英语词汇学第9讲
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(present) fixed payment made by employer at regular intervals to employees holiday
(original) holy day, a day of religious significance (present) day of festivity or recreation
Meaning degradation is a process by which words with appreciatory or neutral affective meaning fall into ill reputation or come to be used in a derogatory sense.
not? In what way are they related?
salt
salary
holy
holiday
awe
awesome awful (awesome/awful day?)
fond
foolish
nice
know <ne (Latin: not)+scire (Latin: know)
lady
full, satisfied, contented → calm → serious → sorrowful
Types of Change: Meaning Transference
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 of meaning.
glass a cup-like container or a mirror iron device for smoothing clothes
Types of Change: Meaning Elevation
Meaning elevation 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 to designate something agreeable or pleasant.
Meaning Extension
Generalization of meaning is also found in many technical terms, which are confined to specialized use. allergic
(original) too sensitive to medicine (present) averse or disinclined to
illness
wife
woman
married woman
starve to die
to die of hunger
accident event
unfortunate event
Meaning Narrowing
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.
“Thing” which used to mean “a public assembly” or “a council” in Anglo-Saxon times, now has become an all-purpose word.
Its meaning is so general, and we sometimes call this noun a light noun.
Lecture IX Meaning Change
1. Change of Meaning 2. Types of Change
Meaning Extension Meaning Narrowing Meaning Elevation Meaning Degradation Meaning Transference
Meaning Transference
e.g. the lip of a wound the tongues of fire the foot of a mountain
Motivations of Change
Changing word meaning has never ceased since the beginning of the language and will continue in the future.
The changes in meaning are gradual, and words are not changed in a day.
3. Motivations of Change
Internal linguistic factors external linguistic factors
Meaning Is Changing
Do you think the following two words are related or
Change of meaning refers to the alternation of the meaning of existing words, as well as the addition of new meaning to a particular word.
Meaning Is Changing
Meaning Extension
A large proportion of polysemous 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.
Types of Change: Meaning Narrowing
Meaning narrowing 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.
It’s also called Generalization of Meaning.
Meaning Extension
Examples: salary
(original) a sum of money given to Roman soldiers to enable them to buy salt
It’s also called specialization or restriction of meaning.
Meaning Narrowing
Example Original Meaning Meaning after Narrowing
meat
food
flesh of animals
disease discomfort
terrible --- terrific marshal
Terrific party
a keeper of horses --- a high ranking army officer
constable
a keeper of horses --- a policeman
Types of Change: Meaning Degradation
It’s also called degeneration or pejoration of meaning.
Meaning Degradation
Examples
silly blessed and happy → innocent →
simple or simple-minded → foolish sad
English Lexicology
Lecture IX
Meaning Change
Readings Task VIII Check
• Chapter 5 & 6 of A Survey of English Lexicology
• Key points in the book will be discussed next week
Meaning Extension
Example:
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?
Types of Change: Meaning Extension
Meaning extension is a process by which a word which originally had a specialized meaning has now become generalized or has extended to cover a broader concept.
Meaning Extension
alibi (original) a legal term signifying “the plea
that the accused is not at the place when the crime is committed” (present) excuse
Such adjectives have thus taken on specialized meanings. a general = a general officer an editorial = an editorial article
Meaning Narrowing
Some material nouns are used to refer to objects made of them and thus have a more specific sense.
It’s also called amelioration of meaning.
Meaning Elevation
nice
ignorant --- foolish --- delightful, pleasant
fond
foolish --- affectionate
awesome
Terrific headache
loaf
<loaf+kneader (lady)
lord
loafwenku.baidu.com
<lo(af+wa)rd (lord)
Meaning Is Changing
When a word loses its old meaning and comes to refer to something different, the result is a change in word meaning.
(original) holy day, a day of religious significance (present) day of festivity or recreation
Meaning degradation is a process by which words with appreciatory or neutral affective meaning fall into ill reputation or come to be used in a derogatory sense.
not? In what way are they related?
salt
salary
holy
holiday
awe
awesome awful (awesome/awful day?)
fond
foolish
nice
know <ne (Latin: not)+scire (Latin: know)
lady
full, satisfied, contented → calm → serious → sorrowful
Types of Change: Meaning Transference
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 of meaning.
glass a cup-like container or a mirror iron device for smoothing clothes
Types of Change: Meaning Elevation
Meaning elevation 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 to designate something agreeable or pleasant.
Meaning Extension
Generalization of meaning is also found in many technical terms, which are confined to specialized use. allergic
(original) too sensitive to medicine (present) averse or disinclined to
illness
wife
woman
married woman
starve to die
to die of hunger
accident event
unfortunate event
Meaning Narrowing
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.
“Thing” which used to mean “a public assembly” or “a council” in Anglo-Saxon times, now has become an all-purpose word.
Its meaning is so general, and we sometimes call this noun a light noun.
Lecture IX Meaning Change
1. Change of Meaning 2. Types of Change
Meaning Extension Meaning Narrowing Meaning Elevation Meaning Degradation Meaning Transference
Meaning Transference
e.g. the lip of a wound the tongues of fire the foot of a mountain
Motivations of Change
Changing word meaning has never ceased since the beginning of the language and will continue in the future.
The changes in meaning are gradual, and words are not changed in a day.
3. Motivations of Change
Internal linguistic factors external linguistic factors
Meaning Is Changing
Do you think the following two words are related or
Change of meaning refers to the alternation of the meaning of existing words, as well as the addition of new meaning to a particular word.
Meaning Is Changing
Meaning Extension
A large proportion of polysemous 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.
Types of Change: Meaning Narrowing
Meaning narrowing 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.
It’s also called Generalization of Meaning.
Meaning Extension
Examples: salary
(original) a sum of money given to Roman soldiers to enable them to buy salt
It’s also called specialization or restriction of meaning.
Meaning Narrowing
Example Original Meaning Meaning after Narrowing
meat
food
flesh of animals
disease discomfort
terrible --- terrific marshal
Terrific party
a keeper of horses --- a high ranking army officer
constable
a keeper of horses --- a policeman
Types of Change: Meaning Degradation
It’s also called degeneration or pejoration of meaning.
Meaning Degradation
Examples
silly blessed and happy → innocent →
simple or simple-minded → foolish sad
English Lexicology
Lecture IX
Meaning Change
Readings Task VIII Check
• Chapter 5 & 6 of A Survey of English Lexicology
• Key points in the book will be discussed next week
Meaning Extension
Example:
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?
Types of Change: Meaning Extension
Meaning extension is a process by which a word which originally had a specialized meaning has now become generalized or has extended to cover a broader concept.
Meaning Extension
alibi (original) a legal term signifying “the plea
that the accused is not at the place when the crime is committed” (present) excuse
Such adjectives have thus taken on specialized meanings. a general = a general officer an editorial = an editorial article
Meaning Narrowing
Some material nouns are used to refer to objects made of them and thus have a more specific sense.
It’s also called amelioration of meaning.
Meaning Elevation
nice
ignorant --- foolish --- delightful, pleasant
fond
foolish --- affectionate
awesome
Terrific headache
loaf
<loaf+kneader (lady)
lord
loafwenku.baidu.com
<lo(af+wa)rd (lord)
Meaning Is Changing
When a word loses its old meaning and comes to refer to something different, the result is a change in word meaning.