词汇学论文

题目: Semantic Change of English Words
学期2011/2012学年第一学期
科目英语词汇学
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摘要
语言作为人类表达思想和交流的工具随着人类社会的发展不断变化，在语言诸多要素中，词汇的变化是最快、最显著，这表现在新词的产生和旧词的消亡、借用外来词和旧词添新义。

本文首先介绍了词义变化的定义，然后介绍词义变化的历史原因和社会原因，最后介绍了词义变化的方式，同时主要通过介绍委婉语的词义变化，通过列举具体事例更好的了解词义变化的方式，使英语学习者能在日后的学习中，更好的了解英语词汇的意思并且正确的使用英语词汇，使英语学习更上一层楼。

关键词：语言；词义变化；委婉语；英语学习
Introduction
Languages are not confined in a fixed state, instead, they are not only constantly changing but also changes quickly. The most noticing change in the process of language development is the sematic change of words. Semantic change is a change in one of the meanings of a word. Every word has a variety of senses and connotations which can be added, removed, or altered over time, often to the extent that cognates across space and time have very different meanings.
Why the meaning of a word changed? Changes of meaning can be brought about by many cause. There are three major causes.
Historically,changes of lexical meaning can be illustrated by a diachronic development of words. Although objects, conceptions, ideals, etc. change at
course of time, but the meaning changes, because the object which it describe
has changed. Socially, it is natural that in the course of the development of
society a number of new words are needed to describe new ideas. Scientific
discoveries are a main kind of social cause. Psychologically, the speaker's
state of mind may bring about semantic changes.
(Feng shimei, P163-165)
In fact, we can see clearly from the euphemism to types of semantic changes. Euphemism is substitution of a word of more pleasant connotation for one of unpleasant connotation or avoided taboos. It is an important social cause of semantic changes. It is also the reflection of semantic change.
According to different semantic books, semantic change can be divided into many types. But types of semantic change generally can be divided into four types.
1.Generalization, for instance, alibi. A legal term signifying 'plea that the accused is not at the place when the crime is committed', has now come into common use, meaning any 'excuse'.
2.Specialization, for instance, barbarian was originally a vague designation for a 'foreigner of any kind', and later was specialized to mean an 'uncivilized person'.
3.Elevation, for instance, Chamberlain, now a 'high official of royal courts', was formerly a 'servant'.
4.Degeneration,for instance, cunning was originally 'knowing and skillful', and later was specialized to 'sly'.
Almost all the words concerning female are pejorative to use as euphemism for prostitute. For example, housewife, lady, girl, mistress, nun and so on. Even nurse, spinster, daughter, mother have the same meaning. The appearance of euphemism also change the meaning of the words that are used for pleasant connotation. Accident originally meaned 'in a way that is not planned or intended', now it means 'car accident or air accident such bad things'. Gay , the original meaning is 'happiness', later becomes the euphemistic statement of 'homosexual'.These are the example of degeneration.
We know more about euphemism is the euphemistic statement of death. Avoided the unpleasant felling of death, people think of many phrase to substitute death. For example, to be no more, to be deceased, to be gone, to pass away, to pass on, to lose one's life, to join the silent majority, to go the way of all flesh, to be gathered to one's fathers, to go west, to yield up the ghost, to go to one's last reckoning, to go hence, etc. So all these extend the vocabulary. Shakespeare wrote death his play Julius Caesar as surcease, taking-off. Another we know better is toilet, such as rest room, comfort room, comfort station, powder room. Go to the toilet only say "May I use the rest room?" or "May I wash my hands?" The real meaning of "Commit no nuisance!" which sticks on the wall is "no peeing! " The euphemistic statement of pregnant is big, big with child, expectant, great, great with child, heavy, heavy with child, laden, in the family way, in an interesting condition, being with child.
There are a lot of euphemism concerning unpleasant professions. Garbage collector became sanitation engineer or barbologist in America, while in England it became disposal operative; Gardener became landscape architect; Servant became engineer. Hairdresser becomes beautician; Foreman became plant superintendent; shoemaker became shoes rebuilders;Undertaker became funeral undertaker,mortician, funeral director. These are a kind of specialization.
Some euphemisms are concerning the life in society. People think of some phrase for avoiding empressement.The disadvantaged , the underprivileged and the low-income group for the poor people. Forgotten man for the people who doesn't have a job. Upward price readjustment for rise of prices. Culturally deprived environment for slum. Food insecure for starve. Pre-owned car for second-hand car. Termination of employment, declaring staff redundant for firing. Medically indigent person for people who can't afford for medicine.
Above all, we can see many phrases are created which reflect euphemism is a cause of semantic change.
Conclusion
In a word, semantic change is an important part of change of English words. From this paper, first we know the definition of semantic change. Second, the cause of semantic change. Last, we talk about the relation between euphemism and semantic change. At the same time, we talk bout the types of semantic change. In a word, the relation between euphemism and semantic change in this paper we talk about is that euphemism is an important cause of semantic change, and is the reflection of semantic change
While semantic change was, due to its apparently complete unpredictability, for a long time the black sheep of the family of areas of language change, as a result of recent developments it is now very well respected, and as such is likely to attract a lot more research in the future.
References
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Foreign Language Education Press,1997.
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University of Geosciences Press,2007.
[5]Freeborn, Dennis. From Old English to Standard English[M].Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.2002。