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Semantic Change in Words Loaned to Swedish

Torstensson, Björn LU (2014) ALSK11 20132
General Linguistics
Abstract
This thesis examines the diachronic semantic development in terms of metonymization and metaphorization for 30 nouns loaned into the Swedish language between the 13th and 20th centuries from a cognitive-semantic point of view.
Through the framework of Lexical Meaning as Ontologies and Construals (LOC) combined with a study of the occurrence of metaphorization, metonymization, widening and narrowing in semantic development, it examines to what extent metonymization can be said to be a more common mechanism of lexical semantic change than metaphorization, and to what extent words lose semantic width initially after the loaning period and then regain it over time. The results indicate that metonymization is the more frequent mechanism and... (More)
This thesis examines the diachronic semantic development in terms of metonymization and metaphorization for 30 nouns loaned into the Swedish language between the 13th and 20th centuries from a cognitive-semantic point of view.
Through the framework of Lexical Meaning as Ontologies and Construals (LOC) combined with a study of the occurrence of metaphorization, metonymization, widening and narrowing in semantic development, it examines to what extent metonymization can be said to be a more common mechanism of lexical semantic change than metaphorization, and to what extent words lose semantic width initially after the loaning period and then regain it over time. The results indicate that metonymization is the more frequent mechanism and that an initial narrowing occurs directly after loaning in most cases. However, the results also reveal that in order to reach a satisfactory understanding of this matter, the socio-cultural context of the loans must be considered to a greater extent than has been done in this thesis. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Torstensson, Björn LU
supervisor
organization
course
ALSK11 20132
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
English, French, diachrony, Middle Low German, Swedish, loanwords, metonymization, metaphorization, Lexical Meaning as Ontologies and Construals (LOC), Cognitive semantics
language
English
id
4780697
date added to LUP
2015-02-24 10:52:45
date last changed
2015-02-24 10:52:45
@misc{4780697,
  abstract     = {{This thesis examines the diachronic semantic development in terms of metonymization and metaphorization for 30 nouns loaned into the Swedish language between the 13th and 20th centuries from a cognitive-semantic point of view.
Through the framework of Lexical Meaning as Ontologies and Construals (LOC) combined with a study of the occurrence of metaphorization, metonymization, widening and narrowing in semantic development, it examines to what extent metonymization can be said to be a more common mechanism of lexical semantic change than metaphorization, and to what extent words lose semantic width initially after the loaning period and then regain it over time. The results indicate that metonymization is the more frequent mechanism and that an initial narrowing occurs directly after loaning in most cases. However, the results also reveal that in order to reach a satisfactory understanding of this matter, the socio-cultural context of the loans must be considered to a greater extent than has been done in this thesis.}},
  author       = {{Torstensson, Björn}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Semantic Change in Words Loaned to Swedish}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}