A BRIEF ANALYSIS OF V ARIATION CHARACTERISTICS OF ENGLISH LEXICAL MEANING
Name：
Major: English Linguistics and Literature
(英语语言文学)
Grade: 2008 (Class9)
College:
Date: May 20, 2012
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Abstract: From the perspective of sociolinguistics, the language as a social phenomenon is changing along with the society. English goes through three stages of development, which are the old English period, the middle English period and modern English period, during which it enriches English’s vocabulary in many ways that French, Latin, Greek as well as Scandinavian languages move in a large number. We can say that, the change of lexical meaning is the fastest, and most significant. This aspect is reflected in disappearing of old words and generation of new words, there is a very important aspect that some old words take on new meanings.
The paper is to discuss the main variation characteristics of lexical meaning in details as well as its factors. Firstly, the introduction makes a general survey of the factors of variation, then the body is composed of other four parts: extension of meaning, specialization of meaning, elevation of meaning and deterioration of meaning. Lastly, the conclusion makes a summary of the thesis and restates its main points. Through the analysis of the reasons and ways of semantic changes, we can have a better understanding of language nature and the history of lexical changes，and improve our abilities to use English.
Key words: extension specialization elevation deterioration 论文摘要
社会语言学认为，语言与社会是共变的，作为社会现象的语言会随着社会的变化而发生变化。英语经历古英语时期，中古英语时期及现代英语时期三个阶段的发展。法语、拉丁语、希腊语和斯堪的纳维亚语等的大量涌入使英语的词汇越来越丰富。可以说，词汇的变化最快，也最显著。这一方面表现在新词汇的产生和旧词汇的消亡，还有很重要的一个方面是词义的不断演变，旧词赋新意。
本文将讨论词义的主要变化方式的一些细节，以及已经引起变化的原因。首先，引言部分，概述词汇变化的因素。其次，正文部分，主要从词义的扩展，词义的缩小，词义的升格和词义的降格四个方面分别阐述。最后，结束语部分，对全文进行总结并重申主要观点。对词义演变的原因和方式的分析，便于我们加深对词语本质及词义演变历史的理解和提高运用英语的能力。
关键词：词义的扩展; 词义的缩小; 词义的升格; 词义的降格
Contents
I. Introduction 1
II. Extension of meaning 2
A. Definition of extension 2
B. Types of extension 2
III. Specialization of meaning 8
A. Definition of specialization 8
B. Types of specialization 8
IV. Elevation of meaning 14
A. Definition of elevation 14
B. An analysis of elevation 15
V. Deterioration of meaning 17
A. Definition of deterioration 18
B. An analysis of deterioration 18 VI. Conclusion 22
Notes 23
Bibliography 24
A Brief Account of Variation Characteristics of English Lexical
Meaning
I. Introduction
Lexis, as the smallest and the most active element in language, conveys great amount of cultural-specific information and embodies social life, which we often find in new content and form. As the rapid development of society as well as the deepening of cognition, the lexical meanings have been evolving accordingly. An early semanticist summarized the factors of variation of lexical meanings into thirty-one articles. Although it may sound surprising, we can see its complexity. In spite of that, the mainly characteristics are relatively obvious, as following.
English, which originated from the language of the Saxons and the Jutes in the first half of the 5th AD, has undergone a long historical period of social development and changes, especially in the reign of invaders twice, the lexical meanings had brought up intense changes.
Language is the barometer of the society that is moving forward constantly. Language is the system of symbols for human communication, changing with the development of society. Lexical changes are one of the important aspects of language change, and they reflect the development and changes of the society faithfully and timely due to their close connections with it. Accompany with the changes of the things, phenomenon and behavior, also with the social advancement, political changes as well as the rapid
