Identity and semantic change

2005 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 283-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina Terkourafi
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Semantic Change ◽  
Modern Greek ◽  
Form Function

The quantitative and qualitative analysis of spontaneous conversational data reveals that T/V usage in Cypriot Greek (CG) is realised sometimes as a code-switch into Standard Modern Greek (SMG), and sometimes as an integral part of the Cypriot code. Moreover, a consideration of the interactional motivations underlying particular types of exchanges supports an analysis in terms of form-function reanalysis, in which the ongoing grammaticalisation of V forms is realised as the subjectification of their semantics. This analysis has important theoretical implications for the distinction between standardisation and conventionalisation, and for the question of the gradualness of semantic change.

Semantic Change in Words Borrowed From English to Urdu

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Aisha Aslam ◽  
Saba Chaman
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Analysis ◽  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Semantic Change ◽  
New Meanings ◽  
Implied Meaning

The research investigates the semantic change in words borrowed from English to Urdu from a pragmatic perspective. The data for the research were collected through a questionnaire from one hundred volunteers from four universities of Pakistan. The analysis was done both quantitatively and qualitatively. The results revealed the new meanings of the English borrowed words used in Urdu. The quantitative analysis revealed about 69% of the words analyzed in the research did not imply the English dictionary meanings of these words. Additionally, the results depicted that for 11 out of 16 words analyzed, more than 70% of the participants of the questionnaire chose completely changed meanings when the words are used in the Urdu language. Words like ‘light, ‘press’, and ‘paste’ have undergone a significant semantic change as in Urdu, these words mainly mean ‘electricity’, ‘to iron’, and ‘to brush’ respectively. Hence it may be argued that a substantial semantic change has occurred in the words borrowed from English into Urdu. The qualitative analysis proposed how those changes may have happened. It also strengthened the idea that the meanings may not be taken as isolated concepts; rather they are formed in a context depending on the implied meaning of the speaker.

Non-quantifying líγo constructions in Modern Greek

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Costas Canakis
Keyword(s):  
Semantic Change ◽  
Modern Greek

In this paper I focus on MGr lίγo ‘(a) little’ in non-quantifying constructions codifying affect and argue that it has grammaticalized from a quantifier to an (inter)subjective metalinguistic hedging device: i.e., a positive politeness marker in the hedged directive construction and a marker of attitude to one’s own utterance in the hedged statement construction. Motivation for this development is provided by MGr interactional ethos and the importance attached to the friendly, informal “politeness of involvement”, a factor discussed in the context of universal tendencies in the semantics of diminutives and affective language. I argue that non-quantifying lίγo is a case of semantic change motivated by sociopragmatic considerations which are anchored to specific constructions.

Affixation in Morphology

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristel Van Goethem
Keyword(s):  
Point Of View ◽  
Intermediate Step ◽  
Semantic Change ◽  
End Points ◽  
Morphological Process ◽  
Part Of Speech ◽  
Form Function ◽  
Opposite Change ◽  
Common Process ◽  
Morphological Processes

Affixation is the morphological process that consists of adding an affix (i.e., a bound morpheme) to a morphological base. It is cross-linguistically the most common process that human languages use to derive new lexemes (derivational affixation) or to adapt a word’s form to its morphosyntactic context (inflectional affixation). Suffixes (i.e., bound morphemes following the base) and prefixes (i.e., bound morphemes preceding the base) are the most common affixes, with suffixation being more frequently recorded in the world’s languages than prefixation. Minor types of affixation include circumfixation and infixation. Conversion and back-formation are related derivational processes that do not make use of affixation. Many studies have concentrated on the need to differentiate derivation from inflection, but these morphological processes are probably best described as two end points of a cline. Prototypically, derivation is used to change a word’s category (part of speech) and involves a semantic change. A word’s inflectional distinctions make up its paradigm, which amounts to the different morphological forms that correlate with different morphosyntactic functions. Form-function mapping in (derivational and inflectional) affixation is a key issue in current research on affixation. Many deviations from the canonical One Form-One Meaning principle can be observed in the field of affixation. From a diachronic point of view, it has been demonstrated that affixes often derive from free lexemes by grammaticalization, with affixoids being recognized as an intermediate step on this cline. More controversial, but still attested, is the opposite change whereby affixes and affixoids develop into free morphemes through a process of degrammaticalization.

The constructional motivation of indefinite generics in Modern Greek

2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-55
Author(s):  
Sophia Marmaridou
Keyword(s):  
Construction Grammar ◽  
Proper Noun ◽  
Semantic Change ◽  
Indefinite Article ◽  
Modern Greek ◽  
Generic Construction ◽  
The Cross

This paper argues for the discoursal motivation of constructions and the constructional motivation of a Modern Greek indefinite article, by focusing on generics and some other nominal constructions in Modern Greek containing the indefinite determiner enas/mia/ena (“a/an”, masc./fem./ neut. respectively). Moreover, it illustrates the cross-linguistic relevance of Construction Grammar. A family of indefinite nominal constructions is identified, including the Indefinite Generic Construction, the Indefinite Proper Noun Construction, the Indefinite Predicate Nominal Construction, and the Proverbial Indefinite Construction, which is further shown to be primed by specific pragmatic and discoursal features. On the basis of the proposed analysis, and consistently with established views on semantic change (Traugott 1989), I suggest that the expressivity and the discoursal characterization associated with this family of indefinite constructions in Modern Greek motivate the partial de-semanticization of the indefinite determiner, its synchronic variability (after Hoffmann & Trousdale 2011) and, ultimately, its function as an article in the language.

A politeness-theoretic approach to pragmatico-semantic change

2007 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate Beeching
Keyword(s):  
Explanatory Power ◽  
Conflict Avoidance ◽  
Theoretic Approach ◽  
Semantic Change ◽  
Politeness Theory ◽  
Social Evaluation ◽  
Form Function ◽  
Face Management ◽  
Truth Conditional ◽  
Two Phases

This paper posits that certain “qualificatory” semantic primes are recruited to serve face-management needs in a metonymic Meaning1>Meaning2 relationship at what Traugott and Dasher (2002) have called the inter­subjective, non-truth-conditional, procedural, scope-over-discourse end of the trajectory of pragmatico-semantic change. Terms expressing smallness, approximativeness, demurral/correction, adversativeness/concession and interrogation are applied in an attenuating manner in a number of languages. The paper draws on Brown and Levinson’s politeness theory, Sweetser’s (1990), Geeraerts’ (1997) and Kövecses and Radden’s (1998) cognitive and metaphorical/metonymic approaches to etymology, Traugott and Dasher’s (2002) Invited Inferencing Theory of Semantic Change, Haspelmath’s (1999) notions of irreversibility and Kerswill and Williams’ (2002) sociolinguistic concept of “salience”. It is suggested that politeness theory, with its dual conceptualisation to do with conflict-avoidance and social indexing, has strong explanatory power in the two phases of semantic change: innovation and propagation. A new form–function configuration emerges in inter­action to manage rapport and is diffused, provided it is given positive social ­evaluation.

scholarly journals Tradisi Nyadran di Desa Ngasem Kecamatan Batealit Kabupaten Jepara

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-44
Author(s):  
Iin Afriani ◽  
Sri Prastiti K.A.
Keyword(s):  
Data Analysis ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Social Function ◽  
Analysis Techniques ◽  
Form Function ◽  
The Social ◽  
Ancient Times ◽  
Descriptive Qualitative

ABSTRAK               Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan bentuk, fungsi dan makna tradisi nyadran yang berada di Desa Ngasem Kecamatan Batealit Kabupaten Jepara. Tradisi nyadran merupakan tradisi yang sudah ada sejak zaman dahulu dan rutin dilaksanakan setiap tahun sekali. Pendekatan yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah pendekatan folklor. Teknik pengumpulan data yang digunakan adalah teknik observasi, wawancara dan dokumentasi. Analisis data menggunakan teknik analisis deskriptif kualitatif. Hasil penelitian ini adalah (1) bentuk tradisi nyadran yang terdiri dari bersih-bersih, pengajian,selamatan, nyadran, dan hiburan atau sebuah pertunjukan joged. (2) fungsi tradisi nyadran yaitu fungsi sosial, fungsi religi, fungsi pendidikan, melestarikan kebudayaan atau kearifan lokal dan sebagi hiburan. (3) simbol makna tradisi nyadran yaitu sebagai bentuk penghormatan mengenang kebiasaan leluhur Desa Ngasem dan juga sebagai wujud rasa syukur atas keberkahan yang telah diberikan oleh Allah SWT. Kata Kunci: Tradisi Nyadran, Bentuk, Fungsi, Makna.   ABSTRACT             The aim of this study is to describe the form, function and meaning of the nyadran tradition in the Ngasem Village, Batealit District, Jepara Regency. Nyadran tradition is a tradition that has exited since ancient times and routinely carried out once every year. The approach that used in this research was the folklore approach. Data collection techniques was used observation, interview and documentation techniques. Data analysis used descriptive qualitative analysis techniques. The results of this study were (1) the form nyadran tradition consisting of cleaning, recitation, salvation, nyadran, and entertainment or a joged performance. (2) the function nyadran tradition is as namely the social function, the religuis function, the educational function, preserving culture or local wisdom and as entertainment. (3) the symbolof the  meaning nyadran tradition is as a form of respect to remember the habits of the ancestors of the Ngasem Village and also as an expression of gratitude for the blessings given by Allah SWT. Keyword: tradition Nyadran, form, function, meaning.  

Regularity in Semantic Change

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Closs Traugott ◽  
Richard B. Dasher
Keyword(s):  
Semantic Change
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