Changes in Word Meaning

1. 7 Changes in Word Meaning

2. Changes in Word Meaning • Vocabulary: • 1. most unstable element of a language • 2. undergoing constant changes both in form and content • 3. Comparatively, meaning even more unstable

3. Changes in Word Meaning • Quirk :‘...almost every word we use today has a slightly different meaning from the one it had a century ago, and a century ago it had a slightly different meaning from the one it had a century before that’ .

4. Changes in Word Meaning • Shakespeare’s use: • The rivals of my watch, bid them make haste… • rival = partner • Thus twice before, and jump at this dead hour… • jump = just

5. Changes in Word Meaning • How pregnant sometimes his replies are… • pregnant = meaningful

6. 7.1 Types of Change 1.Extension • extension= generalization: • change from a specific meaning to a more general one

7. 1.Extension • manuscript = hand + writing • 1) first draft written by hand • 2) writing by any means

8. 1.Extension • lady1) mistress • 2) woman • e.g. saleslady; lady novelist; • ladies’ room=ladies • salary:money given to Roman soldiers to buy salt

9. 1.Extension • Holiday:1) Holy Day • 2) any day or days without work or study

10. 1.Extension • Technical terms used as common words: • feedback (computer) = response • allergic (medicine) = averse to anything

11. 2. Narrowing • Narrowing= specialization: • change from a general meaning to a specific meaning • wife woman → a married woman • e.g. The Merry Wives of Winsor • 《温莎的风流娘儿们》 • housewife; midwife

12. 2. Narrowing • actordoer • memorymemory in computer • shroudcloth • cloth for wrapping the corpse • aprivate = a private soldier • a gold = a gold medal

13. 3. Elevation • elevation=amelioration: • change • from negative to positive • from derogatory to appreciative • from neutral to appreciative • from unimportant to important

14. 3. Elevation • governor pilot • head of a state • minister servant • head of a ministry • lordloaf giver

15. 4. Degradation • degradation=pejoration: • change • from appreciative to pejorative • from positive to negative • from important to unimportant • from neutral to negative

16. 4. Degradation • criticize appraise • find fault with • villainworker at a villa • wicked person/ scoundrel • cunningskillful • sly • queenhomosexual wife

17. 5. Transfer/transference • Transfer = transference: • meaning shift from one thing to another

18. 5. Transfer/transference • Types of Transfer • 1. Associated transfer • the meaning is transferred through association • to dog追踪 • to monkey戏弄

19. 5. Transfer/transference • to ape模仿 • to fox欺骗 • theteeth of a comb 梳齿 • the tonguesof fire 火舌 • teethandtonguessemantically motivated

20. 5. Transfer/transference • 2. Transfer between abstract and concrete meaning • aftermath • second crop of grass after mowing (concrete) • result or consequence (abstract)

21. 5. Transfer/transference • envy • feeling of such(abstract) • a person to be envied (concrete) • e.g. Mary is the envy of the class. • (concrete)

22. 5. Transfer/transference • 3. Transfer between subjective and objective meaning • The old man is hateful. • The old man is hated by people. • The old man receives hate. • (objective)

23. 5. Transfer/transference • The teacher was suspicious of the student’s excuse. • The teacher suspected the student’s excuse. (subjective)

24. 5. Transfer/transference • Characteristics of verbs: • subjective:having • showing • full of • objective: causing • deserving • bringing

25. 5. Transfer/transference • painful objective • considerate subjective • respectable objective • respectfulsubjective

26. 5. Transfer/transference • courageous subjective • dangerous objective • suspicioussubjective/objective • fearfulsubjective/objective • doubtful subjective/objective

27. 5. Transfer/transference • The man lookssuspicious as his behavior is unusual. • (objective) • The neighbours are suspicious of the man as his behaviour is unusual. • (subjective)

28. 5. Transfer/transference • The teacher was doubtful1of the doubtful2 excuse of the student. • (1) subjective • (2) objective

29. 5. Transfer/transference 4. Synesthesia a transfer of sensation from sense to another sense • clear-sounding from sight to hearing • loud colours from hearing to sight • sweet music from taste to hearing

30. 7.2 Causes of Changes7.2.1Extra-linguistic Factors • 1. Historical reason • sun • the luminous heavenly body—one of the seven planets revolving around the earth • The sunrises and sets.

31. 7.2.1Extra-linguistic Factors • a star around which the earth and other planets revolve... (WNWD) • atom from atomos(Greek) • any of the indivisible particles

32. 7.2.1Extra-linguistic Factors • 2. Class reason • churl‘peasant’‘free man’‘uncultivated or mean person’ • hussy‘housewife’ • ‘woman of low morals’ • wench‘country girl’ • ‘prostitute’

33. 7.2.1Extra-linguistic Factors • 3. Psychological reason • garbage collector • sanitation engineer • barberbeautician • policeman custodian of law • poor people the unprivileged

34. 7.2.1Extra-linguistic Factors • dog informer • arse despised prisoner • square-headhonest man

35. 7.2.2 Linguistic Factors • 1. Shortening • goldgold medal • bulblight bulb

36. 7.2.2 Linguistic Factors • 2. Borrowing • deernarrowed from ‘animal’ • animal (L)keeping the same meaning • beast (F)changed in colour • pig/pork sheep/mutton cattle/beef

37. 7.2.2 Linguistic Factors • 3. Analogizing • fruition • (1)a pleasure obtained from using or possessing something • (2) the bearing of fruit • (visual similarity and association)

38. END