“Semantic change deals with change in meaning, understood to be a change in the concepts associated with a word […]” (Campbell 1998: 255).
To some of you, Campbell’s definition may seem a bit simplistic. Some scholars, too (for example Blank whom we’ll be hearing of later on), argue that it’s not one meaning of word that changes, but
with semantic change a new meaning is added to the already existing meaning or meanings of a word and then this new meaning is lexicalised,
or one of the already lexicalised meanings is no longer used and becomes extinct.
I think Campbell’s definition can suffice as a basis for our little “immersion” into semantic change. And what is more important than a theoretically watertight definition is a “practical insight” into semantic change. So let’s have quick look on what exactly changes when words change their meanings.
Table of Contents
1. Teil: Ausführung
2. Teil: Handout
3. Teil: Quiz + Lösung
Objectives and Topics
This work provides an analytical overview of semantic change in the English language, exploring the mechanisms of meaning evolution, innovation, and lexicalisation, while examining how sociocultural and historical factors influence language development.
- The theoretical definition and categorization of semantic change
- Cognitive processes involved in semantic innovation and lexicalisation
- Taxonomies of semantic shifts (e.g., metaphor, widening, narrowing, pejoration)
- The etymological history and modern semantic development of the lexeme "girl"
- Sociolinguistic perspectives on linguistic asymmetry and feminist linguistics
Excerpt from the Book
2.2 The process of semantic innovation and lexicalisation (Blank 2001: 71-74)
Blank, who was a renowned scholar of romance languages, explains that, ideally, innovation and lexicalisation comprise three stages: Association (similarity) → Innovation → Lexicalisation. Blank uses the English lexeme mouse to illustrate this process:
The original meaning of mouse could possibly be pinned down by ‘small rodent’. Back in 1969, a witty technician invented a little grey box that had a cable which connected it to a computer. Blank expresses the denotation as ‘graphisches Zeigegerät’, we could also call it an ‘input device’ perhaps.
They say that the inventor thought of a little mouse tale when he looked at the cable that connected the little box to the computer. There was a certain similarity that lead to an ASSOCIATION. And that’s also why the inventor called the little gadget a mouse (INNOVATION). So a new meaning was added to the lexeme mouse.
But it was only in 1983 that Apple commercially distributed this box under the name of mouse. And today we can read entries like this under mouse (taken from The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company): A hand-held, button-activated input device that when rolled along a flat surface directs an indicator to move correspondingly about a computer screen, allowing the operator to move the indicator freely, as to select operations or manipulate text or graphics. So the final step has been reached: LEXICALISATION.
Generally speaking, semantic change starts out as a semantic innovation in the discourse of a single speaker or a small language community. When the innovation is adopted by other speakers – because they like it or think it is more economical, the innovation may be lexicalised as an additional meaning of the respective word. The innovation may be restricted to a special situation or speakers’ community or it may reach the ‘unmarked’ level and be standardised.
Summary of Chapters
1. Teil: Ausführung: This section establishes the theoretical framework of semantic change, defining core concepts such as denotation, connotation, and register, and detailing the stages of innovation and lexicalisation.
2. Teil: Handout: This section provides a condensed, structured overview of the types of semantic change, including widening, narrowing, metaphorical transfer, and taboo/euphemism, serving as a study guide for the presentation.
3. Teil: Quiz + Lösung: This section contains practical exercises and their corresponding solutions, designed to test the reader's understanding of identifying and explaining specific processes of semantic shifts.
Keywords
Semantic Change, Lexicalisation, Innovation, Denotation, Connotation, Register, Metaphor, Metonymy, Pejoration, Amelioration, Euphemism, Hyperbole, Litotes, Polysemy, Feminist Linguistics
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
The work focuses on the linguistic phenomenon of semantic change in English, examining how word meanings evolve over time through various cognitive and social processes.
What are the central themes discussed in the text?
The central themes include the categorization of semantic shifts, the role of speakers' subjective attitudes, the impact of sociocultural changes on vocabulary, and the structuralist and feminist approaches to word meaning.
What is the core research question or objective?
The objective is to provide a comprehensive "practical insight" into how words acquire new meanings, how they lose old ones, and why these shifts occur in the context of society and technology.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The text employs a structuralist methodology, utilizing componential analysis and historical linguistics, combined with contemporary theories from scholars such as Blank, Campbell, and Traugott.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body covers the theoretical definition of meaning (denotation/connotation), the stages of innovation, a detailed taxonomy of semantic shifts, and a case study on the development of the word "girl".
How are the keywords characterized for this research?
The keywords reflect a mix of formal linguistic terminology (e.g., polysemy, lexicalisation) and specific types of change (e.g., pejoration, hyperbole) that categorize the mechanisms identified.
How does the structuralist approach analyze the term "girl"?
The structuralist approach uses componential analysis to examine the term "girl" by breaking it down into binary features like [+/- HUMAN], [+/- MALE], and [+/- ADULT], noting the inherent instability of these boundaries.
Why does the text mention the "Spice Girls" and "Girl Power"?
These are cited as examples of how popular culture influences the connotations of the word "girl," shifting its register to include new associations like independence, assertiveness, and power.
What is the significance of the "Dead Parrot" sketch in the analysis?
The sketch is used to demonstrate the use of euphemisms and synonyms to underline a stigmatized concept—in this case, death—for humorous and rhetorical effect.
- Quote paper
- Thomas Heim (Author), 2003, Semantic Change, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/48794
