1. 2011-12 LINGUA INGLESE 1 modulo A/B Introduction to English Linguistics prof. Hugo Bowles Lesson 13 Lexical semantics 2 Semantic change

2. 2 Esonero 9.12 (AL), 10.12(MZ) – ore11-13 - nessuna prenotazione - portare libretto Preparazione powerpoints website readings summaries

3. 3 Original languages alcohol Arabic boss Dutch croissant French lilac Persian piano Italian pretzel German robot Czech tycoon Japanese yoghurt Turkish zebra Bantu

4. 4 Semantic borrowing ofiskhobbiboykotRussian rajiokonpyu-takissuJapanese le zappingle midwifele showbizFrench

5. 5 Calques - loan translations from skyscraper to grattaciel from ubermensch to superman from hot dogs to perros calientes from boyfriend to boifurendo

6. 6 Grammaticalisation what’s the rule? SingularPlural ItalianPlural English pizzapizzepizzas hamburgeramburgerhamburgers walkmanwalkman?walkmans? paninopaninipanino(e)s panini(e)s

7. 7 What has happened to the meaning in these cases ? (1) BEFORENOW thingpublic assembly any entity companionsomeone who eats with you any friend broadcastto sow seeds in a field to transmit by media

8. 8 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

9. 9 What has happened to the meaning in these cases ? (2) BEFORENOW meteany kind of food a specific kind of food (meat) wifeany womana married woman

10. 10 Narrowing In these cases the words have narrowed their meaning from a general meaning to a more particular one

11. 11 What has happened to the meaning in these cases ? (3) BEFORENOW villeinservantcriminal notoriousfamousunfavourably well- known vulgarordinarycrude, bad- mannered

12. 12 Deterioriation/Pejoration The word has developed a negative connotation over time

13. 13 What has happened to the meaning in these cases ? (4) BEFORENOW mischievousdisastrousnaughty

14. 14 Amelioration The word has developed a more positive connotation over time

15. 15 Processes of change 1. Broadening - when a word widens its meaning (thing) 2. Narrowing - when a word becomes more specialised (meat) 3. Pejoration - when a word develops a negative connotation (vulgar) 4. Amelioration - when a word loses a negative connotation (mischievous)

16. 16 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)

17. 17 Other types of semantic change Euphemism Politically correct language

18. 18 Euphemism a long illness economical with the truth adult video industrial action cancer liar pornography strike

19. 19 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.