Semasiology

a dull pupil b) bright metal (gold, jewels)

dull weather c)bright student (pupil, boy )

d) bright face (smile, eyes)

Causes of Development of New Meanings

• Historical factors.

The first group of causes is traditionally termed historical or extra-linguistic.

All changes in society life, in culture, in knowledge lead the gaps in the vocabulary.

Now object, new concepts must be named:

1)to make a new word

2) to borrowing foreign ones.

Ex: When the first textile factories appeared in England, the old word mill was applied to these early industrial enterprises.

mill – textile factory

Ex:

Ex:

In the theater:

The words stalls, box, pit, circle had existed for a long time before the first theatres appeared in England.

New meanings can also be developed due to linguistic factors.

In Russian language all words are borrows.

2. Linguistic factors.

2. Linguistic factors.

Linguistically speaking, the development of new meanings, and also a complete change of meaning, may be caused through the influence of other words.

Ex: The Old English verb steorfan meant "to perish".

The verb to die was borrowed from the Scandinavian.

These two synonyms, which were very close in their meaning, collided, and, as a result, to starve gradually changed into its present meaning: "to die (or suffer) from hunger".