英语词汇学第七章

2. For economy, some phrases are shortened and only one element of the original, usually an adjective, is left to retain the meaning of the whole. Such adjectives have thus taken on specialized meanings. a general = a general officer an editorial = an editorial article
Transference of Meaning 词义的转移
Definition Some words which were used to designate one thing but later changed to mean something else have experienced the process of semantic transfer, known as transference or transfer of meaning. 有些词原指称某些事物，后来发生变化，转为指称另外 的事物，就是词义的转移。 Types of transference Associated Transfer 联想转移 Transfer Between Abstract and Concrete Meanings 抽 象含义与具体意义间的转移 Transfer Between Subjective and Objective Meanings 主观意义和客观意义间的转移 Synesthesia 通感
Both extension and narrowing of meaning are talking about the changes in conceptual meaning. Next we will talk about the changes in associative meaning.
3) Words commonized from proper names have experienced the same process. sandwich Sandwiched between this door and a window is a giant refrigerator. More examples: lynch, vandal
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When a common word is turned into a proper noun, the meaning is narrowed accordingly. “the City” means “the business center of London” “the Prophet” stands for “Mohammed”
Narrowing of Meaning 词义的缩小
It is a process by which a word of wide meaning acquires a narrow or specialized sense. In other words, a word which used to have a more general sense becomes restricted in its application and conveys a special concept in present-day English. 把词义范围较广的词缩小，表示特指，即过去具 有普遍意义的词变化后，现在仅仅表达特殊意义。
silly blessed and happy--- innocent----simple or simple-minded ----foolish sad full, satisfied, contented ----- calm ------ serious ---sorrowful
英语词汇学课程课件
课件名称：词义的演变 制作人：孙红梅、张培成 单位：曲阜师范大学外国语学院
Chapter 7
Changes in Word Meaning
Teaching Objectives • Let students understand and master types of changes in word meaning • Get to know the causes of changes Teaching Focus • Causes of changes • Types of changes: extension, narrowing, degradation, elevation, transference of meaning, euphemism. ° Extra-linguistic factors: historical reason, class reason, psychological reason ° Linguistic factors: shortening, redivision from borrowing, analogy
The changes in meaning are gradual, and words are not changed in a day. Lady (the hostess --- noblewoman --- wellcultivated woman --- woman)
an old lady or elderly lady a sales lady a cleaning lady lady’s room a lady novelist lady guests
Elevation of Meaning 词义的升华
It is the process by which words rise from humble beginnings to positions of importance. Some words early in their history signify something quite low or humble, but change as time goes by to designate something agreeable or pleasant. 词义的升华指词由贬义或中性转变为褒义。即， 有些词在历史上表示“卑微、下贱”之义，随着 时间的推移转为“惬意的，愉快的”。
1) A large proportion of polysemic words of modern English have their meanings extended sometime in the course of development. Some words are generalized to such a degree that they can mean almost everything.
百度文库 7.1 Types of Change


Extension of Meaning Narrowing of Meaning Elevation of Meaning Degradation of Meaning Transference of Meaning Euphemism
Extension of Meaning
nice ignorant --- foolish --- delightful, pleasant marshal a keeper of horses --- a high ranking army officer constable a keeper of horses --- a policeman
Generalization of meaning is also found in many technical terms, which are confined to specialized use. allergic (original) too sensitive to medicine 患过敏症的 (present) averse or disinclined to 反感的；厌恶的 alibi (original) a legal term signifying “the plea that the accused is not at the place when the crime is committed” (被告人不 在犯罪现场的证明) (present) excuse (借口)
Example meat disease wife accident
Original Meaning food 食物 discomfort 不适 woman 妇女 event 事件
Meaning after Narrowing flesh of animals 肉 illness 疾病 married woman 妻子 unfortunate event 事故
Manuscript (original) Handwriting( writing by hand only) (手稿) (present) Any author’s writing whether written by hand or typed with a type-writer or a word-processor (原稿) Salary (original) a sum of money given to Roman soldiers to enable them to buy salt (政府按时发给古罗马军人一些买 盐的钱) (present) fixed payment made by employer at regular intervals to employees (薪水)
Degradation of Meaning 词义的降格
It is a process whereby words of good origin or affective neutrality fall into ill reputation or come to be used in a derogatory sense. 这是一个词由原先表示中性意义或褒义转为表示贬义的过 程。
3.Some material nouns are used to refer to objects made of them and thus have a more specific sense.
silver glass iron silver dollar a cup-like container or a mirror device for smoothing clothes
词义的扩大
Generalization of Meaning It is a process by which a word which originally had a specialized meaning has now become generalized or has extended to cover a broader and often less definite concept. 一个原本具有特殊意义的单词的词义被延伸，范围扩大， 从而指代一种普遍意义语义变化过程。
1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6)
She is such a pretty little thing. I have to pack my things for the journey. There is another thing I want to ask you about. That only makes things worse. The thing is, can we finish the job in time? “Thing” which used to mean “a public assembly” or “a council” in Anglo-Saxon times, now has become an all-purpose word.