English Language Unit 2 - Lexical loss/addition and semantic shifts

Acronyms

Subsystem: Lexicology
- Lexical word addition
- Words formed from the initials of other words which can be pronounced like other words
- e.g. ANZAC

Affixation

Subsystem: Lexicology
- Lexical word addition
- A morphological process that involves the addition of bound morphemes to a word stem
- e.g. 'non' + 'fat' = 'nonfat'

Archaic

Subsystem: Lexicology
- Lexical word loss
- When a word or construction is no longer employed or transferred from earlier phases of a language
- e.g. 'manifold', 'ere', and 'prithee' are only found in historical novels

Backformation

Subsystem: Lexicology
- Lexical word addition
- The formation of a new word that occurs when speakers reinterpret a simple root as a root plus affix. By dropping the affix, a new word is formed.
- e.g. the verb 'enthuse' comes from the noun 'enthusiasm'

Blends (blending)

Subsystem: Lexicology
- Lexical word addition
- A ford formation process resulting from the fusion of two or more elements
- e.g. 'to bagonize' - to wait anxiously at the baggage carousel for luggage to arrive

Borrowings

Subsystem: Lexicology
- Lexical word addition
- Words or linguistic features adopted from another language
- e.g. croissant

Broadening

Subsystem: Semantics
- Semantic denotation
- A type of semantic change whereby the contexts in which a word can appear are expanded e.g. 'grog' (mixture of water and rum) => 'grog' (alcohol)

Commonisation

Subsystem: Lexicology
- Lexical word addition
- Where names extend from a specific case to become a household word. More specifically, it refers to a clausal element that completes what is said about the subject
- e.g. 'That sentence sounds peculiar'

Compounding

Subsystem: Lexicology
- Lexical word addition
- A way of forming a new word by combining two or more free morphemes
- e.g. 'icecream'

Conversion

Subsystem: Lexicology
- Lexical word addition
- A way of forming new words by simply changing the function of a word
- e.g. 'Has table 13 been beveraged?' shows the creation of a new verb from the noun 'beverage'

Deterioration

Subsystem: Semantics
- Semantic connotation change
- A semantic shift whereby words change their emotive undertones. Words acquire unfavourable undertones or connotations.
- e.g. 'silly' in Old English (happy, fortunate) => 'silly' in Modern English (empty-headed, foolish)

Elevation

Subsystem: Semantics
- Semantic connotation change
- A semantic shift whereby words change their emotive overtones. Unpleasant overtones erode away or words take on favourable overtones
- e.g. 'image' (representation of a person/thing) => (cultivated favourable public reputation)

Initialism

Subsystem: Lexicology
- Lexical word addition
- Words formed from the initials of other words which are not pronounceable like normal words
- e.g. BRB for 'be right back'

Narrowing

Subsystem: Semantics
- Semantic denotation
- A type of semantic change whereby the contexts in which a word can appear are reduced
- e.g. 'liquor' (liquid) => (alcoholic beverage)

Neologism

Subsystem: Lexicology
- Lexical word addition
- A newly coined word
- e.g. 'self-isolation'

Obsolescence

Subsystem: Lexicology
- Lexical word loss
- The gradual loss of a linguistic term
- e.g. codpiece

Shifting

Subsystem: Semantics
- Semantic denotation
- Total alteration of the contextx, so a word comes to mean something completely different
- e.g. 'day' has shifted from 'the backside of a Derbyshire sheep' to 'unfashionable person'

Shortenings

Subsystem: Lexicology
- Lexical word addition
- Words formed through a process that produces abbreviated versions of longer words
- e.g. devo (devastated)

Societal change

Subsystem: Lexicology
- Lexical word loss
- When disappearing words are a result of a societal change
- e.g. 'virtue' and 'modesty' no longer form part of our meaningful moral vocabulary

Taboo

Subsystem: Lexicology
- Lexical word loss
- When lexemes become obsolete as they are viewed as negative in a given culture
- e.g. 'coneys' which used to be the noun for rabbit was pronounced as 'cunnies'

Weakening

Subsystem: Lexicology
- Lexical word loss
- When words wear out, expressive words become insipid and alternatives have to be found
- e.g. scoffing scoundrel' and 'mangy rascal' are no longer effective to insult someone