Types of a semantic change

Semantic change, also known as semantic shift or semantic progression describes the evolution of word usage — usually to the point that the modern meaning is radically different from the original usage. In diachronic (or historical) linguistics, 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. The study of semantic change can be seen as part of etymology, onomasiology, semasiology, and semantics.

Examples:

Awful - Originally meant "inspiring wonder (or fear)". It is a portmanteau of the words "awe" and "full", used originally as a shortening for "full of awe". In contemporary usage the word usually has negative meaning.

Demagogue - Originally meant "a popular leader". It is from the Greek demagogos (leader of the people), from demos (people) + agogos (leader). Now the word has strong connotations of a politician who panders to emotions and prejudice.

Types of semantic change:

1. Widening/Extension

ð range of meanings of a word increases so that the word can be used in more contexts than were appropriate before the change

· -dog =>1) specific powerful breed of dog => all breeds or races of dog

· -cupboard => 1) table upon which cups or vessels were placed, a piece of furniture to display plates => closet or cabin with shelves for the keeping cups and dishes =>AE: small storage cabinet

2. Narrowing (specialisation, restriction)

=> range of meaning is decreased so that a word can be used appropriately only in fewer contexts than before the change

· *meat => 'food' in general;

· *hound => OE hund 'dog in general' => species of dog (long eared hunting dog);

· *wife => OE 'woman' =>'woman of humble rank or low employment' => 'married woman, spouse'

· *girl => ME 'child or young person of either sex' =>'female child, young woman'

3. Metaphor

· -involves relationship of perceived similarity

· *root (of plant) => > root of plant, root of word, root in algebra, source

· *stud => 'good-looking sexy man '(of slang origin) derived from stud 'a male animal used for breeding

· *chill => "relax, calm down' of slang origin, original 'to cool'

4. Metonymy

· -inclusion of additional senses which were originally not present but which are closely associated with word's original meaning

· -tea => 'drink' => 'evening meal accompanied by drinking tea';

· cheek 'fleshy side of the face below the eye' < OE: cēace ' jaw, jawbone'

5. Synecdoche

· -kind of metonymy, involves part-to-whole relationship

· -hand 'hired hand, employed worker';

· tongue 'language'

6. Degeneration / Pejoration

· -sense of a word takes on a less positive, more negative evaluation in the minds of the users

- knave 'a rogue' < OE: cnafa ' a youth, a child' > 'servant';

· -spinster 'unmarried woman' < 'one who spins';

· -silly 'foolish, stupid' < ME sely 'happy, innocent' < OE sælig ''blessed, blissful'

· -disease 'illness' < 'discomfort' (cf. dis+ease)

7. Elevation /Amelioration

· -shifts in the sense of a word in the direction towards a more positive value in the minds of the users

· -pretty < OE: prættig 'crafty, sly'

· -knight 'mounted warrior serving a king' 'lesser nobility' < OE cniht 'boy, servant' >'servant' > 'military servant';

· dude 'guy, person' < in 1883 a word of ridicule for 'man who affects an exaggerated fastidiousness in dress, speech and deportment', a dandy'

8. Taboo replacement and avoidance of obscenity

· -ass 'long-eared animal related to a horse' => donkey;

· -cock 'adult male chicken' => rooster,

· -bloody nose => blood nose/bleeding nose

· -toilet: WC, bathroom, lavatory, restroom, loo, john

9. Hyperbole

· -shift in meaning due to exaggeration by overstatement

· -terribly, horribly, awfully 'very'

10. Litotes

· exaggeration by understatement

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