Semantic Changes in English Language

‘Semantic Changes’ in English Language

Q. Discuss ‘Semantic Changes’ in English Language with examples

Answer: Semantic change in language, particularly in English, refers to any change in the meaning(s) of a word over the course of time. It is also called semantic shift, lexical change, and semantic progression.

Semantic change in the context of words describes the gradual shift in the conventional meaning of words, as people use them in new types of context and these usages become normal. Frequently over the span of semantic change, a word moves its significance to the point that the importance of modern meaning is fundamentally unique in relation to the first utilization.

Causes of semantic changes:

Nothing is static in this world. Everything is under the process of evolution. Language is not an exception. As Edward Spair says, “Language moves down time in a current of its own making …..Nothing is perfectly static. Every word, every grammatical element, every locution, every sound and action is a slowly changing configuration.”

The content of linguistic expression is as much affected by these processes as any aspect of their form. If a cursory glance is cast on any word right from the Roman age down to the present day, from the meaning point of view, we shall fine some considerable change.

In the case of some certain words this change is quite drastic and too much far gone to believe, and makes one surprise to think of the long distance it has travelled throughout ages. All these sense-changes can be traced to certain causes. These causes may be linguistic or extra-linguistic.

Indeed, semantic change (semantic transfer, semantic progression, semantic development, or semantic flow) is a form of language change in the evolution of word usage - usually to the point that modern meaning is quite different from the original usage.

In diachronic (or historical) linguistics, semantic change is a change in the meaning of a word. Each word has different senses and meanings, which can be added, removed or changed over time, often to the extent that the wise have very different meanings throughout space and time.

The study of semantic change can be seen as part of etymology, onomaciology, semisiology, and semantics. Let’s discuss some examples of words that are semantically changed over the course of time.

Examples:

Terrible - Originally used to mean "inspiring surprise (or fear)", originally used to abbreviate "filled with fear", the word usually has a negative connotation in contemporary usage.

Demagog - Originally from "A Popular Leader", from the Greek Demagag has been changed to "Leader of the People", Demos from "People" + Agages "Leader, Guide". Now the word has a strong meaning for a politician who is prone to passion and prejudice.

Egregious - Originally described something that was significantly better. The word comes from the Latin agregius "prominent, select", literally "standing from the flock", which comes from ex— "out of" + greg— (grex) "flock". Now that means something that is extraordinarily bad or smooth.

Gay - originally meant (13th century) "light hearted", "delightful" or (14th century) "bright and beautiful", meaning "happy" also came; It acquired the notion of immorality in early 1637, either sexually promiscuous, gay woman "prostitute", gay male "female worker", gay house "brothel", or otherwise, for example, gay dog "overly persuasive man" and gay cheater "cheater" and In the United States, homosexual cats refer to a hobo, especially a small hobo with an adult in 1897; in 1935, it was used as a prison language for a gay boy; George Chancey in his book Gay New York in the late 19th century will put this change in the "crowd" of some of the gay nightlife known in modern times. Therefore, it is used in a neutral way; or as an insulting synonym for "stupid", "dumb", or "annoying".

Guy - Guy Fox was the alleged leader of the conspiracy to blow up the English Houses of Parliament on 5 November 2010. The day is celebrated as a holiday, with Guy Fox Day, an angry mannequin from Fox being garlanded and burned to death. . As a result, the word guy was used as a term for any "hateful person" and then in the late 1800's - especially in the United States - for "any man", for example, "some people called you." In the twentieth century, the man has replaced peer and is gradually replacing peer, block, chap and other such words in the rest of the English-speaking world under the influence of American popular culture. In the plural, it can imply a mix of genders (e.g., "Come on, guys!" can refer to a group of men and women).

However, word changes can also occur when native speakers of other languages adopt English expressions and apply them to activities or conditions in their own social and cultural environment.

For example, "Two remarkable instances of semantic change have remained notable since the Vietnam War, when hawks ended up being even more routinely used for war partners and dove for their rivals.

Besides, users use a mouse and bookmark Internet address. These new meanings do not replace previous ones, but mouse and bookmarks increase the range of application of the word. "In short, semantic change does not mean a complete change of a word with the modern expansion of its meaning.

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