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”.
Example:
tragedy - a massive terrible event but now is used on a day to day basis
shit - faeces but now its used in everyday life
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.
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 euphemism?
A euphemism is a generally innocuous word
or expression used in place of one that may be
found offensive or suggest something unpleasant.
