Understanding Language Standardisation in English

Developing any language requires a standard to make it official and widely accepted. Einar Haugen proposed a model with four key stages of standardisation. Later on, linguists James and Lesley Milroy updated his model to reflect real life language development better.

Stage One: Selection

The first stage is selection, which means choosing one dialect to become the standard. Like many languages, English has a variety of dialects such as regional and social class ones. One dialect has to be chosen to be used between different groups of people. It usually becomes the powerful one, used in education, government, and official settings.

Stage Two: Codification

Codification means setting the grammar rules and vocabulary of the chosen dialect. These rules are often recorded in dictionaries and grammar books. The goal is to give the dialect a written form that can be taught in schools and used in official documents.

Stage Three: Elaboration

In this stage, the language is expanded to fit all types of communication such as science, law, media, education, and more. New words might be added, or old words might get new meanings to keep up with different needs and contexts.

Stage Four: Implementation

This stage is about putting everything into practice. It means spreading the standard dialect and encouraging people to use it. The goal is to reduce variation and make the chosen dialect the normal or correct one in public life.

The Milroys' Extra Stage: Prescriptivism

James and Lesley Milroy pointed out that these four stages don’t always happen in a straight line. They also added a fifth stage called prescriptivism. This is when rules are set to protect the standard and judge other varieties as incorrect or less proper. It's about keeping the standard language fixed and free from outside influence.