...Running head: TRACING THE NATURE OF SEMANTIC CHANGE Tracing the Nature of Semantic Change Shahrin Akter 1521358655 Department of English North South University Tracing the Nature of Semantic Change Introduction Language never stands still. All living languages are continually changing over the course of time due to social, cultural, environmental, historical and linguistic factors. Semantic change is one of the major phenomenon of language change. Basically, semantic change deals with the change of the original meaning of a word as well as the development of a new word which is reflected in the way the words are being used. This paper mainly puts an insight to the major causes of semantic change as well as trace the traditional classification made by various scholars. According to Varshney, “The main factors responsible for semantic change are vagueness in meaning, loss of motivation, polysemy, ambiguous contexts and the structure of the vocabulary”. (p. 284). Over the passage of time, people use words in a new context. Hence the meanings of the words are changing gradually, often to the point that the new meaning is radically different from the original usage. For instance, the word ‘awful’ originally meant ‘awe-inspiring, filling someone with deep awe’, as...
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...Hauptseminar: English Etymology Master Module (8 ECTS) Dozentin: Prof. Dr. Gabriele Knappe Summer Semester 2014 Origin Unknown and the word key Touhid Ahmed Chowdhury Matrikelnummer: 1762055 European Joint Master’s Degree in English and American Studies (2) Pestalozzi Straße 9/C- 3401, 96052 Bamberg Telefon: 01521 852 5560 Email: noyon.sust@gmail.com 18th August 2014 Table of Contents 1. Introduction ………………………………………… 01 2. Etymology: Origin Unknown ……………………… 02 3. Words with known origin/ undisputed origin ……... 04 4. Theories for Etymology of Origin Unknown ……… 06 5. A case study on word Key ………………………….. 08 6. Conclusion …………………………………………... 12 References Declaration 1. Introduction Etymology can be defined as the systematic study of the birth, historical perspective, and time-to-time changes in the forms and implications of words (Ross, 1962). The study of the etymology of the English language words is an interesting and useful area. But, there are many English words in the dictionaries end up with no specific etymology for them. Thousands of words in English etymological dictionaries are included with statement such as ‘of unknown origin’, ‘origin uncertain’, ‘obscure origin’, ‘ulterior etymology unknown’. Numerous studies and research have done on some of these types of words in English etymology. The issue of ‘origin unknown’ words in English etymology incites curiosity of finding an existing and acceptable etymology for them. According to...
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...Lexical borrowing = slovní výpůjčky - adoption from another lg with the same meaning English is tolerant to other lgs, nenasytný vypůjčovatel (70% non-anglosaxon origin), welcomes foreign words, not homogenous lg like French (majority of expressions was taken from F.) reasons: lg feels a need for a new word; to pre-denote a special concept (Sputnik, gradually disappeared from lg; certain lg has a kind of prestigious position (matter of fashion, but overuse of English words; matter of political force); distinction of functional style (matter of development) – three synonymical expressions of diff. origin (anglo-saxon origin: home, French words (additional meanings): resindence, Latin words: domicile, Greek origin, etc.) layers of three origins : hunt/chase/pursue rise/mount/ascend ask/question (certain amount of intensity)/interrogate high tolerance in English; in French and in German – used to avoid it; in Czech – had to defend its position to German, Linguists tried to set certain rules for using words=re-establishion of Czech lg English changes pronunciation of borrowed words (E. is simply a germanic lg, but more Romans lg in vocabulary) the basic vocabulary=core vocabulary (be, have, do) is Anglo-Saxon, surrounding periphery of v. maybe borrowed (count a word each time that occurs) wave of new adoptions: swift adotion - in some periods in lg more words than usual are adopted, in the 13. century after the Norman conquest, natural mechanism!! self-regulated – if there...
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...[pic][pic][pic] [pic] Answer: a. Since carrot prices and quantities are determined by a system of demand and supply equations, carrot farmers are price-takers and the demand for carrots should be estimated using 2SLS. b. P and Q are endogenous variables in the system while t and W are exogenous variables. Demand is identified because supply contains an exogenous variable (W) that is not contained in the demand equations. c. The printout from STATISTIX 7 looks like: [pic] The estimated demand for carrots is: Qd=-1848628-545.782P+938.443t d. Yes, ḃ and ĉ are statistically significant at 13.57% level or better. The algebraic signs of ḃ and ĉ are as expected. The law of demand requires that ḃ be negative. Since carrots grew more popular with consumers during the period of the sample, ΔQd/Δt should be positive. e. Carrots demand over the range of prices in the 1983-2000 sample, which does not include any periods of unusually high or low prices, should tend to be price inelastic because: 1) Carrots are relatively inexpensive and so comprise a small fraction of household spending on food; 2) At the relatively low price just mentioned, consumers are not likely to be willing to substitute other vegetables if they wish to eat carrots. f. Qd=-1848628-545.782X14.432+938.443X1991.5=12,404.51, which is the sample mean value of Q. Ed=-545.782X14.432/12,407.51=-0.635, So carrots demand is measured at sample mean value of P, Q and...
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...Tracing Papon’s Fandom- An Autobiographical Sketch -Amlan J. Das M2015MC008 School of Media and Cultural Studies Wikipedia describes him as the founder and the lead singer of the folk fusion band Papon and the East India Company. He has around 37,500 followers on Twitter and 536,434 likes on his Facebook page. Born to legendary Assamese folk singer couple Khagen and Archana Mahanta, the world knows him as Papon while parents named him Angaraag Mahanta. Born on 24th November 1975, Papon crafted himself as one of the finest Assamese singers not just in the state but also across the country. His distinct voice and his selection of alternative Electronic fusion and folk fusion genre made his one of the popular names in the Indian music industry today. Assam has been a land of singer. From the likes of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika to Zubeen Garg, singers from the state have made a very distinct mark in the Indian music industry. But Papon managed to do is differently is that apart from conditioning him to industry conditions, he managed to bring out the Assamese folk culture out of the state. Call it the new age information order, boom of the internet or just chance, but other singers from the state haven’t been successful in doing what this Papon did. Before going deep into the bibliography of Papon, let move tangentially to my first association or my first introduction to this singer. Must have been the summer vacations of 2005, as a fifth grader student ...
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...C:\Documents and Settings\Arshad\Desktop\usman thesis\Full model.amw Analysis Summary Date and Time Date: Saturday, December 03, 2011 Time: 9:36:33 AM Title Full model: Saturday, December 03, 2011 09:36 AM Groups Group number 1 (Group number 1) Notes for Group (Group number 1) The model is recursive. Sample size = 261 Variable Summary (Group number 1) Your model contains the following variables (Group number 1) Observed, endogenous variables AttitudeMob AttitudeBrand PurchaseIntention Observed, exogenous variables Informativeness Irritation Credibility Personalization AttitudePrivacy AttitudeAd Entertainment Unobserved, exogenous variables e2 e1 e3 Variable counts (Group number 1) Number of variables in your model: 13 Number of observed variables: 10 Number of unobserved variables: 3 Number of exogenous variables: 10 Number of endogenous variables: 3 Parameter summary (Group number 1) Weights Covariances Variances Means Intercepts Total Fixed 4 0 0 0 0 4 Labeled 0 0 0 0 0 0 Unlabeled 8 0 10 0 0 18 Total 12 0 10 0 0 22 Models Default model (Default model) Notes for Model (Default model) Computation of degrees of freedom (Default model) Number of distinct sample moments: 55 Number of distinct parameters to be estimated: 18 Degrees of freedom (55 - 18): 37 Result (Default model) Minimum was achieved Chi-square = 1110.628 Degrees of freedom = 37 Probability level = .000 Group number 1 (Group number 1 - Default model) Estimates...
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...Diversity is defined as “the state of unlikeness” or “the condition of being different”.( Online Etymology Dictionary) Culture refers to our way of life, including everything that is learned, shared, and transmitted from one generation to the next. (The American Heritage) Athletic and country, step mother, ABA therapist, and OCD are four aspects of diversity that influenced my personal identity. I’ve played sports and rode horses all my life, so naturally I dress athletic with a mix of country. I am a step mother to a 12 year old boy and a 10 year old girl with a daughter of my own that is 1 and a half. They have completely made my heart bigger by being in my life. I am a ABA, Applied Behavior Analysis, therapist at a non- profit organization for children on the spectrum of being autistic or having Aspergers. I specialize in the serious behavioral kids. Kids that engage in severe self-injurious behaviors, property destruction and aggression towards others. That in itself have made me have a whole new outlook on life. I’m very OCD with numbers. My life revolves around even numbers. I have to have everything on an even number or am overwhelmed with anxiety. When working with kids using ABA, it is all about observable behavior. Daily I teach these children how to fit in their society. We teach characteristics of the human behavior that are more appropriate for the setting they are attending. For an example; how to act and dress during a funeral or a wedding. Both events...
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...[pic] [pic] Barnes and Noble Classic Editions Honors/Pre-AP Sophomore English Summer Reading Assignment 2013: Frankenstein Dear Students and Parents: Welcome to the Basha High School’s Honors/PreAP English program for 10th grade. Our goal is to prepare students for the Advanced Placement English Language and Composition program by exposing them to a variety of reading selections all the while developing the skills to recognize cultural and historical influences on literature. As part of the program, summer reading is required. The assignment based on the reading is due Monday August 5, 2013. If you have questions about the assignment, please contact the following honors 10 teacher by email: Ms. Audra Police at police.audra@cusd80.com . Directions for your literary exploration: Part 1 – Reading the book As you read the summer novel, highlight interesting, important or confusing passages; take notes in the margins about topics and questions you may have; this is called annotating. If the book is not yours and you do not plan to write in it, you can strategically annotate on sticky notes or type your notes. Just highlighting is not enough. We will be looking for evidence that the book was read in its entirety and that you understood the book. You will be graded on your effort to mark the text. While you are not required to annotate every page, use the guidelines below to help you: • Important plot events • Words unfamiliar or unusual – Look...
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...Essay:To what extent is lexical borrowing necessary to fill the gaps in the native lexicon? | A language or a dialect cannot exist on its own. Since the beginning of human history multilingualism has always been a common use among people speaking another language because it was the only way to communicate between them. From the moment two cultures are in contact, there are exchanges of ideas, information, goods… and vocabulary. In ancient times, the Greeks created the concept of democracy, and the word that designates it, was borrowed later by the Latin before being used in English. English draws several words from the vocabulary of French cookery (chef, menu, entrée); the French borrowed musical vocabulary from the Italian (allegro, concerto), but with the birth of industrialisation and of new technologies, most other languages now borrow from English. In countries where more than one language is spoken, the phenomenon of borrowing is very frequent. Those different languages are spoken in very close territories, so that their speakers have contact with each other and by hearing the language of the others, they end up by integrating some words of the other language. Borrowings or loanwords, less numerous than words of the mother language (except with the Creoles) though, are extremely common in the vocabulary of many languages: this is an unconscious process and a constituent factor in the life and evolution of languages. In my essay I will show how necessary are the lexical...
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...because those on both sides of the situation have very strong and valid arguments. Every time there seems to be a sound solution, there is something else that challenges the peace the solution seemingly creates. When it comes to the issue of prayer being appropriate for the school setting there are those that say that it is not appropriate, those that agree that it is, and those willing to look for solutions to pacify both sides. To even come close to beginning to identify whether prayer is appropriate for school or not one must understand exactly what both these terms mean in a general sense. School is defined as “place of instruction…discussion” (Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary). This same dictionary defines praying as “to ask earnestly, entreat,…pray to a god or a saint” (Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary). Instead of being down right technical about the definitions and the arguments presented by combining both terms to commit the act of...
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...The Peril of Indifference 1. Complete steps 1, 2, and 3 (repetition, binaries and strands) Repetition: Our, American, Gratitude, Indifference, They, god, hatred, human, Strands: Light and darkness, dusk and dawn, crime and punishment, cruelty and compassion, good and evil Binaries: America: Clinton, commander in chief, commander of the armed forces, Army, soldiers, god Germany: Auschwitz, concentration camp, Hitler, Jews, Nazis 2. Provide and respond to level 1, 2, and 3 questions. Level 2 and 3 questions should have detailed responses. Level 1 Etymologically what does the word indifference mean? Etymologically, the word means "no difference." Describe the Holocaust. The Holocaust was where people like Elie were sent to concentration camps and forced to work. Many were killed. Level 2 Analyze the way Elie uses the word gratitude. Level 3 How do you think the Holocaust impacted Elie’s life? Elie is emotionally scarred for life. Evaluate how Elie uses Roosevelt in the speech and how it affects it. 3. Provide clear, precise, and detailed evidence of the following rhetorical patterns: allusion, definition, rhetorical questions, biography, repetition, and parallel structure. Elie uses rhetorical questions by stating things like, “Does it mean that we have learned from the past? Does it mean that society has changed? Has the human being become less indifferent and more human? Have we really learned from our experiences?” He uses repetition by repeating words like...
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...FACING DEATH In defining death, according to Douglas Harper, (2010), Death is the act of dying; the end of life; the total and permanent cessation of all vital functions of an organism. Another definition of death by Feldman (2014) death is the point at which life ceases. Due to the advancement of medicine over the years death have been defined in many ways, depending on the last state of the one who experienced death. Some medical experts definition of death relies on the lack of brain waves if this happens, and the heart is still functioning, the person is not dead but is brain dead (Ressner, 2001), Feldman (2014). It is frightening to consciously recognize our mortality, to be fully aware that one day we will cease to exist. The fear of death is so great; that the reality of death must be suppressed from our consciousness so we can go forward with our lives fully. I remember as a young person I too always felt that death was for the old, as I grew into my adulthood, I begin to face reality that when someone dies it’s no coming back, at least not in this life time. The first close death I was faced with was a very good friend of mine who passed at the age of 27 and it was a very sad time for me, it took a while for me to accept that she was gone for good. One thing that has helped me in the acceptance of my own mortality is my walk with God, and his promises to me through his word. John 14:3 states” I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go to prepare a place for...
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...Library relationships • 022 Administration of the physical plant • 023 Personnel administration • 024 Not assigned or no longer used • 025 Library operations • 026 Libraries for specific subjects • 027 General libraries • 028 Reading, use of other information media • 029 Not assigned or no longer used • 030 General encyclopedic works • 031 General encyclopedic works -- American • 032 General encyclopedic works in English • 033 General encyclopedic works in other Germanic languages • 034 General encyclopedic works in French, Provencal, Catalan • 035 General encyclopedic works in Italian, Romanian, Rhaeto-Romanic • 036 General encyclopedic works in Spanish & Portuguese (Latin American) • 037 General encyclopedic works in Slavic languages • 038 General encyclopedic works in Scandinavian languages • 039 General encyclopedic works in other languages • 040 Not assigned or no longer used • 041 Not...
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...purpose can take on several avenues, such as to deepen the meaning of a term, to broaden the meaning by redirecting the obvious and present understanding to another explanation, or to entertain the reader. An extended definition of a term takes on a much more deep and thorough goal. An extended definition intends to ‘extend’ your knowledge or understanding of a term. The use of examples, stories, anecdotes and experiences is usually used to accomplish this, as well as giving comprehensive information about the term such as its noun, verb, adjective, and adverb meanings, and the origin of the word. Needless to say, much research goes into writing this type of essay. Methods of definition include Distinction, Examining, Analysis, and Etymology. • Distinction: This method explains not only what the term or phrase is, but compares it to other related terms and clearly explains what it is not. Bringing out the definition in this manner helps the reader to more clearly understand exactly the point being made. An example of the distinction method would be a coupon. A coupon is a paper or an online code that offers the consumer a discount if they purchase a particular item. In contrast, a sales premium is a bonus item given to the consumer when they purchase something else, such as a free trial bottle of shampoo when a large bottle of conditioner is purchased. • Examining denotation and connotation: Denotation is the actual meaning of a word or term, and connotation is a suggestive...
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...one is an Asian woman, and the other person is a White man. One can easily picture the three people walking beside one another because the image is not bizarre or strange, rather; the image is completely normal. The vision is normal because these three American citizens have the freedom to walk where they choose, with whom they choose. The word freedom is often overlooked and taken for granted by those who have it. A popular idea of freedom is: “Freedom lets someone do whatever he chooses to do.” Although this thought of freedom is technically correct, the phrase barely scratches the surface of the idea of freedom. Freedom comes from Old English freedom, meaning, "freedom, state of free will; charter, emancipation, deliverance” (Online Etymology Dictionary). Freedom includes possessing the ability to make a choice for one’s self. For example, the Black man walking down the street can choose to leave his two friends to stop and get coffee without being questioned solely because he simply wanted to buy coffee. Maybe it is Election Day and he made up his mind on the candidate best suited to hold a specific office. He is free to venture to his designated voting poll, and in personal privacy, cast his vote in peace because his personal choice of who to vote for is respected. One normally does not think of stopping at Starbucks as a freedom, while voting is considered a major freedom. Freedom does not have to be huge impactful rights, rather all of the small things that make up who Americans...
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