Semantic Change

Question 1

What are the Processes of Semantic Change?

Answer 1

Narrowing

Weakening

Amelioration

Pejoration

Broadening

Functional Shift

Question 2

What is Narrowing?

Answer 2

Meaning of a word narrows e.g. ‘Meat’ used for food in general

Question 3

What is Weakening?

Answer 3

A word loses its impact e.g. ‘Terrible’ used to mean causing terror

Question 4

What is Amelioration?

Answer 4

Meaning becomes more positive- e.g. ‘Pretty’ used to meaning cunning

Question 5

What is Broadening?

Answer 5

Meaning of a word broadens- e.g. ‘Butcher’ used to mean slaughterer of goats

Question 6

What is Functional Shift?

Answer 6

Word class changes- e.g. Text from noun to verb

Question 7

Pejoration

Answer 7

Meaning becomes more negative- e.g. ‘Hussy’ used to mean housewife

Question 8

What is the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis?

Answer 8

Your language determines and shapes your world view and understanding

Question 9

What are the criticisms of the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis?

Answer 9

• No way of proving whether language determines thought, or thought determines language
• We can think about things we don’t know the words for