8.Semantic change of English words (amelioration (elevation),euphemism,degradation ,metonomy .)
Semantic change – change in the meaning of words in the course of their development.
Every word in its development has undergone many semantic changes. There are distinguished causes of semantic change, nature and results of the process of change of meaning.
CAUSES OF SEMANTIC CHANGE:
1)Extra-linguistic
2)Linguistic
2.1)Ellipsis 2.2) differentiation of synonyms 2.3)fixed context
Extra-linguistic causes are various changes in the life of speech community, i.e. changes in economic and social structure or scientific concepts.
ellipsis – the omission of one word in a phrase, e.g. the verb to starve in OE meant ‘to die’ and was habitually used in collocation with the word hunger.
Later this verb itself acquired the meaning ‘to die of hunger’.
RESULTS OF SEMANTIC CHANGE
Change Change
of
the denotational
of the connotational
component component
Restriction Extension Deterioration Amelioration
of meaning of meaning
Changes of the denotational meaning
Restriction of meaning can be illustrated by the semantic development of the word hound which used to denote ‘dog of any breed’ but now denotes only ‘a dog used in the chase’. If the word with a new restricted meaning comes to be used in the specialized vocabulary of some limited group within the speech community it is usual to speak of the specialization of meaning.
Amelioration of meaning implies the improvement of the connotational component of meaning, e.g. the word minister originally denoted ‘a servant’ but now – ‘a civil servant of higher rank, a person administrating a department of state’.
Deterioration of the meaning implies the acquisition by the word of some derogatory emotive charge, e.g. the word boor was originally to denote ‘a peasant’ and then acquired a derogatory connotational meaning and came to denote ‘a clumsy or ill-bred fellow’.
1)Elevation (or amelioration). The semantic change in the word which rises it from humble beginning to a position of greater importance, e.g. minister in earlier times meant merely "a servant".
2)Degradation (or_degeri.eration). The semantic change, by which, for one reason or another, a word falls into disrepute, or acquires some derogatory emotive charge, e.g. silly originally meant "happy".
3)Euphemisms
There are words in every language which people instinctively avoid because they are considered indecent, indelicate, rude, direct or impolite. They are often described in a round – about way by using substitutes, called euphemisms.
e.g. lavatory – powder-room, washroom, restroom, retiring-room, (public) comfort station, lady’s (room), gentlemen’s (room), water-closed, W.C., public conveniences, toilet, wind-sort castle.
The love or affection which displays itself in the excessive use of euphemisms has never been a sign of good taste. Fiction writers have often reduced pretentious people for their attempts to express themselves in too delicate and refined way.
Euphemism may be used due to genuine concern not to hurt someone’s feelings (a stupid person can be said to be not exactly brilliant).
Euphemisms are used to avoid the so-called social taboos. Superstitious taboos have their roots in the distant past of mankind, when people believed there was a supernatural link between a name and the object or creature it represented (devil – the Prince of Darkness, the Black One, the evil one, dickens(col.), dince(col.), (Old) Nick(col.)).
People are not superstitious nowadays and yet they are reluctant to use the verb “to die” which has a long chain of both solemn and humorous substitutes: to pass a way, to be taken, to breathe one’s last, to depart this life, to close one’s eyes, to yield (give) up the ghost, to go the way off all flash, to kick off(slang), to check out(slang), to keep the basket(slang)).
Metaphor - a figurative expression in which one notion is described in terms usually associated with another. The linkage between the two words is implicit. (launch an idea)
Metonymy - a semantic change where an attribute is used for the whole (crown=king).