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| Řádek 1: |
Řádek 1: |
| − | 1. '''What are the usual directions of semantic change and why do you think that is the case? '''
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| − | ''semantic change'' = alteration in the lexical meaning of words and morphemes; it is the most susceptible to change because of the arbitrary connection between the signifier and the signified
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| − | * directions of the semantic change usually come in pairs, one of them is usually more frequent | |
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| − | 1. ''Generalization''
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| − | * widening in scope of a word's meaning - word denotes a greater variety of referrents
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| − | * more frequent than specialization
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| − | * examples: holiday - originally only religious significance, now a general break from work; business - originally the state of being busy
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| − | 2. ''Specialization''
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| − | * narrowing of the meaning - lower number of referrents
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| − | * sometimes occurs together with borrowing: a native word is specialized, the borrowing has a general meaning (lust vs. desire)
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| − | * examples: meat - originally "food"
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| − | 3. ''Pejoration''
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| − | * acquisition of a less favourable meaning
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| − | * more frequent than amelioration
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| − | * examples: "hussy" originally refered to a housewife; names of animals used as derogatory terms
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| − | 4. ''Amelioration''
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| − | * acquisition of a more favourable meaning
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| − | * examples: "nice" originally meant "silly, simple", "success" orginally "result"
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| − | 5. ''Weakening''
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| − | * for topics that we find difificult to talk about (bodily functions, sex, death) - linguistic taboo - we use euphemisms
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| − | * euphemisms are in continual need of renewal - it may come to be considered too strong after some time
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| − | * examples: condition instead of disease (generalization), pass away (figure of speech), STD (acronyms), darn (phonetic distortion),...
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| − | 6. ''Strengthening''
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| − | * hyperbole, common with intensifiers ("terribly sorry", "awfully good")
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| − | * they undergo a continual process of weakening - must be replaced by stronger words
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| − | 7. ''Figurative Shifts''
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| − | * transfer of meaning from one referrent to another
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| − | * Metaphor: semantic change takes place when a metaphor dies (it is no longer perceived as a metaphor) - eye of a storm, mouth of a river, the days to come
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| − | * Synecdoche: part for a whole - pretty faces (beautiful people), a rhyme (a poem)
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| − | * Metonymy: contiguity of meaning - the White House (the president etc.)
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| − | * Synesthesia: a word referring to one sense is transferred to another/to a non-sensual domain - a quiet colour
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