the social networkMeaning changes in English
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Abstract: As other languages in the world, English changes as times goes by. English formed and developed over many centuries into the form today. Studying the changing principles of words of English would help us acquire further awareness of English lexicon and do good to our language acquirement.
Key words: meaning changes types caus
1. Introduction
Vocabulary is the most unstable element of language as it is undergoing constant changes both in content and form. Of cour, some meanings remain much the same for a long time becau the referents to which they direct us do not change. Frequently, an old form or words are presd into new rvice when a new linguistic need is felt. When a word los its old meaning and comes to refer to something different, the result is a change in word meaning. 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.
2. Types of meaning changes
2.1 Extension of Meaning /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. For example，Manuscript originally means handwriting (writing by hand only) while its prent meaning is any author’s writing whether written by hand or typed with a type-writer or a word-processor. Salary was (Original) a sum of money given to Roman soldiers to enable them to buy salt; and is (prent) fixed payment made by employer at regular intervals to employees.
A large proportion of polymous words of modern English have their meanings extended sometime in the cour of development. Some words are generalized to such a degree that they can mean almost everything.
(1) She is such a pretty little thing.
(2) I have to pack my things for the journey.
(3)There is another thing I want to ask you about.
captain什么意思(4)That only makes things wor.
(5)The thing is, can we finish the job in time?
In the above ntences, “Thing” which ud to mean “a public asmbly” or “a council” in Anglo-Saxon times, now has become an all-purpo word. Its meaning is so general, and we sometimes call this noun a ‘light noun’.he English people are of a mixed blood. The early inhabitants of the island we now call England were Britons, but in fact all the races were the invaders came from Europe. Nobody knows very much about Britain before the Romans came during the first century BC, but there had been at least three invasions before that. The first of the was by a dark-haired Mediterranean race called the Iberians. The other two were by Celtic tribes: one is Gaels, who descendants are the modern Scots and Irish; another is the Britons, who gave their name to the whole island o
f Britain. The were the people whom the Romans conquered. The Romans gave the Britons a good deal of their civilization. Then at the beginning of the fifth century Britain was invaded by three tribes from the northern Europe: the Angles, the Saxons, and the Jutes. The three tribes merged into one people, and the three dialects they spoke naturally grew into a single language, the English language.
2.2 Narrowing of Meaning
It is a process by which a word of wide meaning acquires a narrow or specialized n. In other words, a word which ud to have a more general n becomes restricted in its application and conveys a special concept in prent-day English. The following chart provides us definite demonstration.
Example | Original Meaning | Meaning after Narrowing |
meat | 五年级英语手抄报food | flesh of animals |
dia | discomfort | illness |
wife | woman | married woman | 考博士的条件
accident | event | unfortunate event |
| outlander | | lead in
In a word, both extension and narrowing of meaning are talking about the changes in conceptual meaning.
站在烦恼里仰望幸福
Next we will talk about the changes in associative meaning.
2.3 Elevation of Meaning
It is the process by which words ri 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. Meanwhile the territorial expansion of the English empire in this period resulted in the expansion of the English vocabulary. Thus, there are many words flow into English vocabulary, which includes American Indian words, Mexican words, Peru words, Brazil words, India and African words.The nineteenth and twentieth centuries are a period of rapid expansion for the English vocabulary in the history of the English language. In this period many changes have taken place. Especially the great development of science and technology is reflected in the English vocabulary.Besides, the great changes in industry, in political and
social lives, in sports and amuments all have contributed a great deal to the English vocabulary.Since the Second World War the English vocabulary has been affected powerfully by social, political, economic, especially scientific and technical changes. The English vocabulary not only changes, but also changes quickly in this period. Thousands of new words are added, existing words acquire new meaning and old words die out.
Till now, the English vocabulary is still changing, some words come out and some die out. In a word, as society is constantly in a state of development, so is language. Society depends on language for its existence. As society develops new objects are created that require the invention of new words and expressions. Therefore, the changing of English vocabulary is an endless changing process
Nice: ignorant --- foolish --- delightful, pleasant
Marshal: a keeper of hors --- a high ranking army officer
Constable: a keeper of hors --- a policeman
2.4 Degradation of Meaning
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It is a process whereby words of good origin or affective neutrality fall into ill reputation or come to be ud in a derogatory n. For instance,
Silly: blesd and happy--- innocent----simple or simple-minded ----foolish
Sad: full, satisfied, contented ----- calm ------ rious ----sorrowful
2.5Transference of Meaning
Some words which were ud to designate one thing but later changed to mean something el have experienced the process of mantic transfer, known as transference or transfer of meaning. The types of transference include Associated Transfer, Transfer between Abstract and Concrete Meanings, Transfer between Subjective and Objective Meanings and Synesthesia.
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