词汇学 Morpheme 21 Nov 2010.pptVIP

Changes in Word Meaning Historical changes of words Juliet speaks to Romeo: “I am too fond” refers to “I am too foolish” 汉语中的 “臭”，“风流”“吾爱孟夫子，风流天下闻”。 Extension of meaning Holiday：Holy day Bird: young bird Arrive: arrive at the bank 英语词义变迁有四种结果：语义的大、缩小、变褒、贬低 ⑴词义的扩大: Extension of meaning holiday -holy day-any day you have break. Bird-young bird-any animal that can fly. Arrive-arrive at the river bank-arrive at any place. ⑵词义缩小: narrowing of meaning Deer=animal in middle English Girl=young person in middle English ⑶感情意义转移：变成褒义: elevation of meaning constable =“an attendant at the stable” and then“a police officer” queen =“woman”=“the female king” ⑷变成贬义: degradation of meaning villain = “farmer”=“criminal 罪犯” mistress= opposite to mister= “情妇” Changes in word meaning in Chinese ⑴义项增减： ①增加：例如“果” 本义是指树木的果实（《说文解字》：“果，木实也”),后来又引申出一个新的意义，表示事情的结局或结果（“成果”“前因后果”）。 ②减少。例如“好”的本义指女子貌美（《史记·西门豹治邺》：“巫行视小家女好者，云是当为河伯妇”），由这个意义引申出“好”（与“坏”相对）的意思。 ⑵词语适用范围的变化：扩大和缩小。 ①扩大：词所指概念外延的扩大。江、河原指长江，黄河，现指所有内陆水域。 ②缩小：语言单位所概括和应用的范围由大变小 如：“臭”古代指一切气味如《易经》：“其臭如兰”，现在专指难闻的气味。 ⑶词语意义的更新： 随着社会生活的变化，有些词保留下来，但是意义却发生变化，原来的意义被新的意义所代替。如“兵”原来的意义是指兵器（如“坚甲利兵”），后来变成“战士”，原来的意义不存在了。 Causes of change Historical reasons: Ullmann (1977) “It often happens that language is more conservative than civilization, material as well as moral objects, institutions, ideas, scientific concepts change in the course of time; yet in many cases the name is retained and thus helps to ensure a sense of tradition and continuity”.?? Social reasons: Ullmann (1977): “Change in word meaning resulting from a constant verbal traffic between common words and various technical words is referred to as social cause of semantic change”. Class reasons Psychological reasons 上帝用泥土造人, 人生生来一切平等, 于是死去就统统return to dust/ earth( 归于尘土) 。人生来就是有罪的, 必须赎罪, 故死去 “pay the debt of nature( 偿清欠负大自然的债务) ; 上帝乃万物之主, 人死后就得be called to God/ answer the final summons( 应召到上帝身边) , 并且hand in one’s accounts/ be sent to one’s account( 交上自己的账本) , 如实汇报一生的所作所为, 听候上帝的??