English Morphology and Lexicology Shaoguangqinggmail com www windofspring

English Morphology and Lexicology Shaoguangqing@gmail. com www. windofspring. weebly. com

Chapter 7 Changes in word meaning o 7. 1 Types of changes n n o 1)Extension 2)Narrowing 3)Elevation 4)Degradation 7. 2 Causes of changes n n 1)Extra-linguistic factors 2)Linguistic factors

Warm-up: Hamlet (Shakespeare) o The rivals of my watch, bid them make haste. n o Thus twice before, and jump at this dead hour. n o rival=partner jump=just; exactly as common as any the most vulgar thing to sense n vulgar=common

Warm-up: Hamlet (Shakespeare) o Take each man’s censure, but reserve thy judgment. n o I’ll wipe away all trivial fond records. n o censure=opinion fond=foolish How pregnant sometimes his replies are. n pregnant=meaningful

7. 1 Types of changes o o 1)Extension 2)Narrowing 3)Elevation 4)Degradation

1)Extension Specialized meaning Generalized meaning

Examples o manuscript n n o Old meaning: writing by hand New meaning: any author’s writing whether written by hand or typed with a type-writer or a word-processor fabulous n n Old meaning: resembling a fable[우언]; based on a fable New meaning: incredible; marvelous

Examples o barn n n o Old meaning: a place for storing only barley New meaning: a storeroom picture n n Old meaning: painting New meaning: drawings; photographs

2) Narrowing Specialized meaning Generalized meaning

Example o deer n n Old meaning: animal (rats and mice, such small deer) New meaning:

Example o corn n n Old meaning: grain (Br. E. ) New meaning: maize (Am. E. )

Example o garage n n Old meaning: any safe place (French) New meaning: a place for storing cars

3) Elevation (amelioration) New meaning Old meaning

nice delightful; pleasant foolish ignorant

marshal; constable High-ranking army officer; policeman the keeper of horses

4) Degradation (pejoration) Old meaning New meaning

boor peasant rule, ill-mannered person

churl peasant; free man uncultivated, mean person

wench country girl prostitute

hussy house wife woman of low morals

villain person who works in a villa evil or wicked person; scoundrel

5) Transfer Item 1 Item 2

associated transfer Item 1 lip Item 2 the lip of a wound

subjective-objective transfer pitiful Item 1 full of pity Item 2 deserving pity

transfer of sensations clear-sounding Item 1 sight Item 2 hearing

transfer of sensations loud colors Item 1 hearing Item 2 sight

7. 2 Causes of changes o 1) Extra-linguistic factors n n n historical reason class reason psychological reason

Historical reason pen

Historical reason car

class reason o The attitudes of classes have made inroads into lexical meaning in the case of elevation or degradation.

psychological reason copperhead A kind of snake Northern Peace Democrats who opposed the American Civil War (1861 -1865)

7. 2 Causes of changes o 2) Linguistic factors n n n shortening borrowing analogy

shortening o o gold medal →gold coal gas → gas light bulb →bulb private soldier→ private

borrowing o The influx of borrowings has caused some words to change in meaning. n n n deer pig/pork; sheep/mutton; cattle/beef bird/fowl; dog/hound; boy/knave; chair/stool

analogy o fortuitous n n o Happening by chance; accidental Fortunate fruition n n a pleasure obtained from using or possessing something the bearing of fruit