Lesson 14 Lexical semantics 2 Semantic change 2010-11 LINGUA INGLESE 1 modulo A/B Introduction to English Linguistics prof. Hugo Bowles Lesson 14 Lexical semantics 2 Semantic change
Lexical relations - polysemy Eye “Eye” is classified as one word with two different meanings. This happens when the difference in meaning is predictable or regular. There is a core meaning from which the other meanings (“eye” of a needle, “eye” of a tornado) can be predicted. Metaphors are often polysemous
Lexical relations -homonymy Bank The word “bank” in “river bank” and “Lloyd’s bank” are classified as two different words with separate meanings even though they have the same form. This is because the meaning of one form is not predictable from the meaning of another.
Polysemy or homonymy? mail pupil ear face tongue key charge run
Original languages alcohol Arabic boss Dutch croissant French lilac Persian piano Italian pretzel German robot Czech tycoon Japanese yoghurt Turkish zebra Bantu
Semantic borrowing ofis khobbi boykot Russian rajio konpyu-ta kissu Japanese le zapping le midwife le showbiz French
Calques - loan translations from skyscraper to grattaciel from ubermensch to superman from hot dogs to perros calientes from boyfriend to boifurendo
Grammaticalisation what’s the rule? Singular Plural Italian Plural English pizza pizze pizzas hamburger amburger hamburgers walkman walkman? walkmans? panino panini panino(e)s panini(e)s
What has happened to the meaning in these cases ? (1) BEFORE NOW thing public assembly any entity companion someone who eats with you any friend broadcast to sow seeds in a field to transmit by media
Broadening These words have broadened their meaning. In Olde English the word dogge use to refer to one breed of dog. It now refers to all breeds
What has happened to the meaning in these cases ? (2) BEFORE NOW mete any kind of food a specific kind of food (meat) wife any woman a married woman
Narrowing In these cases the words have narrowed their meaning from a general meaning to a more particular one
What has happened to the meaning in these cases ? (3) BEFORE NOW villein servant criminal notorious famous unfavourably well-known vulgar ordinary crude, bad-mannered
Deterioriation/Pejoration The word has developed a negative connotation over time
What has happened to the meaning in these cases ? (4) BEFORE NOW mischievous disastrous naughty
Amelioration The word has developed a more positive connotation over time
Processes of change Broadening - when a word widens its meaning (thing) Narrowing - when a word becomes more specialised (meat) Pejoration - when a word develops a negative connotation (vulgar) Amelioration - when a word loses a negative connotation (mischievous)
Why does change happen? Because the relation between form and meaning is arbitrary in language Because words are polysemous (they can have different meanings connected to a central meaning) Because children use words with broader meanings and these sometimes come into the language (broadening)
Other types of semantic change Euphemism Politically correct language
Euphemism cancer a long illness liar economical with the truth pornography strike a long illness economical with the truth adult video industrial action
Politically correct language Political correctness (often abbreviated to PC) is a term used to describe language or behaviour that is intended to provide a minimum of offence, particularly to racial, cultural, or other identity groups. A text that conforms to the ideals of political correctness is said to be politically correct.