Chapter-IX-Changes-in-Word-Meaning

ChapterIXChangesinWordMeaningEnglishLexicologyZhangLingHebeiNormalUniversityforNationalitiesNovember21,2013“…Changeofmeaningisacommonplace,andindeeditwouldappeartobefundamentalinlivinglanguage.…almosteverywordweusetodayhasaslightlydifferentmeaningfromtheoneithadacenturyago:andacenturyagoithadaslightlydifferentmeaningfromtheoneithadacenturybeforethat”(Quirk,1978:130)Hamlet,Shakespeare‘Therivalsofmywatch,bidthemmakehaste’‘Thustwicebefore,andjumpatthisdeadhour’‘ascommonasanythemostvulgarthingtosense’‘Takeeachman’scensure,butreservethyjudgment’‘I’llwipeawayalltrivialfondrecords’‘Howpregnantsometimeshisrepliesare’Teachingcontents9.1Generalremarks9.2Typesofsemanticchange9.3Causesofchangeinwordmeaning9.4Semanticdevelopmentorchangeresultingfromthefigurativeuseofwords•Vocabularyisthemostunstableelementofalanguageasitisundergoingconstantchangesbothinformandcontent.Comparativelyspeaking,thecontentisevenmoreunstablethantheform.9.1GeneralRemarksShakespeareisperhapsmoredifficulttounderstandthanmorerecentwritingsbecausemanyofhiswordswereusedindifferentsensefromwhattheyhavenowincontemporarydictionaries.Eg.“therivalsofmywatch,bidthemmakehaste.”(partner)“Howpregnantsometimeshisrepliesare.”(meaningful)AdrianRoom:ADictionaryofChangesinMeaning11typesofchangesinwordmeaning•1)Functionaltransferofmeaning词义的功能转换•2)Narrowingofmeaning词义缩小•3)Deteriorationofmeaning词义贬降•4)Expansionofmeaning词义扩大•5)Associatedtransferofmeaning词义关联转换•6)Abstractionofmeaning词义抽象化•7)Improvementofmeaning词义扬升•8)Weakeningofmeaning词义弱化•9)Scientificcorrectionoradjustmentofmeaning词义科学调整•10)Artificialdeflectionofmeaning词义人为歪曲•11)Strengtheningofmeaning词义强化9.2Typesofsemanticchange9.2.2Generalization/Extensionofmeaning9.2.1Specialization/Restrictionofmeaning9.2.3Elevation/Ameliorationofmeaning9.2.4Degradation/DegenerationofmeaningRestrictionofmeaningmeansthatawordofwidemeaningacquiresanarrower,specializedsensewhichisapplicabletoonlyoneoftheobjectsithadpreviouslydenoted.9.2.1RestrictionofMeaningliquorOldMeaningSpecializedmeaningliquidalcoholicdrinkmeatOldMeaningSpecializedMeaningfoodFleshofanimalswordOldmeaningSpecializationdiseasediscomfortillnesspoisondrinkPoisonousdrinkwifewomanmarriedwomanaccidenteventunluckyeventgirlAchildAfemalechildMoreexamplesDeer•(original)wildanimals•(present)deeronlyFowl•(original)birds•(present)domesticchickens现代英语中把日常生活用语转用到科技方面，这也是词义缩小的一种现象。Acleanroom和awhiteroom均为日常生活用语，现指用于精密零件制造的“绝尘室”“Acleanroom”or“awhiteroom”,increasinglybecomesshoptalk.Fivetypesofnarrowingofmeaning•1.fromgeneraltospecific•2.fromabstracttoconcrete•3.fromcommonwordstoterms•4.fromcommonnounstopropernouns•5.theshrinkingofmeaningofalienwords1.fromgeneraltospecificPill•(original)各种药片•(present)某种药片Meat•(original)各种食物•(present)fleshmeat肉食Liquor•(original)drink•(present)酒Undertaker,undertake•(original)承办许多事情•(present)承办丧葬者，殡仪员business•(original)忙于做的事情•(present)商业方面的事情，商务方面的事情Todiscipline•(original)训练，使有纪律•(present)(为执行纪律而)处罚2.fromabstracttoconcrete•Catch“抓住”–“窗钩，门扣，拉手”•Room“空间，地方”–“房间”3.fromcommonnounstopropernouns•city:城市-theCity伦敦的商业区•Prophet预言者，先知–theProphet=“Mohammed”（伊斯兰教）4.fromcommonwordstoterms•Memory记忆-存储器（电脑）•Recovery恢复-（航天器的）回收•Pack包裹-“软件暗包”（摄影技术）•Soft柔软的–清音的（语音学）易极化的（化学）（市场）疲软的（经济学）5.theshrinkingofmeaningofalienwordsLatinliquormeans“liquid”液体•Englishitmeans“ardentspirits”烈酒Frenchgarage存放东西的地方•English汽车库Latincapsule“小盒”littlebox•“胶囊”，“宇宙密闭舱”9.2.2ExtensionofMeaningItisalsocalledwideningofmeaningorgeneralization.It’saprocessbywhichawordwhichoriginallyhadaspecializedmeaninghasnowbecomegeneralized.Fourkindsofextension1.Fromspecifictogeneral3.Fromconcretetoabstract4.Frompropernounstocommonnouns2.Fromtechnicaltermstogeneralwords1.FromspecifictogeneralExamplePicture:originally:apaintingordrawingThepresentmeaningaphotographacinematicpictureanx-raypictureaTVpicturearadio-telescopepictureanypictureMoreExamplesrubbishrubble(碎石）anythingworthless1.fromspecifictogeneral•Scarf16thcentury牧师法衣上的一部分，军官制服肩部或腰部的绶带-19th各种围巾、披巾或头巾•Pipe一种管乐器–一切管状的东西•Bird•幼鸟-鸟•Cookbook烹调书–详尽的说明书•Butcher宰羊的人-屠夫2.FromtechnicaltermstogeneralwordsGeneralizationofmeaningisalsofoundinmanytechnicalterms,whichareconfinedtospecializeduse.Countdown:thecountingaloudofnumbersinreverseorderbeforesth.happens,esp.beforeaspacecraftislaunched.emergencysituation十分危急的情况；行将摊牌的局面ThatwouldleadtoacountdowninCambodia.Feedback:itoccursinamachineorsystemwhenpartofthepower,soundorinformationproducedgoesbackintothemachineorsystem.Response:Thereaderfeedbackwasgenerallyfavorable.Fallout:theradiationthataffectsaplaceafteranuclearexplosion:放射性尘埃Consequence:HepredictedthatthefalloutfromWatergatewouldhitbothparties.•Tangent:mathematicterm切线-离题的•AtomicPhysicalterm原子的–巨大•CatalystChemicalterm催化剂–刺激（或促进）因素•TentacleBiologicalterm触手，触角–所有像触手似的东西•AllergicMedicalterm对……过敏–对……有一种说不出的厌恶Tobeallergictoboasting•ComplexPsychologicalterm情结，复合–任何的变态心理•Sadism性生活中的虐待狂–泛指的虐待狂•AlibiLegalterm“不再犯罪现场”–“借口，托辞”Toalibioneself为自己辩解、开脱3.FromConcretetoAbstractMatter:timber,thehardpartofatreealotofabstractmeanings:1)Thewor