- •1) Subject of lexicology. Interconnection between lexicology and other branches of linguistic science
- •2)Conversion
- •3)Latin borrowings in the English vocabulary
- •4) Composition
- •5) French and scandinavian borrowings
- •10) What is semantics?
- •6) Semi-affixes
- •7) International words and etymological doublets
- •8) Polysemy as linguistic phenomenon
- •9) Affixation. Native productive affixes
- •11) Semantics of affixes
- •12) The Germanic element in the English vocabulary
- •13) Shortenings, reduplication and back formation.
- •14) Types of semantic components.
- •15) The process of development of new meaning of words
- •16) Antonymy
- •17) The process of change of meaning of words
- •19) Transference based on resemblance (similarity)
- •20) Proverbs and their difference from phraseological units
- •21) Transference of meaning based on contiguity
- •23) Broadening and narrowing of meaning
- •24) The traditional classification of homonyms
- •25) Degradation and elevation of meaning
- •26) The Indo-European element
- •27) Criteria of synonymy
- •28) Classification of homonyms
- •29) Types of connotations of groups of synonyms
- •31) Latin affixes in the English language
- •32) The conditions stimulating the borrowing process
- •33) French affixes in the English language
- •34) Sources of homonyms
- •35) The way borrowed words adopt themselves in the recipient language.
- •36) The principle productive ways of word-building in the English language
17) The process of change of meaning of words
All cases of development or change of meaning are based on some association. In the history of the word ‘carriage’ the new traveling conveyance was associated in people’s minds with the old one: horse-drown vehicle – part of a railway train. Both these objects were related to the idea of traveling. The job of both, the horse-drawn carriage and the railway carriage is the same – to carry passengers on a journey. So the association was logically well-founded. ‘Stalls’ and box formed their new meanings on the basis of a different type of association. The meaning of a word ‘box’ (a small separate enclosure forming a part of the theatre) developed on the basis of its former meaning ‘rectangular container, used for packing or storing things’. The second object became associated in the speaker’s minds, because boxes in the earliest English theatres really resembled packing cases. They were enclosed on all sides and heavily curtained even on the side facing the audience so as to conceal the privileged spectators occupying them from curious or insolent stares. The original meaning of ‘stalls’ was compartment in stables for the accommodation of animals. In the olden times the part of the theatre which is regarded as the privileged and expensive part today was standing space, divided by barriers into sections, so as to prevent the enthusiastic crowd from knocking one another down and hurting themselves. So there was a certain outward resemblance between theatre stalls and cattle stalls. It’s also possible that the word was 1st used humorously or satirically in this new sense.
19) Transference based on resemblance (similarity)
The process of development of a new meaning or a change of meaning is traditionally termed transference. There are 2 types of transference of a word, based on logical associations. 1) The first is transference based on similarity. This type of transference is also called linguistic metaphor. A new meaning appears as a result of associating 2 objects (phenomena, qualities) due to their outward similarity. The noun eye has one of its meanings - ‘hole in the end of a needle which also developed through transference, based on resemblance. A similar case – ‘the neck of a bottle’. The noun ‘drop’ (mostly in the plural form) has in addition to its main meaning ‘a small particle of water or other liquid’ the meanings: 1)earrings, shaded as drops of water and 2) candy of the same shape (mint drops). It’s clear that these meanings are also based on resemblance. Transference based on resemblance may be built not only on a association between 2 physical objects, but also between a concrete object and an abstract concept. For example, a branch is a subdivision of a tree or bush. Another meaning is a special field of science or art. And another meaning is a department of a business. The meanings formed through this type of transference are frequently found in the informal strata of the vocabulary, especially in slang. The slang meaning of many words was formed by transference based on resemblance. For example, nut and onion instead of head, sources instead of eyes, hoofs instead of feet.