbarism'' is contrasted with ''barbarity'' as the two terms have different meaning. ''Barbarism'' specifically indicates a misuse of language, but also more generally indicates ''culturally lacking in refinement or distinction.'' In contrast, ''barbarity'' indicates ''a severity of cruelty or brutality'' that is generally unacceptable among a civilized people. (See etymology note ''infra'').</ref> particularly one [[Prescription (linguistics)|prescriptively]] regarded as an error in [[Morphology (linguistics)|morphology]], while a ''[[solecism]]'' is something prescriptively regarded as an error in [[syntax]].<ref>Livy's Patavinitas Kurt Latte ''Classical Philology'', Vol. 35, No. 1 (Jan., 1940), pp. 56-60</ref> The term is used mainly for the written language. With no accepted technical meaning in modern formal linguistics the term is little used by descriptive scientists. |
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=Distinction from solecism= |
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| ⚫ | The word ''barbarism'' was originally used by the Greeks for foreign terms used in their language. ("Barbarism" is related to the word "barbarian"; the [[ideophone]] "bar-bar-bar" was the Ancient Greek equivalent of modern English "blah-blah-blah", meant to sound like gibberish —hence the negative connotation of both ''barbarian'' and ''barbarism'').<ref>See ''Barbarism'' (etymology) The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.</ref> As such, [[Anglicism]]s in other languages, or [[Gallicism]]s (such as using the verb ''to assist'' to mean ''to be present at'', cf. the [[French language|French]] ''assister''), [[Germanism]]s, [[Hispanism]]s, [[American English|Americanism]]s and so forth in [[English language|English]] can also be construed as examples of barbarisms. |
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A [[solecism]] is technically incorrect, but has become assimilated with time as language evolves, whereas a barbarism is just plain wrong. "His father should of used a condom" is a solecism. "Nucooler reactor" is a barbarism. |
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=Origin= |
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| ⚫ | The word ''barbarism'' was originally used by the Greeks for foreign terms used in their language. ("Barbarism" is related to the word "barbarian"; the [[ideophone]] "bar-bar-bar" was the Ancient Greek equivalent of modern English "blah-blah-blah", meant to sound like gibberish —hence the negative connotation of both ''barbarian'' and ''barbarism'').<ref>See ''Barbarism'' (etymology) The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.</ref> As such, [[Anglicism]]s in other languages, or [[Gallicism]]s (such as using the verb ''to assist'' to mean ''to be present at'', cf. the [[French language|French]] ''assister''), [[Germanism]]s, [[Hispanism]]s, [[American English|Americanism]]s and so forth in [[English language|English]] can also be construed as examples of barbarisms. |
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==Barbarisms in Russian language== |
==Barbarisms in Russian language== |
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Revision as of 04:42, 9 August 2010
Barbarism refers to a non-standard word, expression or pronunciation in a language,[1] particularly one prescriptively regarded as an error in morphology, while a solecism is something prescriptively regarded as an error in syntax.[2] The term is used mainly for the written language. With no accepted technical meaning in modern formal linguistics the term is little used by descriptive scientists.
Distinction from solecism
A solecism is technically incorrect, but has become assimilated with time as language evolves, whereas a barbarism is just plain wrong. "His father should of used a condom" is a solecism. "Nucooler reactor" is a barbarism.
Origin
The word barbarism was originally used by the Greeks for foreign terms used in their language. ("Barbarism" is related to the word "barbarian"; the ideophone "bar-bar-bar" was the Ancient Greek equivalent of modern English "blah-blah-blah", meant to sound like gibberish —hence the negative connotation of both barbarian and barbarism).[3] As such, Anglicisms in other languages, or Gallicisms (such as using the verb to assist to mean to be present at, cf. the French assister), Germanisms, Hispanisms, Americanisms and so forth in English can also be construed as examples of barbarisms.
Barbarisms in Russian language
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Russian language of noble classes was severely "barbarized" by French language.[4][5] During this period, speaking in French had become not only fashionable, it had become a distinction of a properly groomed person. One may see a prominent example of this in Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace. While the cream of the high society could afford themselves a genuine French gouvernante (teacher), the provincial "upper class" had problems with this. Still, the desire to show off their education produced what Griboyedov in his Woe from Wit termed "the mixture of the tongues: French with Nizhegorodian" (смешенье языков: французского с нижегородским). The French-Nizhegorodian was often used for comical effect in literature and theatre.
See also
Notes and references
- ^ Usage note: the term barbarism is contrasted with barbarity as the two terms have different meaning. Barbarism specifically indicates a misuse of language, but also more generally indicates culturally lacking in refinement or distinction. In contrast, barbarity indicates a severity of cruelty or brutality that is generally unacceptable among a civilized people. (See etymology note infra).
- ^ Livy's Patavinitas Kurt Latte Classical Philology, Vol. 35, No. 1 (Jan., 1940), pp. 56-60
- ^ See Barbarism (etymology) The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.
- ^ Lev Uspensky, A Word about Words, Ch. 8 Template:Ru icon
- ^ Карский Е. Ф., О так называемых барбаризмах в русском языке (краткий отчёт Виленской 2 гимназии), Вильна, 1886: