The Hidden Grammar Rule English Speakers Don’t Know They Know

Summary

In this video, the host explores the quirky linguistic phenomenon of ablaut reduplication, where vowel shifts are applied to repeated words for playful effect. From classic examples like 'hip-hop' to lesser-known variations like 'flim-flam', the video delves into the patterns and origins of this curious grammatical feature. It highlights the front-to-back vowel shift and explains why we intuitively follow this pattern, despite not fully understanding why it exists. The video also touches on other forms of reduplication, like 'shm' and 'rhyming', while engagingly tying it all together with a fun, humorous tone.

Takeaways

• 😀 Ablaut reduplication is a grammatical phenomenon where vowel shifts occur between related words, like in 'sing-sang-sung'.
• 😀 Ablaut reduplication is commonly used in English to form verb tenses, such as 'give-gave-given'.
• 😀 Some nouns in English use ablaut to form plurals, such as 'goose-geese'.
• 😀 Reduplication is the repetition of a word or part of it, often for emphasis or effect, as seen in 'wah-wah' or 'wee-wee'.
• 😀 Exact reduplication involves repeating a word exactly, such as saying 'no-no' to a child.
• 😀 Rhyming reduplication creates playful or whimsical effects, as in 'teenie-weenie' or 'itsy-bitsy'.
• 😀 'Shm reduplication' comes from Yiddish and is used to dismiss or intensify the meaning of a word, such as 'tired-shmired' or 'fancy-schmancy'.
• 😀 Shm reduplication is productive, meaning it can be applied to any word, like 'YouTube' becomes 'ShmouTube'.
• 😀 Contrastive focus reduplication is used to emphasize the true form of something, like 'I want milk milk'.
• 😀 Ablaut reduplication follows a specific vowel shift pattern: starting with 'i', then 'a', then 'o', which gives a front-to-back mouth movement.

Q & A

What is ablaut reduplication?

Ablaut reduplication is when a word is repeated with a vowel shift, such as in 'chit-chat' or 'flip-flop'. It follows a specific vowel pattern where the first vowel is typically 'i', followed by 'a' or 'o'.

What is the basic principle behind ablaut?

Ablaut refers to the pattern of vowel changes in related words, such as 'sing-sang-sung'. The consonants stay the same, but the vowel changes to convey different meanings like tense, number, or other grammatical distinctions.

How does reduplication work in language?

Reduplication is the repetition of a word or part of a word for effect, such as 'wah-wah' or 'wee-wee'. It can serve various purposes, such as forming plurals in some languages or creating emphasis or a playful tone in English.

Can you give examples of reduplication used in different languages?

In languages like Malay and Mandarin, exact reduplication is used to form plurals. For example, 'rumah' (house) becomes 'rumah-rumah' (houses), and 'ren' (person) becomes 'renren' (people).

What is 'shm reduplication' and how is it used?

'Shm reduplication' involves adding 'shm' at the beginning of a word, often to dismiss or emphasize something. For example, 'tired' becomes 'tired-shmired' to downplay tiredness, or 'fancy' becomes 'fancy-schmancy' to exaggerate the level of fanciness.

Where did 'shm reduplication' originate from?

'Shm reduplication' originates from Yiddish-speaking communities in New York and has since become popular across the U.S. as a playful or dismissive way to modify words.

What is contrastive focus reduplication?

Contrastive focus reduplication emphasizes the first repetition to highlight a preference for the true form of something. For example, saying 'milk milk' implies a stronger desire for milk as opposed to oat milk.

What is the vowel shift order in ablaut reduplication?

In ablaut reduplication, the vowel shift follows a precise order: the first vowel is 'i', followed by 'a' or 'o'. This creates a front-to-back pattern in the mouth during pronunciation, as seen in phrases like 'pish-posh' or 'chit-chat'.

Why is the front-to-back vowel pattern significant in ablaut reduplication?

The front-to-back vowel pattern is significant because it is an intuitive rule that native English speakers follow, even though they might not be consciously aware of it. If the pattern is not followed, phrases like 'hop-hip' or 'criss-cross' sound unnatural.

What is the relationship between ablaut reduplication and the history of the English language?

Ablaut reduplication is a linguistic phenomenon that has evolved in English and other languages over time. While its origins remain unclear, it is a unique feature of the English language that contributes to its playful and flexible use of words.