2025年现代词汇学-Chapter-5课件

Chapter5ChangeofMeaningObjectivesofthischapterTounderstandthenatureofsemanticchange;Tolearnthemajormodesofsemanticchange:extension,narrowing,elevation,degradation,transfer;Tounderstandthecausesofsemanticchange.Vocabulary1.mostunstableelementofalanguage2.undergoingconstantchangesbothinformandcontent3.comparatively,meaningevenmoreunstableQuirk:‘...almosteverywordweusetodayhasaslightlydifferentmeaningfromtheoneithadacenturyago,andacenturyagoithadaslightlydifferentmeaningfromtheoneithadacenturybeforethat’.Shakespeare’suseIfyoudomeetHoratioandMarcellus,therivalsofmywatch,bidthemmakehaste…(fromHamlet)（Hamlet里Barnardo说）你若是遇见我的同班的伙伴何瑞修和马赛勒斯，叫他们快点来rival=partner,therivalsofmywatch：我的守夜的伙伴们（上面译文中的同班，指的是同一班守卫）Howpregnantsometimeshisrepliesare…

（Polonius在解读Hamlet装疯的痴话时说）pregnant=meaningfulContents1.Polysemy2.Typesofsemanticchange1.PolysemyDefinition:

thesamewordmayhavetwoormoredifferentmeaningsWhenawordisfirstcoined,itisalwaysmonosemic.Butinthecourseofdevelopment,thesamesymbolmustbeusedtoexpressmoremeanings.Theresultispolysemy.ButHowdoesawordacquirenewmeanings?Inwhatwayarethemeaningsrelatedtooneanother?(1)Primarymeaning&derivativemeaning

Primarymeaningreferstowhatawordoriginallymeantandthederivativemeaningreferstothemeaningspringingfromtheoriginalmeaning.Thisprocesscanbedemonstratedbythefollowingchart.legFurthernotesonprimarymeaning&derivativemeaningTherearealsomanyinstancesinwhichtheprimarymeaninggavebirthtonewmeanings,andasaresulttheprimarymeaningbecameeitherobsoleteordisappearedaltogether.harvest--‘timeofcutting’(primarymeaning)--'reapingandgatheringthecrops’,'aseason'syieldofgrainorfruit'(derivativemeanings)pain--'penaltyorpunishment’preservedonlyinsuchphrasesas“painsandpenalty”and“upon/underpainof”(primarymeaning)--'suffering','greatdiscomfortofthebodyormind'(derivedmeanings)(2)Centralmeaning&secondarymeaningRadiation:

animportantprocessbywhichwordsextendtheirmeaning.Theprimaryorcentralmeaningappearsatthecenterintheformofahubandsecondarymeaningsradiateoutfromitlikethespokeofawheel.Example:seeP90RadiationThiskindofdevelopingprocesscanbe

demonstratedbythefollowingpicture.RadiationEachofthesecondarymeaningisindependentofalltherest,andmaybetracedbacktothecentralsignification.power(abilitytoact)controloverone’ssubordinatedelegatedauthorityphysicalstrengthConcatenationConcatenation:opposedtoradiation,itmeansawordmovesgraduallyawayfromitsoriginalsenseasaresultofsuccessivesemanticchangesuntilthereisnotatraceofconnectionbetweenthesensethatisfinallydevelopedandtheprimarysense.ConcatenationThisprocesscanbedemonstratedbythefollowingchart:Concatenationgay(WNWD--WebstersNewWorldDictionary《韦氏新世界美语词典》):(1)joyousandlively;merry;happy(2)bright,brilliant(3)giventosociallifeandpleasure(4)wanton;licentious(5)homosexualThearrangementfollowsthenaturaldevelopment.

gay(LDCE--LongmanDictionaryofContemporaryEnglish《朗文当代高级词典》)(1)homosexual(2)brightorattractive(3)cheerful;happy;fulloffungay(CCELD--CollinsCOBUILDEnglishLanguageDictionary《柯林斯合作英语词典》)(1)homosexual(2)livelyandenjoyable(person)(3)livelyandinteresting(place)(4)brightandpretty(colour)(5)livelyandpleasant(music)

LabourDay,LabourDay,Wearehappyandgay!RadiationandConcatenationRadiationandconcatenationarecloselyrelated,butaredifferentstagesofthedevelopmentleadingtopolesemy.Generally,radiationprecedesconcatenation.Inmanycases,thetwoprocessesworktogether,complementingeachother.2.

TypesofsemanticchangeWord-meaningchangesbymodesofextension,narrowing,elevation,degradation,andtransfer.Ofthese,extensionandnarrowingarebyfarthemostcommon.b.Specialization/Restrictionofmeaningc.Elevation/Ameliorationofmeaningd.Degradation/Degenerationofmeaninga.Generalization/Extensionofmeaningg.

Transferenceofmeaninge.Theuseofabstractfortheconcreteorviceversaf.

CommonwordsfrompropernamesTask:Doyouknowhowtheword“sandwich”comesintobeing?Howisthiswordusedtoday?(1)

Generalization/ExtensionofmeaningHereisthestoryoftheword.Themostpopularperspectiveregardingtheoriginofthewordsandwich,whichweusetoday,isthatitwasborninLondonduringtheverylatehoursonenightin1762whenanEnglishnobleman,JohnMontagu,theFourthEarlofSandwich(1718-1792),wastoobusygamblingtostopforamealeventhoughhewashungryforsomefood.Thelegendgoesthatheorderedawaitertobringhimroast-beefbetweentwoslicesofbread.TheEarlwasabletocontinuehisgamblingwhileeatinghissnack;andfromthatincident,wehaveinheritedthatquick-foodproductthatwenowknowasthesandwich.TheEarlapparentlyhadthemeatputonslicesofbreadsohewouldn’tgethisfingersgreasywhilehewasplayingcards.It’sstrangethatthenameofthis"sexfiend"shouldhavegonedowninhistoryconnectedtosuchaninnocentarticleofdiet.sandwich—n.&v.,squeezeinbetweentwootherpeople,places,things,materials,etc.Heiswillingtosandwichanappointmentinbetweentwoothermeetings.Hercarwassandwichedbetweentwoothercarsintheparkinglot.DefinitionofGeneralizationItreferstothestretchingofmeaning.Forexample,

thing—“apoliticalorjudicialassembly”→anythingextension=generalization:changefromaspecificmeaningtoamoregeneraloneExamplesofGeneralizationmanuscript=hand+writing1)firstdraftwrittenbyhand2)writingbyanymeansHoliday1)HolyDay2)anydayordayswithoutworkorstudyExamplesofGeneralizationTechnicaltermsusedascommonwords:feedback(computer)=responseallergic(medicine)=aversetoanythingMoreexamplesofgeneralizationWordOldMeaningExtendedMeaningmillplacewherethingsaremadejournalperiodicalbonfireafireintheopenmadebyburninganythingbutcheronewhokillsanimalscompanionacompanyplaceforgrindinggrainintoflourdailypaperfireonbonesonewhokillsgoatsonewhosharesbread2)

SpecializationTask:Canyoutellwhatkindofchangeinmeaninghashappenedtodeer

accordingthelinefromShakespeare:

ratsandmiceandsuchsmalldeer'.Deer--obviouslydesignates'animal'ingeneral.SuchkindofmeaningchangeiscalledNarrowing,alsocalledSpecialization.

DefinitionofSpecializationNarrowing=specialization:changefromageneralmeaningtoaspecificmeaningwifewoman→amarriedwomane.g.TheMerryWivesofWinsor《温莎的风流娘儿们》

housewife;midwifeMoreexamplesofspecializationWordOldMeaningSpecializedMeaningliquoralcoholicdrinkmeatfleshofanimalsdiseaseillnesspoisonpoisonousdrinkwifeamarriedwomanaccidentunfortunateeventgirlfemaleyoungpersonliquidfooddiscomfortdrinkwomaneventyoungpersonofeithersex(3)

ElevationTask:Themeaningsofthefollowingthreewordshaveexperiencedsimilarchanges.Whatisthecommonfeature?nicemarshalconstableNice

originallymeant'ignorant',thenitischangedtomean'foolish'andnowelevatedtomean'delightful,pleasant’.Marshal

oncemeanta`keeperofhorses',nowitsmeaningshasrisentoa'high-rankingarmyofficer'.Constable

oncemeant`keeperofhorses';ithasamorepleasantmeaninginmodernEnglish,i.e.,'policeman'.MoreexamplesofelevationWordOldMeaningElevatedMeaningangelmessengerofgodknightrankbelowbaronetearlcount（伯爵）governorheadofastatefondaffectionateministerheadofaministrymessengerservantmanpilotfoolishservantCharacteristicsofElevationelevation=amelioration:changefromnegativetopositivefromderogatorytoappreciativefromneutraltoappreciativefromunimportanttoimportant(4)

Degradation/DegenerationThemeaningofawordnarrowstowardanunfavorablemeaningiscalleddegenerationorpejorativechange.MoreexamplesofdegradationWordOldMeaningDegradedMeaningsillyfoolishknavedishonestpersonlewdlecherouscriticizefindfaultwithlustsexualdesirevillainwickedperson/scoundrelcunningslyqueenwife（？）happyboyignorantappraisepleasureworkeratavillaskillfulhomosexualCharacteristicsof

Degeneration

degradation=pejoration:changefromappreciativetopejorativefrompositivetonegativefromimportanttounimportantfromneutraltonegative(5)

TheuseofabstractfortheconcreteorviceversaTheapplicationofthenameofaqualitytoaperson.Itisthereverseofpersonification.Forexample“sheisvirtueitself”.Transferbetweenabstractandconcretemeaning.Examplesaftermath

secondcropofgrassaftermowing(concrete)resultorconsequence(abstract)Examplesenvyfeelingofsuch(abstract)apersontobeenvied(concrete)e.g.Maryistheenvyoftheclass.(concrete)Clintonisthehope

ofthefamily(6)

CommonwordsfrompropernamesTheuseofapropernoun(fromhistoryorliterature)toconveyageneralideaisknownasantonomasia.Forexample“Shylock”→“amoney-grabber”ExampleFrankensteinacharacterinthenovelwrittenbyfamousBritishwomanwriterMaryW.Shelley.Heisamedicalresearcher,whocreatedarobotmonster,broughtittolifeandfinallywaskilledbythemonster.ExampleFrankenstein是英国作家MaryWollstonecraft-Shelley于1818年所著小说中的生理学研究专家。他创造了一个怪物，结果被这个怪物所毁灭。TheUnitedStatesisraisingaFrankensteinbyprovidinghardwaretothatcountry.美国向那个国家提供军事武器，到头来只会作法自毙。(7)

TransferenceofmeaningTwoaspectsofconception:A.thatofthepersonorthingpossessorexercisesit;B.thatofthepersonorthingthatisaffectedbyit.Thedifferencebetweentheactiveagentandtheeffectproduced,betweenthecauseandthatwhichitcauses,betweenthesubjectiveandobjective,isverygreat.Theprocessbywhichthedifferencehasoccurredinthedevelopm