英语词汇学词义的变化省公开课一等奖全国示范课微课金奖课件

第五章词义改变

ChangeofMeaning外语学院徐红新1/123Whenawordlosesitsoldmeaningandcomestorefertosomethingaltogetherdifferent,theresultisachangeofwordmeaning.“…Changeofmeaningisacommonplace,andindeeditwouldappeartobefundamentalinlivinglanguage,……almosteverywordweusetodayhasaslightlydifferentmeaningfromtheoneithadacenturyago:andacenturyagoithadaslightlydifferentmeaningfromtheoneithadacenturybeforethat.”_________Quirk1963:123-1242/123Causesofchangesinwordmeaning1.theworldischanging社会是语言外部原因（索绪尔，1980：43），不过社会又不是普通外部原因，而是客体世界中最主要外部原因，因为语言是特殊社会现象，语言跟社会诸原因有千丝万缕关系。1.1旧词添新义car\ship1.2科技发展光环1.3普通义位与科技义位间转变menu,window1.4社会集团社会地位改变governor,lord1.5经济发展狗、马1.6民族或种族矛盾原因Dutch3/1232.Humanbeingischanging2.1认识水平在提升heart,brain2.2思想观念更新天堂、老板、演员、士兵2.3心理感情原因求新：净面、洗脸、飚客、粉丝,闪族求美：春风、教室求省：机票、机场、机群、客机、班机goldmetal求雅：euphemism下岗、老、战略性撤退、穷circumlocutionlie\steal\lazy感情原因（移情）：冤家4/1233.Thelanguageischanging3.1semanticreasonharvest\autumnmotor左右红白赤3.2grammaticalreason廉颇老矣，尚能饭否？3.3pragmaticreason斗闻5/123a.Extensionofmeaning

b.Restrictionofmeaning

c.Degenerationofmeaningd.Elevationofmeaninge.Transformationofmeaning词义改变26/123ExtensionofMeaningItisalsocalledwideningofmeaningorgeneralization.It’saprocessbywhichawordwhichoriginallyhadaspecializedmeaninghasnowbecomegeneralized.7/123FourkindsofextensionA.FromspecifictogeneralB.FrompropernounstocommonnounsC.FromconcretetoabstractD.Fromtechnicaltermstogeneralwords8/123A.Fromspecifictogeneral从特指到泛指ExamplePicture:originally:apaintingordrawing9/123Thepresentmeaningaphotographacinematicpictureanx-raypictureaTVpicturearadio-telescopepictureanypicture10/123MoreExamplesrubbishOriginally:rubble(碎石）Now:anythingworthless11/123B.FrompropernounstocommonnounsAntonomasia换称theuseofapropernountoconveyageneralidea12/123ExampleSandwich:Itnowdenotesapopularfastfood.ItoriginatesfromJohnMontague,FourthearlofSandwichin18th-centuryEngland.Hewassofondofgamblingthatheoftenforgothismeals.Heoftenorderedslicesofbreadwiththickpiecesofroastbeefstuffedbetweenthembebroughttohimsohecouldeatwhileplaying.Later,peopleusedhisnametorefertoallsimilarfood.13/123GreekMyth:akingpunishedforhismisdeedsbyhavingtostandinwaterthatrecedeswhenhetriestodrinkitandunderfruitthatmovesawayashereachesforit.TantalusTantalize挑逗14/123Argus百眼巨人Greekmyth:agiantwith100eyes.Afterhewaskilled,hiseyesweretransferredtothePeacock’stailArgus-eyed:keen-sighted;Observant明察秋毫Example:WehavedecideditisimpossibletocheatwhenthatArgus-eyedpro-fessorgivesanexam15/123Narcissus

水仙花Narcissus:Greekmyth:abeautifulyouthwhofellinlovewithhisref-lectioninapool,hencetheword:narcissismandthemeaning:aninterestinoradmirationforoneself.16/123Munchausen说大话人HewasaGermansoldier.AfterhisretirementfromhisserviceintheRussianArmyagainsttheTurks,hetoldexaggeratedstoriesofhiscampaigningadventures,thusthemeaning:apersonwhoboasts;exaggerated.17/123Pinchbeck冒牌货ChristopherPinchbeckwasanBritishjeweler.He

inventedanalloyofcopper,zincformerlyusedforcheapjewelery,hencethemeaning:specious似是而非andspurious伪造goods.18/123FrankensteinFrankensteinisacharacterinthenovelwrittenbyfamousBritishwomanwriterMaryW.Shelley.Heisamedicalresearcher,whocreatedarobotmonster,broughtittolifeandfinallywaskilledbythemonster.19/123“Watergate”源指美国华盛顿特区综合大厦。1972年6月17日夜间，共和党争取总统连任委员会相关人员潜入大厦内民主党全国委员会总部而被捕，暴露了共和党政府在总统竞选中非法活动，造成美国历史上首次总统辞职，现泛指“丑闻”。专有名词普通化与特定历史事件相关：20/123

LouisPasteurisaFrenchchemistandbiologist.Hisresearchesshowingthatthefermentation发酵ofmilkandwinewasduetothemultiplicationofbacteriaandothermicroorganismsledtothediscoveryoftheroleofmicroorganisminhumanandanimaldisease.Fromthesefindingshedevelopedimmunizationbyinoculation免疫接种ofattenuatedmicrobes微生物,andtheprocessofpasteurization巴氏消毒法.专有名词普通话与特定科技事件相关：21/123Pasteurizationisaprocesswhichrendersmilkfreeofdisease-producingbacteriaandhelptopreventitfromspoilingwithoutdestroyingthevitaminsorchangingthetaste.Itinvolvesheatingthemilkto1450-168Ffor30minutes.Topasteurizeistosterilizebypasteurization.22/123JamesWatt（瓦特）isaScottishengineerwhomadefundamentalimprovementstotheNewcomensteamengine,leadingtothewidespreaduseofsteampowerinmines,factoriesetc.InpartnershipwithMathewBoulton,Wattbuiltmayenginesattheirfoundry铸造车间inBirmingham.Theunitofpowerisnamedafterhim.23/123Wordsofthisgroupalsoincludeampere（安培）,farad（法拉）,ohm（欧姆）,volt（伏特）,watt（瓦特）fromFrenchphysicistAmpere,BritishphysicistFaraday,GermanphysicistOhm,ItalianphysicistVoltaandScottishinventorWattrespectively24/123

这类专有名词常为商标专有名。Walkman原来是Sony企业“随身听”注册商标，在激烈商业活动竞争中脱颖而出成为名牌。因为它家喻户晓，使它在人们心目中失去了一个专利商标，被用户作为“随身听”代名词去泛指一切“随身听”产品。与经济活动相关：25/123Wordslikenylon（尼龙）,orlon（奥纶）,dacron（涤纶）,rayon（人造丝）wereoriginallytradenamesandarenowusedtodenotethefourtypesoffabric.26/123生活节奏加紧，生活竞争加剧使得体育专业术语大量被用于日常生活之中：与体育活动相关：27/123coverthebases:补垒:可泛指“仔细考虑问题、提议、事情等每一个细节以确保万无一失”。beoutinleftfield:棒球术语：左外场，位于外场防卫位置，语义泛化后指：“失去理智”，“错误”等。28/123

strikeout:棒球术语，“三击未中，击球员出局”，现可指“努力失败”。loadthebases:跑满垒：形容“任务即将被完成”。hitahomerun:本垒打：泛指“取得巨大成功”。29/123throwacurveball:打出曲线球，这种球在接手接球一刹那会拐弯飞出：形容“采取坑骗伎俩使某人大吃一惊”。calltheplay:作裁判：形容“负担有决定权职责”。30/123runwithit:带球向得分点跑去：形容“开始实施一个计划或开始着手某个事务”等。31/123touchdown:攻方持球触地，按照要求，攻方在对方端区持球触地可得6分，现在可用来形容“辉煌成就”。32/123Svengali(斯文加利)系英语小说家GeorgeduMaurier所著小说Trilby中音乐家。Heisapersonwhocontrolsanother’smind,usuallywithsinisterintentions.专有名词充当普通动词，比如：Hesvengaliedusintoacceptinghisopinions.他采取斯文加利式骗术使我们接收了他观点。33/123

TheUnitedStatesisraisingaFrankensteinbyprovidinghardwaretothatcountry.（美国向那个国家提供军事武器，到头来只会作法自毙。）Frankenstein是英国作家MaryWollstonecraft-Shelley于1818年所著小说中生理学研究教授。他创造了一个怪物，结果被这个怪物所毁灭。英语普通化专有名词常见特征：专有名词充当普通名词使用，比如：34/123Gerrymander:todividetheconstituencies（选区）ofavotingareasoastogiveonepartyanunfairadvantage;tomanipulateoradapttoone’sadvantage.专有名词与普通名词拼缀组成动词，比如：California’sRepublicanlegislaturegerrymandered（为己党利益擅改选区）the26th…tomakeitoverwhelminglyDemocraticandturnfouradjoiningdistrictsintoRepublicanstrongholds.35/123“Gerrymander”comesfromElbridgeGerry,aU.S.politician+(sala)mander(蝾螈；）;fromthesalamander-likeoutlineofanelectoraldistrictreshapedforpoliticalpurposeswhileGerrywasgovernorofMassachusetts36/123Hooverize:vt节约（粮食等）由Hoover+ize派生而来。专有名词与动词词缀连用组成派生动词?37/123HerbertClarkHooverwasaU.s.Statesman,31stpresidentoftheU.S..HeorganizedreliefforEuropeduringandafterWorldWarI.AspresidenthemadegreateffortstoreducegovernmentexpensesandlostfavourafterhisfailuretoalleviatetheeffectsoftheDepression.38/123Whenpropernounsarecommonized,manyofthemhavelosttheiroriginalidentity:theinitiallettermaynotbecapitalizedasalreadyshown;thesewordscantakesuffixes–ic,ian,-al,-ist,-ese,-ish,-esquetoformdifferentwords.39/123这类专有名词转为普通动词在科技英语中尤为常见，尤其是商品名牌商标动词化，比如：“Hoover”,“Whiteout”,“Mace”arethetrademarksrespectivelyforatypeofvacuumcleaner“真空吸尘器”，awhitecorrectingfluid“白色涂改液”，andaliquidcausingtearsandnausea,usedasasprayforriotcontrol,“梅斯催泪毒气”40/123tomacedemonstrators向游行示威者喷射梅斯气tohooverafloor用真空吸尘器吸地板上灰尘towhiteoutamistake用白色涂改液涂改错误41/123专有名词经过转类法转为普通形容词:MickeyMouse:thenameofacartooncharactercreatedbyWalterDisney,knownforhissimple-mindedattitudes,hencethemeaning:ineffective,trivialandinsignificant42/123比如：Twodaysfora226-mileraceisMickeyMouse.两天跑完226英里赛程是轻而易举事。amickeymousecollegecourse一门轻易学大学课程43/123专有名词普通化现象在当代英语中层出不穷。这种普通化现象在经济领域会带来一系列司法纠纷。在政治领域也会带来一些消极后果。44/123在美国，“Coke”,“Kleenex”（可丽舒面巾纸）,“Xerox”（施乐影印）,“Jell-o”（吉露果冻）“ScotchTape（透明胶封口）”为阻止商标名普通化先后诉诸法庭，假如说以上商标名经过法律路径在一定程度上保护了自己产品名“专有”。45/123正因如此，越来越多厂家开始在商标名设计上标新立异。从语言形式上试图杜绝自己商品名语义泛化现象。从商标名专有名词普通化分析结果来看，有以下三种情况：46/1231）专有名词商标名含有浓厚描绘性特征：DryIce:干冰，固态二氧化碳ShreddedWheat:脆麦面条MineralOil:矿物油CornFlakes:玉米片47/1232）专有名词含有半描绘性特征：Cellophane:塞璐玢；玻璃纸Escalator:电梯Zipper:拉链48/123节约标准是指人们用商标名作为产品代名词。人们之所以这么做是因为商标名相对于产品名，前者可能更简便，且易上口。长此以往，造成商标名失去专有名词特征。3）节约标准49/123如：Sanka牌“decaffeinated（脱去咖啡因）coffee”;Teflon牌“Polytetrafluoroethylene聚四氟乙烯coating”。商标名“Sanka”以及“Teflon”在语符系统上比较简单，前者代替后者不可防止50/123为了预防专有名词普通化，生产厂家采取了一系列办法保护商标名专一性。一是在拼写上采取反常规形式，在不该大写地方使用大写形式，如：TelePrompter(电子提词机)；51/123二是使其商标名作为专有形容词使用，如：Jell-ogelatin(果冻胶)。52/123这些办法也极难有效保护这些专有名词普通化趋势，因为语言使用者只要对这些专有名词稍加改动便能够使它们最少在形式上类似普通词。现在，字典已收入了“teleprompter提词装置”以及“jello凝胶物”便是很好例子。53/123C.FromConcretetoAbstractGrasp抓住、掌握Place广场、地位Thing集会、54/123Matter:originallymeanttimber,thehardpartofatreeNowithasalotofabstractmeanings.55/1231)Theworldismadeofmatter.Substance(s)ofwhichthephysicalthingismade2)Thematterinyouressayisgood.Materialforthoughtorexpression56/1233)ThisisamatterIknowlittleabout.SomethinginwhichattentionisgivenItmadenomattertohimthathisbrotherlostallhismoney.Ofimportance57/123D.Fromtechnicaltermstogeneralwords:Countdown:thecountingaloudofnumbersinreverseorderbeforesth.happens,esp.Beforeaspacecraftislaunched.58/123Now:emergencysituation十分危急情况；行将摊牌局面ThatwouldleadtoacountdowninCambodia柬埔寨.59/123Feedback:itoccursinamachineorsystemwhenpartofthepower,soundorinformationproducedgoesbackintothemachineorsystem.60/123Now:responseThereaderfeedbackwasgenerallyfavourable.61/123Fallout:theradiationthataffectsaplaceafteranuclearexplosion:放射性尘埃Now:consequenceHepredictedthatthefalloutfromWatergatewouldhitbothparties.62/123Firestorm:Ittakesplacewhenabombexplodes;strongwindsrushintoittotaketheplaceofthehotairthatisrising,causingtheblazetoburnuncontrollably.核弹引发大火暴Now:strongreaction63/123TherevelationsabouttheCIA’sactivitiesinChilebrokeinthepressjustasthefirestormovertheNixonpardonputanabruptendtoCongress’shoney-moonwithGeraldford.报界揭露了中央情报局在智利活动，与此同时，赦免尼克松所引发强烈反应使得国会同杰拉德。福特蜜月猝然终止。64/123RestrictionofMeaning65/123ExamplesliquorOldMeaningSpecializedmeaningliquidalcoholicdrink66/123examplemeatOldMeaningSpecializedMeaningfoodFleshofanimals67/123wordOldmeaningSpecializationdiseasediscomfortillnesspoisondrinkPoisonousdrinkwifewomanmarriedwomanaccidenteventunluckyeventgirlAchildAfemalechild68/123wordOldmeaningSpecializationstarvedieDieofhungerstinkAnysmellBadsmellsuccessResultagoodresultcorpseahumanoranimalbodylivingordeadadeadbodyesp.ofahumanbeing69/123当代英语中把日常生活用语转用到科技方面，这也是词义缩小一个现象。70/123Acleanroom和awhiteroom均为日常生活用语，现指用于精密零件制造“绝尘室”“Acleanroom”or“awhiteroom”,increasinglybecomesshoptalk.清洁室或称白室正日益变成教授们行话。71/123ElevationofMeaningWordsoftenrisefromahumblebeginningtoapositionofgreaterimportance.Thischangeiscalledelevationofmeaning.72/123Pioneer:footsoldierwhoclearedthewayforanyarmybyfallingtrees,etc.Apersonwhogoesbefore,preparingthewayforothers,asascientistdoingexploratorywork73/123Fond:foolishTenderandaffectionate74/123ministerOld:anattendantNew:apersonattheheadofadepartmentofastate.75/123marshallOriginally:AhorsetenderPresentMeaning:Officerofhighestrank76/123craftsmanOld:apersongoodatcheatingNow:amanwhodoesaskilledjob,usu,withhands77/123shrewdOldmeaning:wicked;maliciousNow:keen-witted;cleverorsharpinpracticalaffairs78/123nimbleOldmeaning:quickatstealingpresentmeaning:quickofcomprehension79/123见125页ElevationofMeaning80/123

DegradationofmeaningWordswithacommendatorymeaningmaybecomeoneswithaderogatorysense.Thisiscalleddegradationofmeaningordeterioration81/123FourKindsofDegradationofMeaningA.Awordfallsintodisreputebecauseofsocialprejudice82/123ExampleVillainoldmeaning:afarmerpresentMeaning:amanguiltyofevildeeds83/123clownOldmeaning:apeasantpresentMeaning:amanwhoisclumsyandbehavesstupidly84/123wenchOldmeaning:acountrygirlpresentmeaning:agirlofloosecharacter85/123boorOldmeaning:afarmhandpresentmeaning:onewhoisrough,impoliteandclumsy86/123churlOldmeaning:afarmhandpresentmeaning:onewhoisrudeandunfriendly87/123B.AwordbecomeslessrespectablebecauseofeuphemismExamples见127页88/123C.MiddletermswhichareneutralinmeaningandtakeonfavorableorunfavorablemeaningaccordingtocontextExamples见128页89/123Fortune,isamiddleterm,becauseitmaybeeithergoodorbadbuttheadjectivefortunatehasapositivevalue.Sowiththewordluck.Thewordreferstogoodorbadluck,especiallytogoodluck.Buttheadjectiveluckyonlydenotes“havingorbringinggoodluck”.90/123D.Sometimesawordshowsdeteriorationinsomeofitsuses,butmaintainitselfinothers.executeTokillsb.asalawfulpunishmentTocarryoutanorder,aplan,apieceofwork91/1234-2-3SemanticChangesfromtheLiteralUseofwordstoTheirFigurativeUse

1.Metaphor92/123Weknowthatwordsareusedintwoways:literallyandfiguratively.Whenusedliterally,theyhavetheirnaturalandusualmeaning.Whenusedfiguratively,theyhaveasuggestedmeaning.!93/123Asimileisafigureofspeechwhichmakesacomparisonbetweentwounlikeelements,havingatleastonepointofresemblanceinappearance,quality,actionoreffect.94/123Ametaphor,likeasimile,alsomakesacomparisonbetweentwounlikeelements,butunlikeasimile,thiscomparisonisimpliedratherthanstated.Metaphor?95/123Therearethreemajorgroupsofmetaphorsaccordingtofunctionandcharacter:A.AnthropomorphicmetaphorsB.AnimalmetaphorsC.Synaestheticmetaphors96/123A.AnthropomorphicmetaphorsManyinanimateobjectsarecomparedtothepartsofthehumanbody.97/123theeyeofaneedle针眼theeyeofapotato马铃薯芽眼theeyeofthehurricane风眼theeyeofaflower花心theeyeofapeacock’stail孔雀翎斑theeyeoftherevolution革命中心98/123参见p.32forMoreExamples99/123B.AnimalmetaphorsAgreatmanyinanimateobjects,includingvariousinstruments,machinesandpartsofmachinesarecalledafterananimal.100/123Cat-o’-nine-tails;九尾鞭；香蒲Cat-ice:thiniceunsupportedbywater薄冰Catmintorcatnip猫薄荷Catlap:slops,tea,etc.稀薄饮料101/123Anotherlargegroupofanimalnamescanbetransferredintowordsindicatingpersons.102/123Anass:astupidfoolishpersonApig:adirty,g