James Milroy: Some new perspectives on sound change: sociolinguistics and the Neogrammarians.
146-160.

Why does Milroy say that sound change appers to have no “obvious function or
rational motivation” (146)?

Because sound changes happen anyway, and most of them seem to have no motivation, such as in the example Milroy gives in a change from [e:] to [i:].

What is/are the main difference/s between Milroy’s approach and that of the
Neogrammarians (147-148)?

 The main difference between them and Milroy: Milroy thinks it is people who changes language. Neogramarians think that it is language who changes itself. They try to eparate language from speakers, as they are interested only in language. 

According to Milroy, what is language change dependent on? (149?)

 Depends on people cohesion. If it is strong it will be harder to change it.

Why does Milroy say that sound change actually doesn’t exist (150)?

 Milroy sais that what we get is a replace from one sound to another. 

Why does Milroy disagree with the Neogrammarians when they say that sound
change is “blind” (150)?

 He sais sound change is not explanable only as a linguistic phenomenon, but also a social phenomenon. Here is where Milroy disagree with the Neogramarians, as they say language change doesn’t have a thing to do with any social phenomenon.

What is meant by “lexical diffusion” (151)?

 Sounds replaced in words. For example, in similar words with similar sounds, that sound is replaced.

What does dialect displacement mean? Give an example. (152)

 The displacement of one dialect by another that is socially dominant at some particular time. For example. the displacement of Valencian in favour of Spanish.

What are “community” or “vernacular” norms? What term that we have used in class
is similar (152)?

 It is the language that is spoken in natural way. Not being codify, nonstandard that depends on the community.

What does Milroy mean when he says that h-dropping may not ever reach
“completion” (153)?

 He means that it may not reach a conensus in the social norm, as s. Speaking without /h/ is not acceptable in some places.

Explain what Milroy means by “speaker innovation” and change in the system. How
are they connected (153)?

He sais both terms reflect a conceptual distinction. Innovation is an act of the speaker, and change is manifested in the language system.

Why isn’t borrowing from one language to another and the replacement of one
sound by another through speaker innovation with a language as radically different
as the Neogrammarians posited (154-6)?

What is necessary for a sound to spread (157)?

Why does believing in the ideology of standardization lead to believing in “blind
necessity” (158)?

What does Milroy mean by “clean” and “dirty” data (158)?

Clean data refers to language that has already been normalized, and with dirty data refers to irregular language.