词汇学论文

题目: Semantic Change of English Words

学期2011/2012学年第一学期

科目英语词汇学

班级

学号

姓名

摘要

语言作为人类表达思想和交流的工具随着人类社会的发展不断变化，在语言诸多要素中，词汇的变化是最快、最显著，这表现在新词的产生和旧词的消亡、借用外来词和旧词添新义。

本文首先介绍了词义变化的定义，然后介绍词义变化的历史原因和社会原因，最后介绍了词义变化的方式，同时主要通过介绍委婉语的词义变化，通过列举具体事例更好的了解词义变化的方式，使英语学习者能在日后的学习中，更好的了解英语词汇的意思并且正确的使用英语词汇，使英语学习更上一层楼。

关键词：语言；词义变化；委婉语；英语学习

Introduction

Languages are not confined in a fixed state, instead, they are not only constantly changing but also changes quickly. The most noticing change in the process of language development is the sematic change of words. Semantic change is a change in one of the meanings of a word. Every word has a variety of senses and connotations which can be added, removed, or altered over time, often to the extent that cognates across space and time have very different meanings.

Why the meaning of a word changed? Changes of meaning can be brought about by many cause. There are three major causes.

Historically,changes of lexical meaning can be illustrated by a diachronic development of words. Although objects, conceptions, ideals, etc. change at

course of time, but the meaning changes, because the object which it describe

has changed. Socially, it is natural that in the course of the development of

society a number of new words are needed to describe new ideas. Scientific

discoveries are a main kind of social cause. Psychologically, the speaker's

state of mind may bring about semantic changes.

(Feng shimei, P163-165)

In fact, we can see clearly from the euphemism to types of semantic changes. Euphemism is substitution of a word of more pleasant connotation for one of unpleasant connotation or avoided taboos. It is an important social cause of semantic changes. It is also the reflection of semantic change.

According to different semantic books, semantic change can be divided into many types. But types of semantic change generally can be divided into four types.

1.Generalization, for instance, alibi. A legal term signifying 'plea that the accused is not at the place when the crime is committed', has now come into common use, meaning any 'excuse'.

2.Specialization, for instance, barbarian was originally a vague designation for a 'foreigner of any kind', and later was specialized to mean an 'uncivilized person'.

3.Elevation, for instance, Chamberlain, now a 'high official of royal courts', was formerly a 'servant'.

4.Degeneration,for instance, cunning was originally 'knowing and skillful', and later was specialized to 'sly'.