- •Questions
- •Identify the type of motivation in the following words. Group the words according to their type of motivation: 1) phonetical; 2) morphological; 3) semantic.
- •State what kind of association is represented in the following set of words:
- •Pick out the metaphors from the following combinations.
- •Explain the logical associations in the following groups of meaning for the same words.
- •Define the kind of association involved in the semantic change.
- •Identify the nature of semantic changes in the italicized words.
- •Analyze the meanings of the italicized words. Identify the result of changes of the denotational aspect of lexical meaning in the given words.
- •Analyze the meanings of the italicized words. Identify the result of changes of the connotational aspect of lexical meaning in the given words.
- •Read the following extracts and identify the nature and the results of semantic change in the denotational aspect of meaning.
- •Read the following extracts and identify the nature and the results of semantic change in the connotational aspect of meaning.
Read the following extracts and identify the nature and the results of semantic change in the connotational aspect of meaning.
Let us try and see what really stands before the examples of change of meaning which are traditionally given to illustrate deterioration or amelioration of meaning.
Knave: boy swindler, scoundrel;
Villain: farm-servant, serf base, vile person;
Silly: happy foolish
These examples show that the second meaning, in contrast with the one from which it developed, denotes a person of bad repute or character. Semantically speaking, the second meaning developed a negative evaluative connotation which was absent in the first one.
In the following cases the situation is reserved: the first meaning has a negative evaluative connotation, and the second meaning has not. It is difficult to see what is actually ‘elevated’ here. Certainly, not the meaning of the word:
Nice: foolish fine, good;
Tory: brigand, highwayman member of the Tories;
There are also some traditional examples in which even this readjustment cannot be traced.
Lord: master of the house, head of the family baronet (aristocratic title);
Lady: mistress of the house, married woman wife or daughter of baronet
In these words the second meaning developed due to the process of transference based on contiguity. Lord and lady are also examples of narrowing meaning if we compare the range of the original and of the resultant meanings.
References:
Антрушина Г.Б., Афанасьева О.В., Морозова Н.Н. Лексикология английского языка. М.: Дрофа, 2006. Chapter 8. – С. 147-166.
Зыкова И.В. Практический курс английской лексикологии. М.: Академия, 2006. Chapter 2. – C. 25-39.
Табанакова В.Д., Федюченкова Л.Г., Сеченова Е.Г. Seminars, Lectures and Complements Support on Lexicilogy. Part 1. – Unit 5. – С. 91-101.