A parallel corpus approach to investigating semantic change
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Kate Beeching
Abstract
Traugott and Dasher (2002) suggest that the frequency of certain contextual interpretations of an item can end up by eclipsing its original sense. Pragmatic markers, lying at the extreme right of the spectrum of semantic change where the core meaning is almost entirely bleached, are often multifunctional, serving both turn-taking and modal functions or, as in the case of quand même, the focus of this study, both an adversative and a relational function. This chapter explores the potential of parallel corpora as a means of demonstrating that semantic change has indeed occurred. If English translators systematically select a particular functional equivalent, this may prove to be a sound test for semantic change.
Abstract
Traugott and Dasher (2002) suggest that the frequency of certain contextual interpretations of an item can end up by eclipsing its original sense. Pragmatic markers, lying at the extreme right of the spectrum of semantic change where the core meaning is almost entirely bleached, are often multifunctional, serving both turn-taking and modal functions or, as in the case of quand même, the focus of this study, both an adversative and a relational function. This chapter explores the potential of parallel corpora as a means of demonstrating that semantic change has indeed occurred. If English translators systematically select a particular functional equivalent, this may prove to be a sound test for semantic change.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- In memory of Stig Johansson v
- Table of contents vii
- List of contributors ix
- Introduction 1
- Tertia comparationis in multilingual corpora 7
- Seeing the lexical profile of Swedish through multilingual corpora 25
- A corpus-based analysis of English affixal negation translated into Spanish 57
- English adverbs of essence and their equivalents in Dutch and French 83
- A parallel corpus approach to investigating semantic change 103
- Youngspeak 127
- Quantity approximation in English and French business news reporting 139
- Enriching the phraseological coverage of high-frequency adverbs in English-French bilingual dictionaries 157
- Using recurrent word-combinations to explore cross-linguistic differences 177
- Cohesive substitution in English and German 201
- The extraposition of clausal subjects in English and Swedish 233
- Thematic variation in English and Spanish newspaper genres 261
- Author index 287
- Subject index 291
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- In memory of Stig Johansson v
- Table of contents vii
- List of contributors ix
- Introduction 1
- Tertia comparationis in multilingual corpora 7
- Seeing the lexical profile of Swedish through multilingual corpora 25
- A corpus-based analysis of English affixal negation translated into Spanish 57
- English adverbs of essence and their equivalents in Dutch and French 83
- A parallel corpus approach to investigating semantic change 103
- Youngspeak 127
- Quantity approximation in English and French business news reporting 139
- Enriching the phraseological coverage of high-frequency adverbs in English-French bilingual dictionaries 157
- Using recurrent word-combinations to explore cross-linguistic differences 177
- Cohesive substitution in English and German 201
- The extraposition of clausal subjects in English and Swedish 233
- Thematic variation in English and Spanish newspaper genres 261
- Author index 287
- Subject index 291
