On the Problem of Lexical Semantic Change مقالة

The article provides an insight into a problem of lexical semantic change. A short historical outline of the development of semantic studies is given. The authors analyze some of the most important stages in the history of the formation of this field. The existing approaches to dealing with form and meaning, namely semasiological and onomasiological ones are discussed. The authors consider the ambiguous character of the notion “semantic change” and analyze the existing alternative definitions that convey the sense of the semantic processes involved. The reasons of semantic change are touched upon. The traditional classification of semantic changes and its characteristics are also considered. The authors use some examples from African varieties of English and French to illustrate some of the semantic processes considered in the article.

The authors use some examples from African varieties of English and French to illustrate some of the semantic processes considered in the article . 318 3181 Special Issue of Journal of Research in Applied Linguistics, 10, Spring 2019 than a usage-oriented approach to word-meaning research but, at the same time, in the historical development of the discipline, they have each contributed significantly to the descriptive and conceptual apparatus oflexical semantics" (Geeraerts, 2017, p. 3. Results and Discussions The term "semantic change" is often considered ambiguous and unprecise. Hollmann (2009) points out that the traditional typology of semantic changes cannot be applied to all changes and some classifications are not mutually exclusive as a meaning can develop in either direction: it "may become more positive or negative, broader or narrower, may involve metaphor or (different kinds of) metonymy, and may be caused by factors within or outside language" (pp. More often researchers group the reasons of semantic changes into linguistic and extralinguistic. Sometimes an ellipsis can be a linguistic reason of semantic change when a part of a word-group is dropped. The terms "innovative semantic 322 3221 Special Issue of Journal of Research in Applied Linguistics, 10, Spring 2019 change" and "reductive semantic change" are also used for the addition and the loss of meaning accordingly. There are two main approaches to the study of semantic change: semasiological and onomasiological ones. The reasons of semantic changes can fall into two groups: linguistic and extralinguistic. Reasons for semantic change in the English language.