词汇学Chapter_4_The_changing_English_vocabulary

1、4.1.1 *The constant change and appearance of Neologism (new word) New concepts occur, thus neologisms show up. Three kinds of situations in English vocabulary: old words die out; new words are born; existing words add new senses. In English language (every language), as many thousand of new words ar

2、e born each day, yet only a few will enter dictionary. 4.1.2 *The definition of Neologism “any word, phrase, or sense that came into popular use in the given period”. “novel arrangement of letters with a meaning not quite duplicated by other arrangement of letters” . “in consistent use for at least

3、ten years” . newly coined words or words that are given new meanings to fit new situations and new needs because of the social, economic, political, cultural, esp. scientific and technical changes in the given period. 4.1.3 The source of new words * Two main sources of new words in English. The rapi

4、d development of modern science and technology. bionics: the application of data about the functioning of biological systems to the solution of engineering problems. (仿生学 ) (more examples in P107-114) i) Computing ii) Biology iii) The deep space iv) Medicine Political, economic and social changes. T

5、his is another important source of new words. i) International struggle. (P114)ii) International political struggle. (117)iii) Womens liberation. (119)iv) Education. (120)v) Sports and entertainment. (121)vi) Communications. (122)vii) Changes in social and domestic habits.(124)viii) Pollution. (126)

6、4.1.4 *The formation of Neologisms The new words are created in different ways. i) Word formation. (Details in Chapter 5)affixation (prefixation/suffixation), compounding, conversion, blending, clippingii) Adding new meanings to existing words. e.g. dove: any types of pigeon a person who is opposed

7、to war(More examples see P162)iii) Borrowing from other languages. A lot of words are borrowed from different languages. (P129)iv) Analogy. An inference or argument from a particular to another particular. e.g. hotel airtel, motel. (Details see P132) Watergate Koreagate南韩事件, Irangatev) Creating comp

8、letely new coinages bebop: jazz characterized by harmonic complexityconstant shifting of accent and often played at very rapid tempos. 4.2.1 *Archaisms Obsolete words or out-of-use words.i) Reasons for the disappearance of words a) with the colliding of two homonyms. queen quean b) the thing which t

9、he word denotes vanishes. rickshaw = ricksha (人力車)(1920s) c) different choice of synonyms Beowulf: many words for hero and prince ii) Many archaisms still at use. (more literary style) armor / armour (Read passages of law, poetry, ritual writing, speech ) 4.3.1 Reasons for meaning changes * i) Histo

10、rical reasons with a diachronic perspective, word itself does not change, yet the meaning is changed. comrade: close friend homosexual, gay. car: two wheeled vehicle automobile toolii) Social reasons words to denote something new in society. artificial intelligence = artificial + intelligenceiii) Ps

11、ychological reasons dog for informer iv) Linguistic reasons ellipsis: fall of leaves fall gold gold medal 4.3.2 * Four major tendencies of semantic changesi) Extension (widening) a) From specific to general pipe: tubelike musical instrument tube for gasb) From proper noun to common noun volt: Alessa

12、ndro Volta a unit of electromotive force c) From concrete to abstract matter: timber, the hard part of tree substance; trouble; of importanced) From technical terms to general wordscatalyst: a substance causes chemical activity agent (person)ii) Narrowing (specification)a) From general to specific c

13、orpse: a human body or animal body, living or dead a dead body. b) From abstract to concrete catch: act of catching, a ball a hook or other apparatus for fastening sth; the number or amount caught. c) From common nouns to proper nouns peninsular: a piece of land almost surrendered by water the Penin

14、sular (the Iberian Peninsular) .iii) Elevation (amelioration 升扬) From a humble beginning to a position of greater importance because of social changes. fond: foolish foolishly trusting or hopeful loving in a kind, gentle or tender way. marshal: horse-servant military officer of highest rank. (actual

15、ly, it is a kind of special narrowing sometimes.)iv) Degradation (deterioration / pejoration 降格)a) Social prejudice against certain classes & occupations knave:boy dishonest person (恶棍、骗徒)b) Less respectable because of euphemismdisease: discomfortillness. (undertaker)c) Middle term / neutral term: a

16、 special kind of ameliorative and pejorative development.fortune / fate / luck d) Deterioration in some of its uses, yet maintains in others. execute: to kill sb as a lawful punishment carry out (an order)v) Literal usages to figurative use *a) Simile (明喻) A figure of speech which makes a comparison

17、 between two unlike elements, having at least one point of resemblance in appearance, qualitythe feature is that the connecting words, such as as,like, asas, than, as if, as though will be used. Imperialism is like a paper tiger. Records fell like ripe apples on a windy day. b) Metaphor (暗喻) Like a

18、simile, making a comparison between two unlike elements, yet implied rather than stated meaning through similarity. Imperialism is a paper tiger. Three kinds of metaphors. 1 anthropomorphic metaphor (like human). the eye of needle / in ones minds eye (P155) 2 animal metaphor. (the imagery after anim

19、als)cat- ice / the cock of a gun / an ass / black sheep/ a fox 3 synesthetic metaphor. (physiological similarity通感 ) sweet sound / golden opportunity/ bitter enemy (P157)c) Metonymy (转/换/借喻/借代) Shifting the meaning by substitution of the name of one thing for that of another closely connected with it. (through association) Word Original use Metonymic use sweat perspiration hard work Washington Capital of USAUS government Lu Xun Name of a person Lu Xuns workspress printing press news media d) Synecdoche (提喻法, 举隅法 )A figure of speech that involves the