semanticmotivation..docVIP

Semantic motivation Motivation refers to the connection between the linguistic symbol and its meaning. There are three major motivations. They are onomatopoeic motivation, semantic motivation, and logic motivation. However, in some cases, it is hard to find onomatopoeic motivation or logic motivation. For this reason more of the majorities believe that the semantic motivation is the most significant one（英语词汇学教程，张维友，2000）. And here will exposes the semantic motivation in details. This kind of motivation is based on semantic factors and the most peculiar trait of changes of meaning: the co-existence of old sense and new within the same synchronous system (实用英语词汇学,张华，2008). It refers to the mental associations suggested by the conceptual meaning of a word and explains the connection between the literal sense and figurative sense of the word. Thus there would be some extended or figurative meanings in one word. When we say the mouth of a river, we associate the opening part of the river with the mouth of a human being or an animal. When we use the foot of the mountain, we are comparing the lower part of the mountain to the foot of a human being. In the sentence “He is fond of the bottle”, bottle reminds one of what is contained inside. When we speak of the bonnet or the hood of a car, of a coat of paint, or of potatoes cooked in their jackets, these expressions are motivated by the similarity between the garments and the objects referred to. In the same way, when we say the cloth for the clergy, silk for a Q.C., or “town and gown” for “town and university”, there is semantic motivation due to the fact that the garment is question are closely associated with the persons they designate. Both types of expression are figurative: the former are metaphorical, based on some similarity between the two elements, the latter are metonymic, founded on some external connection (Modern English lexicology,陆国强，1999) Character of such transfer is present to the speakers mind, motivat