词汇学第四节.pptVIP

Chapter 5 Changes in word meaning 词义的变化 1.And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it, But when I wind up this essay, I end it. 2.Why do people recite at a play, and play at a recital(独奏)? I. Polysemy(一词多义) II. Types of semantic change （词义变化的方式） I. Polysemy(一词多义) Polysemy - Greek origin: Polys: much; sema: meaning The same word may have two or more different meanings. Most English words are polysemic. A sign of the superiority of that language. 1.Primary meaning(原始意义；基本意义) and derived meaning（派生意义） Primary meaning refers to what a word originally meant; derived meaning refers to the meaning springing from the original meaning(词在语言发展过程中形成的). Eg. Harvest 秋天 （autumn） Pain (惩罚)，此义仅用于下列词组： Pains and penalties刑法 On/under pain of (death)违者处（死） 2. Central meaning(中心意义) and secondary meaning（次要意义） Central meaning equals Primary meaning Radiation词义的辐射: the process in which the primary or central meaning stands at the center while secondary meanings radiate from it in every direction like rays. Each of the secondary meanings is independent of all the rest, and may be traced back to the central meaning. Hand (手) I’m only interested in the birds in my hands. （拥有） He set his hands to the contract. (签字） My son write a good hand. （字） We gave the singer a big hand （鼓掌） We need 20 more hands. （人手） II. Types of semantic change （词义变化的方式） Causes of Semantic Change： 1.Historical cause：It refers that a word retrains(抑制；束缚) its original form, but its meaning has changed because the object which it denotes has changed. e.g. car means two-wheeled from Latin, now it means a modern transport. 2. Social cause：It refers that change in word meaning resulting from a constant verbal transfer between common words and various technical words. e.g. Feedback(微分反馈 ;微分反应 ) originally is an electricity word, now changed to a common word means “respond”. 3. Foreign influences：It refers that the influences of foreign words cause the word meaning changed. e.g.