要点简明语言学教程 chapter_7_change ppt.pptVIP

Loss of Words Words can be lost from a language as time goes by. The following words, taken from Romeo and Juliet, have faded out of the English language. Beseem ? to be suitable Wot ? to know Gyve ? a fetter Wherefore ? why Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate * The loss of words, as the examples show, take place gradually over the course of several generations. In contrast, the arrival of a new word is quite obvious and often draws attention due to its novelty. New words constantly come into being, yet many new