NewArchive / 29 - The principle semantic processes
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The principle semantic processes.
Changes in the denotational M
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extention
arrive in old Eng was ‘to come by sea’
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restriction of M = narrowing
hound was ‘a dog of any breed’ ‘a dog used in the chase’
deer old Eng ‘a beast’ олень
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specialisation – the W with the new M comes to be used in the specialized
vocabulary of some limited group within the speech commumity
to glide ‘to move gently & smoothly’(restr+spec) ‘to fly with no engine’(a glider)
desemantisation – some features of the M are lost
awful –dreadful awfully need smth – ‘awfully’ is only an intensifier
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generalization – the W with the specialized M passes from the specialized vocabulary into common use
camp was a military term ‘the place where troops are lodged in tents’ (ext+gen) ‘temporary quarters’ (of travellers..)
the change in the connotational component may result in
deterioration=degradation – the acquisition by the W of some
T pejorative development of M derogatory emotive charge ['pi:dʒ(∂)r∂tiv]
boor was ‘a villager, a peasant’ ‘a clumsy, ill-bred fellow’
idiot ‘uneducated person’ now a curse W
amelioration = elevation – T ameliorative [∂'mi:lj∂r∂tiv]
development of M – T attitude to T referent is changed – T improvement of T connotational component of M
minister ‘a servant, an attendant’ ‘a civil servant of higher rank’
liberal – in the past ‘with loose morale’ now ‘open mind’
3.Nature of semantic change
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shift of M (сдвиг) ?
silly was ‘blessed’ (юродивый, блаженный) not clever
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transference (перенос) based on associations & metaphoric thinking
A necessary condition of any semantic change is some connection/association betw T old M & T new. Two types of association
Metaphor – transference based on similarity –one thing resembles another
The foot of the mountain hand of T clock
Metonimy – contiguity (сходство по смежности) – two referents are associated, one of which makes part of T other or is closly connected with it
We have a Picasso on the wall
the House members of T house