Language divergence is a term used when talking about how a language breaks into different dialects and even other languages- often due to separation and a lack of interaction.
I believe that a persons language is influenced by a number of different factors, including: age, gender, region, and the natural human desire to fit in with those around us. I have said something similar to this in a previous blog post, but I emphasize this point because in my opinion nobody's language is dependent on just one factor... this is a real idea called intersectionality. People may use certain divergence tactics in their language to establish identity and enforce an 'us and them' mentality.
In the 1950s, an American linguist called William Labov travelled to an island lying about 3 miles off New England in the USA called 'Martha's Vineyard.'
He travelled there to research linguistic changes within sociological contexts and phonetic variation.
During his study, Labov found that there was a strong sense of regional pride... Labov realised that those who lived on the island permanently (up islanders and fishermen) where more likely to use diphthongs (a sound that is created by the combination of two vowels within a single syllable, in which the sound begins as one vowel and moves towards another- as in day, boy, and how)
As well as using diphthongs when speaking, locals would also exaggerate certain parts of their accents to diverge and separate themselves from the tourists who came to visit.
Another example of divergence was identified by a man named Kevin Watson. Watson is a sociolinguist who researched the Liverpudlian accent. In his research, Watson split participants into two different groups, those aged sixty to seventy and those aged sixteen to seventeen. He focused on the /t/ sound that is present at the end of words.
In his research, he found that the younger generation of 'Liverpudlian Scousers' placed an emphasis on the salient features of the Liverpool accent, such as lenition. Lenition is where the /t/ sound sounds more like a 'h' because it sounds softer or weaker.
According to Kevin Watsons research, four percent more of the younger generation use the language feature glottal stopping in their speech, and twenty seven percent more use lenition.
After researching both of these studies, I have formed an opinion where i believe that language divergence is not always a conscious choice that we make, but rather a way we as people express our identity. It is linked to concepts and ideas like regional pride and the desire to include or exclude.
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