Change of meaning

Points of comparison

Ginzburg

Lescheva

Zykova

Aspects of semantic
change
Causes

Causes, nature, results.

Causes, nature, results.

Causes, nature, results

1.Extra-linguistic
a. Changes in the life of the
speech community,
b. Changes in economic and
social structure,
c. Changes in ideas,
d. Scientific concepts,
e. Way of life
f. Other spheres of human
activities
2.Linguistic
a. Ellipsis (phrase made up of
two words one of these
is omitted and its
meaning is transferred
to its partner)
b. Discrimination of synonyms
c. Linguistic analogy (if one of
the members of a
synonymic set acquires
a new meaning other
members of this set
change their meanings
too)

1.Extra-linguistic
a. Change in the nature of the
related object
b. Achievements in physics
c. Taboos (sacred, forbidden to
general use)
d. Euphemisms
2. Linguistic
a. Differentiation of synonyms
(=discrimination of
synonyms)
b. Linguistic analogy (words
similar in their primary
meanings usually exhibit
similar semantic
development)
c. Ellipsis

1.Extra-linguistic
a.Changes in the life of the
speech community
2.Linguistic
a.Ellipsis (phrase made up of
two words one of
these is omitted and
its meaning is
transferred to its
partner)
b.Discrimination of synonyms
c.Fixed context

Nature

1. Similarity of meanings, or
metaphor may be described as
a semantic process of
associating two referents, one
of which in some way

1. Similarity or metaphor is
based on hidden comparison
that fixes common semantic
features between the
concepts. It is based on such

1. Similarity of meanings, or
metaphor may be described
as a semantic process of
associating two referents, one
of which in some way

Change of meaning
resembles the other.
2. Contiguity of meanings or
metonymy may be described
as the semantic process of
associating two referents one
of which makes part of the
other or is closely connected
with it.

Results

1. Changes in the denotational

meaning
a. Restriction of meaning and
specialisation (if the word
with the new meaning comes
to be used in the specialised
vocabulary of some limited
group within the speech
community)
b. Extension of meaning
(application of the word to a
wider variety of referents) and
generalisation (if the word

qualities as: shape, size,

structure, colour, function,
origin, evaluation.
2. Synesthesia a specific kind
of lexical-semantic naming of
a concept viewed similar to
another due to activation of
another sensation biologically
related to it (vision-touching,
vision-hearing, taste-smell).
3. Contiguity
a. whole-part
b. count-mass
c. material-object of it
d. container-containee
e. object-a unit of measure
f. figure-ground
g. place-people
h. producer-product
4. Hierarchical
1. Changes in the denotational
component of word meaning.
a. Restriction or narrowing
(when a word happens to
denote a more restricted
number of referents) and
specialization (when the new
meaning of the word is less
general, more detailed in
character, more specialized).
b.Extension or widening
opposite to restriction.
Generalization when

resembles the other.

2. Contiguity of meanings or
metonymy may be described
as the semantic process of
associating two referents one
of which makes part of the
other or is closely connected
with it.

1. Changes in the denotational

meaning
a. Restriction of meaning and
specialisation (if the word
with the new meaning
comes to be used in the
specialised vocabulary of
some limited group within
the speech community)
b. Extension of meaning and
generalisation (if the word
with the extended meaning
passes from the specialised

Change of meaning
with the extended meaning
passes from the specialised
vocabulary into common use)
2. Changes in the connotational
component.
a. Pejorative development
(acquisition by the word of
some derogatory emotive
charge).
b. Ameliorative development (the
improvement of the
connotational component of
meaning).

extended meanings become

more abstract, less detailed,
more general than the
original.
c.Semantic shift when a word
radically changes its
meaning.
2. Changes of connotational
meaning
a. Ameliorative development, or
amelioration when a word
acquires favourable
connotations.
b. Pejorative development, or
pejoration when a word
finally takes on pejorative
associations.

vocabulary into common

use)
2. Changes in the connotational
component.
a. Amelioration (the
improvement of the
connotational component of
meaning).
b. Deterioration (the
improvement of the
connotational component of
meaning).