Throughout the history of English the language was changing steadily. Not only was the English grammar, pronunciation or vocabulary being altered over the centuries but also the semantics of the lexemes. The changes in the field of semantics might have had several reasons. According to Antoine Meillet , a French linguist, there are basically three major causes of semantic change: changes of the socio-cultural circumstances, the linguistic context in which a word is used, or changes of the respective concept itself or of the point of view from which the concept is seen. The third and most significant factor that has a considerable impact on the semantics of words is the influence of foreign languages and, to be more precise, the influence of borrowings.
This paper deals with semantic changes due to Latin influences on the English language in the Early Modern English period. The aim of the following analysis is to determine potential patterns of meaning alterations of English lexemes that were caused by the influx of Latin-derived equivalents between the fifteenth and the eighteenth centuries. In the subsequent sections the Early Modern English period is portrayed including its historical and social-cultural backgrounds. Afterwards, the roles of Latin and English in that time will be illustrated, also considering the integration of Latin loanwords into English. In order to discuss meaning changes due to Latin influences, we will then take a closer look at language modifications in general, lexical change and the various types of semantic change by which English words might have been affected. The sections following these illustrations are going to contain the semantic analysis of exemplary synonymous pairs, each consisting of an English element and its Latin-derived equivalent, with the help of the Oxford English Dictionary Online. Pairs belonging to the subject of human anatomy are to be considered primarily, but also words of other lexical fields, such as medicine, botany and architecture, in order to determine common patterns of semantic change.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Preface
- Introduction
- The Early Modern English Period
- Time Frame
- Setting
- Growing Literacy
- Standardisation
- Latin versus English in the Early Modern English Period
- The Integration of Latin Loanwords
- The Inkhorn Controversy
- Language Change
- Lexical Change
- Semantic Change
- Patterns of Semantic Change due to Latin Influences on Early Modern English
- The Method
- The Oxford English Dictionary
- Analysis in the Field of Human Anatomy
- Backbone and Spine
- Body and Corpus
- Brain and Cerebrum
- Finger and Digitus
- Head and Caput
- Midriff and Diaphragm
- Navel and Umbilicum
- Nostril and Nare
- Throat and Fauces
- Womb and Abdomen, Intestine, Uterus, Matrix
- Interim Result
- Analysis of other Subjects
- Medicine
- Botany
- Architecture
- Interim Result
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper examines the impact of Latin borrowings on the semantics of English equivalents during the Early Modern English period. The analysis focuses on the Oxford English Dictionary Online to identify and analyze potential patterns of meaning alterations caused by Latin influences between the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries. The main objective is to demonstrate how Latin loanwords influenced the semantic evolution of English words. Key themes explored in the paper include: * The influence of Latin on English vocabulary during the Early Modern English period * Semantic change in English as a result of Latin borrowings * The analysis of synonymous pairs in English, with particular focus on human anatomy * Patterns of semantic change in various lexical fields, including medicine, botany, and architecture * The role of the Oxford English Dictionary in analyzing semantic changeZusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
This section focuses on the main themes, arguments, or narrative elements of each chapter, excluding summaries of the conclusion, final chapter, or any sections containing major revelations or spoilers. * **Introduction**: The chapter introduces the topic of semantic change in English, specifically focusing on the influence of Latin borrowings. It discusses the three major causes of semantic change as proposed by Antoine Meillet and highlights the significant impact of borrowing on language development. * **The Early Modern English Period**: This chapter provides a historical and social-cultural overview of the Early Modern English period, emphasizing the changes in pronunciation, orthography, syntax, morphology, and semantics during this transitional period. It highlights the introduction of the printing press, the growth of literacy, and the standardisation processes of written English. It also explores the shifting attitudes towards the English language, marking a rise in its prestige during this time. * **Latin versus English in the Early Modern English Period**: This chapter focuses on the interaction between Latin and English during the Early Modern English period. It examines the integration of Latin loanwords into English and discusses the Inkhorn Controversy, a debate surrounding the use of Latinisms in English. * **Language Change**: This chapter delves into the concept of language change, specifically focusing on lexical change and semantic change. It introduces various types of semantic change that might have been affected by Latin influences, laying the groundwork for the analysis of specific examples in later chapters. * **The Method**: This chapter details the research methodology used in the paper, including the reliance on the Oxford English Dictionary Online, the Historical Thesaurus of English, and other glossaries. It also outlines the specific focus on analyzing synonymous pairs in the field of human anatomy. * **Analysis in the Field of Human Anatomy**: This chapter presents a detailed analysis of synonymous pairs from the field of human anatomy, examining the semantic changes influenced by Latin borrowings. It provides a thorough examination of specific examples, including backbone/spine, body/corpus, brain/cerebrum, finger/digitus, head/caput, midriff/diaphragm, navel/umbilicum, nostril/nare, throat/fauces, womb/abdomen, intestine, uterus, matrix. * **Analysis of other Subjects**: This chapter expands the analysis beyond human anatomy to include examples from medicine, botany, and architecture, aiming to identify common patterns of semantic change across different lexical fields.Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This paper focuses on the influence of Latin on English vocabulary during the Early Modern English period, specifically examining the semantic changes caused by Latin borrowings. The analysis emphasizes the use of the Oxford English Dictionary Online as a research tool and investigates the patterns of semantic change in various lexical fields, particularly in human anatomy. Key concepts include: semantic change, lexical change, loanwords, Early Modern English, Latin, English, Oxford English Dictionary, synonymy, human anatomy, medicine, botany, architecture.- Quote paper
- David Stehling (Author), 2010, Patterns of Semantic Change due to Latin Influences on the English Language in the Early Modern English Period, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/205514
