Semantic Change Flashcards
What is semantic change?
A change in a word’s meaning.
What is broadening (or widening)?
When the meaning of a word becomes more broad or general
e.g. rubbish, in early modern English meant rubble, and now means anything worthless.
What is narrowing?
When words move from a broad meaning to a more specific or narrow meaning
e.g. to starve, an Old English verb originally had a broad general meaning: to die. The 16th century, more specific meaning: ‘die of hunger’ is the one that has survived in the modern standard language, so we say that it has “narrowed”.
What is amelioration?
When a word acquires a more positive meaning
e.g. ‘Pretty’ once meant sly or cunning, but now means attractive
What is pejoration?
When a word acquires a negative meaning.
e.g. bully originally meant ‘sweetheart/lover’.
What is weakening?
When words lose some of their original force or strength over time
e.g. awful used to mean “worthy of respect or fear, striking with awe; causing dread,” whereas now it can be used to refer to something unpleasant.
Why have so many words relating to females pejorated over time?
Because of patriarchal attitudes that deem women as inferior to men and often objectify them. For example, slut originally meant “a dirty, slovenly, or untidy woman,” although could be applied to men as well. Specific modern sense of “woman who enjoys sex in a degree considered shamefully excessive” is by 1966.
What is a semantic shift?
A semantic shift is a general word for semantic change and can be used if you are not sure of the type of semantic change e.g. ameliorated.
e.g. porridge used to mean a meat stew.
What is a metaphor?
A metaphor is a figure of speech containing an implied comparison, in which a word or phrase ordinarily and primarily used of one thing is applied to another. For example, “the curtain of the night” or “all the world’s a stage”.
What is an idiom or idiomatic expression?
An idiom is an everyday expression whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent elements, e.g. kick the bucket. Idioms are sayings that don’t make sense if you literally interpret the meanings of the words e.g. to let the cat out of the bag means to reveal a secret carelessly or by mistake.
Name two of the most prolific sources for idiomatic expressions in the English language.
The works of Shakespeare and the King James bible.
What is a euphemism?
A euphemism is a generally innocuous word
or expression used in place of one that may be
found offensive or suggest something unpleasant.
Why are most euphemisms about sex, death and bodily functions?
Because these are often seen as taboo or embarrassing so people cover up their embarrassment with a euphemism e.g. visiting the bathroom
