Meaning change

Meaning transference
 Meaning change
(semantic change)
• New meanings of the words appear
• Immoral: not customary -> unethical - degrade in M

• Unique: one in the list -> special - upgrade in M

• Old meanings drop out of the language or co-exist with the
new ones
• Silly: happy, prosperous -> foolish
• Wench: girls -> wanton (easy-virtue) woman

-> prostitutes
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 Causes of semantic change
• Extra linguistic causes (connected with the
development of society, changes in social,
political, economic, cultural life, in science and
technology) ->

• Linguistic causes (connected with the system of

language), fridge, Liz, tín, vk, ck, khum
• Psychological reasons (taboos, euphemism):

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 Change of meaning

• Change of the denotation:

• Widening/extended

• Narrowing

• Change of the connotation

• Degradation

• Elevation

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 Types of transference
of meaning

METAPHOR METONYMY
OTHER TYPES

HYPERBOLE LITOTES IRONY EUPHEMISMS

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 Metaphor
• Metaphor is the transference of meaning from one
object to another based on similarities between
these two.

• In other words, we call one object by the name of

another because we compare these objects and find
some common features between them.

✔Eg: The Internet is an information superhighway

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 Metaphor vs. Simile
Criteria METAPHOR SIMILE
Feature Implicit comparison Explicit comparison

Form Direct: having no Indirect: having

elements of elements of
comparison comparison (like; as)

Example A wire is a road for A good book is like a

electrons. good meal.

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 How to create metaphor for
these sentences?
1. The lake is like the heart of the city.
2. She was as sly as a fox.
3. The cat’s eyes were like jewels,
gleaming out of the darkness.
4. The electric wire was very much like a
writhing snake.
5. It was as big as an elephant.

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 Basis of transference

• Shape: teeth of the • Function: the key to

saw the mystery

• Position: foot of the • Colour: rose, orange

mountain • Size: midget,
• Movement: She elephantine
wormed her way • Characteristics:
through the crowd. Othello, snake, bear
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 Metonymy
• Metonymy is the substitution of one word for
another with which it is associated.

• In other words, instead of the name of one

object or notion, we use the name of another
because these objects are associated and
closely related.
• Eg: The White House announced a press conference for four
o'clock Sunday.
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 Metonymy vs. Metaphor

• Metaphor is based on similarity.

Eg: Her voice were music to his ears.

• Metonymy is based on contiguity.

Eg: The Crown had absolute power in

the Middle Ages.

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 Notes

• Metonym is a kind of “local” word

perceived in a system of beliefs that is
available only to a sub-section of the
community.

• Eg: The white jersey was very nice.

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 Basis of the transference
Material, causal or conceptual relation

• Place - for - institution

Eg: The White Hall objected to the plan.

• Thing - for - perception

Eg: There goes my knee. (the pain in my

knee)

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 Basis of the transference
Material, causal or conceptual relation
• Object - for - possessor

Eg: The Crown in fact has little power.

• Part - for - whole

Eg: We don’t employ long hairs.

• Place - for - event

Eg: Waterloo marked the end of Napoleon’s life

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 Bases of metonymy
• Name of container instead of the thing contained:
to drink a glass
• Parts of human body as symbols: kind heart,
clever head
• The concrete in stead of the abstract: from the
cradle to the grave
• Materials instead of the things made of the
materials: glass, iron, silver, gold, bronze

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 Bases of metonymy
• Name of the author instead of his works:
Picasso, Dickens,
• Part for the whole: living in the same roof,
wearing a fox; He’s always running after the
skirt.
• Names of places and names of products made
there: china, champagne, havana, cardigan
• Names of inventors and names of inventions:
sandwich, volt, ampere, diesel, watt.
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 Bases of metonymy

• Spatial relation: chair, table (people sitting

at the table)

• Causal relation: fear (M.E); OE: fer (danger)

• Functional relation: to pen

• Geographical relation: china, holland

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 Hyperpole
• Definition: Hyperbole is an exaggerated
statement not meant to be understood
literally, but with powerful effect.

• Eg: It was a nightmare to meet him again.

I had to wait an eternity for the file to

download.

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 Litotes
• Definition: Litotes is an understatement
expressing something in the affirmative by
the negative of its contrary.

• He was no coward to tell her the truth.

• Not bad = very good

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 Irony

• Definition: Irony expresses meaning by words of

the opposite sense.

• Intonation plays an essential role in getting the

message across.

Eg: Watching it rain, he said, "Lovely day for a

picnic!"

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Cultures of English
 Euphemism
• Definition: Euphemism is the use of a
milder expression for something
unpleasant.

Eg: “restroom” or “lavatory” instead of “toilet”

“pass away” instead of “die”

Faculty of Linguistics and Cultures of English speaking countries

 Types of meaning transference
1.Who is the head of the class?
2.Two heads are better than one.
3.I need a hand.
4.Please give him a big hand.
5.The princess is a fragile glass.
6.How are the syllables at the tail of the tone unit treated?
7.The stock has been falling down dramatically this week.
8.The woman has a kind heart.
9.The pop star has come to his dawn.
10.I don’t think he is suitable.
11.Are we having dinner now? I’m starving.
12.Can I have a little bit more information? I think these details are not
quite enough for our report.
13.The murderer is a cold-blooded man.
14.General Giap, please rest in peace.
15.Our job is to interpret what nature is trying to tell us
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