Damp spoon syndrome in Aitchison's framework refers to language change attributed to which of the following?

• A. Rapid policy-driven change
• B. Forced standardisation
• C. Sudden dramatic shift
• D. Laziness and sloppy usage

Answer: (D)

In Aitchison's framework, damp spoon syndrome captures language change that comes from laziness and sloppy usage by speakers. The idea is that everyday carelessness—slurred forms, casual contractions, lax attention to detail—spreads through language use and gradually changes norms. These changes are slow and cumulative, driven by how people actually speak and write, not by top-down interventions. That contrasts with rapid policy-driven change or forced standardisation, which involve external pressure, or with sudden dramatic shifts that occur in a short time. Aitchison also outlines infectious disease and curative processes as other mechanisms, but damp spoon specifically points to the slow drift caused by lazy usage—making laziness and sloppy usage the correct concept.