教案7ChapterVIILanguageChange

Chapter VII Language Change
I Teaching contents
In this chapter, we will cover the following two things:
1)Discuss language changes concerning sound, morphology and
syntax, vocabulary, etc.
2)
3)Try to find out the causes for language change.
II. Teaching procedure
1. General introduction
Language change is universal, continuous, and to a considerable degree, regular and systematic.
Language change is extensive, taking place in virtually all aspects ---- phonology, morphology, syntax, lexicon, and semantics.
Language change is universal, inevitable, and in some cases, vigorous, yet the truth of the matter is that it is never an overnight occurrence. It may be viewed as linguistic evolution from one stage to another.
2. Detailed study by asking and answering questions
1. What are the major periods in the history of English?
English has undergone dramatic changes throughout the three major periods of
Old English ( 450---1150)
Middle English (1150--- 1500)
Modern English (1500--- up to now)
Old English ( 450---1150): Old English dates back to the mid-fifth century when Anglo-Saxons invaded the British Isles from northern Europe. Many of the basic terms in the English language originate from Old English.
Middle English (1150--- 1500): Middle English began with the arrival of the Norman French invaders in England under William the Conqueror in 1066.
Modern English (1500--- up to now): What separated the period of Middle English from that of Modern English was not European military invasion, but European renaissance movement, a period of humanistic
revival of classical art , literature and learning whose influence reached England in the late 15th century.
2). What changes can be find through the development of language? Changes in phonology, morphology, syntax, lexicon and semantic system and grammar can be found.
1)Sound change--- the systematic and regular change in the vowel
sound
Middle English Modern English
Five fi:v faiv
Mouse mu:s maus
Feet fe:t fi:t
Mood mo:d mu:d
Break brε:ken breik
Broke brοken brəuk
Name na:məneim
2)Morphological change
The case marking system in Old English was very complex. Take the word stãn (stone) for example
Case(格) OE case suffixes OE case suffixes
(singular form) (plural form)
Nominative(主格) stãn stãn-as
Genitive (所有格) stãn-es stãn-a
Dative (与格) stãn-e stãn-um
Accusative(宾格) stãn stãn-as
3)Syntactic change:
a. Change in negation rule
I deny it not.
Forbid him not.
I love thee not.
He saw you not.
b. Process of simplification
lust( pleasure ) + baere →lustbaere (agreeable)
mund (protection) +bora →mundbora (protector)
4). Vocabulary change
a. Addition of new words:
1) coinage(创新词)
2) clipped words(缩略词)
3) blending(紧缩法)
4) acronyms (词首字母缩略词)
5) back-formation (逆构词法)
6) function shift( 功能转换)
7) borrowing or loan word (借用词)
b. Loss of words
c. Changes in the meaning of words
1) widening of meaning 词义的扩大
2) narrowing of meaning词义的缩小.
3) meaning shift 意义的转换
a. Addition of new words:
1) coinage(创新词) : word often coined from the brand-name or trade –mark of a product or in association with social and political needs, internet or computer language. E.g.
Walkman Kodak Xerox Ford e-mail DVD
taikonaut Golden week euro
2) clipped words(缩略词): the abbreviation of longer words or phrases. E.g.
prof--- professor sci fi---science fiction
hi-fi---high fidelity zoo---zoological garden
3) blending(紧缩法): word formed by combining parts of other words. E.g. flurry---flutter+hurry
smog---smoke + fog
motel--- motor+ hotel
brunch---breakfast+lunch
comsat---communication+satellite
videophone---video+telephone
grumble---growl+rumble (抱怨,嘀咕)
dumfounded---dumb+confounded
flaunt---fly+vaunt (夸耀)
Bakerloo---Baker street+Waterloo (伦敦地铁)
4) acronyms (词首字母缩略词): words derived from the initials of several words.
E.g.
SARS---severe acute respiratory syndrome
radar---radio detecting & ranging
UFO--- unidentified flying object
WHO--- World Health Organization
WTO--- World Trade Organization
IT---information technology
5) back-formation(逆构词法): words coined from already existing words by “subtracting” an affix thought to be part of the old word. E.g.
edit---editor beg--- beggar
hawk---hawker butch---butcher
burgle----burglar
cobble----cobbler(修鞋匠)
housekeep---housekeeping
globe-trot ---globe-trotter(环球旅行者)
6) function shift( 功能转换): words shifting from one part of speech to another without the addition of affixes.
noun-verb: Get some paper to paper the room.
noun-adv. He reads the People’s Daily daily.
7) Borrowing or loan word (借用词): words borrowed from one language from another. E.g. (P. 100)
About the loan words from Chinese into English
b. Loss of words
soap flakes wash board rumble
c. Changes in the meaning of words
1) widening of meaning
+ specific +general
Holiday: holy day any rest day
Tail: horse any animal
Bribery: 给乞丐的残羹剩饭行贿
Economy: 家庭料理经济
Orientation:向东方向
2) narrowing of meaning
a. …mice and rats and such small dear
--- King Lear
b. gear--- habits(习惯)/manners(风俗)→equipment (设备)→apparel(服饰)→armor(盔甲)→harness(马具)→or any kind of tool or apparatus →automobile gears(汽车排档)
原义缩小后的意义
Garage 安全地方车库
Liquor 液体酒
Poison 饮料毒药
Stink 任何一种气味臭气
Hospital 供旅游者休息娱乐场所医院
3) meaning shift
elevation意义提升
原来意义提升意义Shrewd wicked, malicious keen-witted Inn pub /hotel Holiday Inn Nice ignorant good degradation意义降格
原来意义降格意义Silly happy; naïve foolish
Lust pleasure evil desire Immoral not customary not good /right
3. Some recent trends
a. Moving towards greater informality;
b. The influence of American English;
c. The influence of science and technology:
1). Space travel;
2). Computer and internet language;
3). Ecology
4. Causes of language change:
a. development of science & technology
b. social & political needs
c. more neutral job titles
d. economy of memory
e. theory of least effort
factors contributing to the change:
a. lexical addition;
b. borrowing;
c. simplification of grammar;
d. elaboration( to maintain intelligibility )
Supplementary examples:
Network Language:
偶---
稀饭---
果酱---
片片---
灌水---
抓狂---
如花---
恐龙---
青蛙---
我倒---
我闪---
干色摸---
烘培鸡---
温98---
BT-----
GF----
BF----
PK----
CU----
DL----
btw---
PF---
PM---
SJB---
ing---
zzZZz---
4242---
7456---
748---
886/88---
847---
55555---
1414---
3166---
9494---
8错---
3H学生---
me2---
Exercise 1.
Identify its semantic change as an instance of narrowing, broadening, or shift.
Word Earlier meaning Type of change
1.accident an event
2.aunt father’s sister
3.baggage a worthless person
4.box a small container made of boxwood
5.butcher one who slaughters goats
6.carry transport by cart
7.moody brave
8.seduce persuade someone to
desert the duty
9.sell give
10.shrewd wicked
Exercise 2. For each word ,look up its origin in a dictionary that provides etymological information ( The American Heritage dictionary) and decide from
what language they are borrowed into English?
1.alarm
2.check
3.giraffe
4.blouse
5.cabin
6.algebra
7.denim 8.dinosaur 9.fact
10.ginger 11.astronaut 12.karate
13.ketchup 14.leviathan 15.pagoda
16.shampoo 17.size 18.sphere
19.sugar 20.whisky
Answers to Exercise 1
1. Identify its semantic change as an instance of narrowing, broadening, or shift. Word Earlier meaning Type of change
1.accident an event narrowing
2.aunt father’s sister broadening
3.baggage a worthless person shift
4.box a small container broadening
made of boxwood
5.butcher one who slaughters goats broadening
6.carry transport by cart broadening
7.moody brave shift
8.seduce persuade someone to shift
desert the duty
9.sell give narrowing
10.shrewd wicked shift
Exercise 2. For each word , look up its origin in a dictionary that provides etymological information( The American Heritage dictionary) and decide from what language they are borrowed into English?
1.alarm Latin
2.check Persian
3.giraffe Arabic
4.blouse French
5.cabin Latin
6.algebra Arabic
7.denim French 8.dinosaur Greek
9.fact Latin 10.ginger Greek
11.astronaut Greek 12.karate Japanese
13.ketchup Chinese 14.leviathan Hebrew
15.pagoda Portuguese 16.shampoo Hindi
17.size French 18.sphere Greek
19.sugar Sanskrit 20.whisky Scottish。