Lecture 9-《英语词汇学》教案第九章

Lecture 9

讲授题目：Changes in Word Meaning

计划学时：2 periods

教学方法：传统讲授法

参考资料：《英语词汇学教程》、《英语词汇学》

所属章节：《现代英语词汇学概论》之第9章

教学目的和要求：通过本单元的学习，学生应对词

义变化的种类、词义演变的原因和过程有较好的了解和认识。

教学重点：

1) Types of changes;

2) Causes of changes.

教学难点：Six major types of changes:

1) Extension; 2) Narrowing; 3)Elevation;

4) Degradation;

5) Transfer; 5) Euphemism.

※Vocabulary is the most unstable element of a language as it is undergoing constant changes both in form and content. Comparatively, the content is even more unstable than the form. Of course, some meanings remain much the same for a long time because the referents to which they direct do not change.

※Changing in word meaning has never ceased since the language came into being and will continue in the future. Yet no one has been able to systemize the ways in which changes occur. However, there are a few patterns that changes follow. This lecture will discuss in some detail the major patterns and the causes of changes.

T y p e s o f C h a n g e

Extension of Meaning

Narrowing of Meaning

Elevation of Meaning

Degradation of Meaning

Transference of Meaning

Euphemism

Extension of Meaning

词义的扩大

●Generalization / Widening of Meaning

●It is a process by which a word which originally had a specialized meaning has now become generalized or has extended to cover a broader and often less definite concept.

●一个原本具有特殊意义的单词的词义被延伸，范围扩大，从而指代一种普遍意义语义变化过程。

Manuscript

●(original) Handwriting( writing by hand only) (手稿)

●(present) Any author’s writing whether written by hand or typed with a type-writer or a word-processor (原稿)

Salary

●(original) a sum of money given to Roman soldiers to enable them to buy salt (政府按时发给古罗马军人一些买盐的钱)

●(present) fixed payment made by employer at regular intervals to employees (薪水)

●Generalization of meaning is also found in many technical terms, which are confined to specialized use.

allergic

(original) too sensitive to medicine 患过敏症的

(present) averse or disinclined to 反感的；厌恶的

alibi

(original) a legal term signifying “the plea that the accused is not at the place when the crime is committed” (被告人不在犯罪现场的证明)

(present) excuse (借口)

mill place for grinding place where things

are ground/made

journal daily paper periodical

bonfire fire on bones a fire in the open by

burning anything

butcher one who kills goats one who kills

animals

●The changes in meaning are gradual, and words are not changed in a day.

●Lady(the hostess --- noblewoman --- well-cultivated woman --- woman)

N a r r o w i n g/specialization

词义的缩小

●It is a process by which a word of wide meaning acquires a narrow or specialized sense. In other words, a word which used to have a more general sense becomes restricted in its application and conveys a special concept in present-day English.

●把词义范围较广的词缩小，表示特指，即过去具有普遍意义的词变化后，现在仅仅表达特殊意义。

●pill (各种药片）→避孕药片（contraceptive pills)

●undertaker (承担者、承办人）→承办丧葬的人、殡仪员

●room (空间、地方）→(有限空间)房间

●probe（调查、检验）→宇宙探测器

●side (旁边、侧面）→（人体）肋部

●memory（记忆）→(计算机）存储器

●recovery (恢复）→（航天器的）回收

●garage (任何储存东西的地方）→存放汽车的地方→车库

N a r r o w i n g/specialization

词义的缩小

?When a common word is turned into a proper noun, the meaning is narrowed accordingly.

?“the City” means “the business center of London”

?“the Prophet” stands for “Mohammed”

For economy, some phrases are shortened and only one element of the original, usually an adjective, is left to retain the

meaning of the whole. Such adjectives have thus taken on specialized meanings.

a general = a general officer

an editorial = an editoria l article

3. Some material nouns are used to refer to objects made of them and thus have a more specific sense.

silver silver dollar

glass a cup-like container or a mirror

iron device for smoothing clothes

Both extension and narrowing of meaning are talking about the changes in conceptual meaning. Next we will talk about the changes in associative meaning.

Elevation of Meaning

词义的升华

It is the process by which words rise from humble beginnings to positions of importance.

Some words early in their history signify something quite low or humble, but change as time goes by to designate something agreeable or pleasant.

词义的升华指词由贬义或中性转变为褒义。即，有些词在历史上表示“卑微、下贱”之义，随着时间的推移转为“惬意的，愉快的”。

Word Old Meaning Elevated Meaning

●angel messenger messenger of God

●knight servant rank below baronet

●governor pilot head of a state

●minister servant head of a ministry

●success result achievement / accomplishment

●marshal keeper of horses high-ranking army officer

●nice ignorant →foolish →pleasant/delightful

D e g r a d a t i o n/P e j o r a t i o n

词义的降格

●It is a process whereby words of good origin or affective meaning fall into ill reputation or come to be used in a derogatory sense.

●这是一个词由原先表示中性意义或褒义转为表示贬义的过程。●silly

●blessed and happy--- innocent----simple or simple-minded

----foolish

●sad

●full, satisfied, contented ----- calm ------ serious ----sorrowful

Lecture 9

Type of changes

●wench country girl prostitute

●boor peasant rude, ill-mannered

person

●knave boy dishonest person

●criticize appraise find fault with

●lust pleasure sexual desire

Examples of pejoration

T r a n s f e r e n c e o f M e a n i n g

词义的转移

●Definition

●Some words which were used to designate one thing but

later changed to mean something else have experienced the process of semantic transfer, known as transference or transfer of meaning.

●有些词原指称某些事物，后来发生变化，转为指称另外的事物，就

是词义的转移。

●Types of transference

Associated Transfer 联想转移

Transfer Between Abstract and Concrete Meanings

抽象含义与具体意义间的转移

Transfer Between Subjective and Objective

Meanings 主观意义和客观意义间的转移

Associated Transfer 联想转移

●This is what is commonly known as figurative extension of meaning.

●e.g.

●The lip of a wound 伤口的边缘

●The tongues of fire

●The foot of a mountain

Transfer between

Abstract and Concrete Meanings

抽象含义与具体意义间的转移

●Abstract to concrete meaning

●Room formerly meant “space” as in “There is no room in the car”. Now it has developed a concrete meaning as in “This flat has three rooms”.

●More example: aftermath,

●Concrete to abstract meaning

●Grasp

●(original)A firm hold with the hands and arms

●(present)The power or ability to understand

Transfer Between

Subjective and Objective Meanings

主观意义和客观意义间的转移

●Some words were formerly used subjectively but later shifted to an objective use, and the subjective meaning was totally lost.

Euphemism

委婉语

●When people use euphemisms there is a semantic change involved as the expressions used often have little to do with the referents.

●Restroom, bathroom, lounge, John, convenience, comforts room and powder room are all euphemistic terms for “toilet”which itself is a euphemistic term.

●Euphemistic terms are found used in every aspect of society.

●Death in English is full of such expressions like:

To join the majority; to go to heaven; to come an un timely end; to be food for worms; to kick the bucket, etc.

2. Causes of changes

(1) 社会原因

①社会发展与词义变化

从社会语言学的角度来看，词义的变化不是在封闭的状态下发生的，而是受社会的影响和制约的。词义不仅在形成过程中与客观世界，社会实践有密切联系，而且随着社会及人们认识的发展而发展。人类社会中的事物、概念、思想不断发生变化，因此反映客观事物或现象的词义往往会发生变化。

②社会环境与词义变化

社会上发生的事件往往会使词的意义发生变化。

③社会阶级与词义为化

语言就像一面镜子，反映人类社会存在的一切现胆，自然也反映社会各阶级的言语和态度。词义的升格与降格就是受阶级的影响。有许多表示劳动人民职业的词产生了贬义，这是因为在贵族阶级的眼里，劳动人民是无知的、愚蠢的

④民族情绪与词义变化

民族之间的感情也会影响词义的褒贬。一些坏事前面往往加上其他民族的名称。如：to take French leave (不辞而别)；Italian hand (干预、干涉、狡诈)；Spanish athlete (胡说八道的人)；Irish bull (荒诞可笑的说法)。

在英语中最受歧视的恐怕是荷兰人，英国和荷兰在17世纪的时候经常打仗，使Dutch 这个词在许多用法中都带上了贬义。

例如：double Dutch (莫明其妙的话)；to get one’s Dutch up (发火)；to go Dutch (各人付各人钱)；to talk Dutch (讲令人听不懂的话)；

●in Dutch (处于困境)；

●Dutch bargain (饮酒时达成的交易)

●Dutch courage (酒后之勇)；

●Dutch uncle (严厉的批评者)

●Dutch widow (妓女)；

●I’m a Dutchman if …我要是… 就不是人。

(2) 语言因素

①借词的大量涌入，使原有英语词的词义发生演变，以便与借词的语义相区别。如原来英语里的pig, cow和sheep 既指动物猪、牛、羊，又指它们的肉，而在中世纪传入法语词pork、beef和mutton来分别表示这些动物的肉食。

②词语的简化也往往往词义演变

●the English people →English (英国人)

●the English language →English (英语)

●periodical paper →periodical (期刊)

●epic poem →epic (史诗)

●gold medal →gold (金牌)

●coal gas →gas (煤气)