Semantic Changes: Mechanisms and Processes

Semantic changes are produced using a process where several stages are distinguished: innovation, spread, generalization, and consolidation. As a part of this process, there are specific procedures or mechanisms that lead to changes in the meaning of words:

1. Significant Extent

A term acquires a more general meaning. It is also a significant expansion in the use of nouns as names referring to a singular class of people (a womanizer). For this procedure, common nouns have been created (matchmaker).

2. Significant Restrictions

A common language word acquires a new meaning, more specifically, to pass as a specific term used in a group. It is also common in scientific and technical language that relies on words commonly used to form jargon (acid). There is also, par excellence, the use of a nickname to the value of a name (The Cid).

3. Lexicalization of Figurative Uses

This involves the use of a word rather than another due to the existence of common semantic features between both. This figurative use of words can be used to create lexical items where such use is widespread. There are several procedures that create new meanings of the words:

• Metaphor: Similarity between two different referents.
• Metonymy: Given by the contiguity of two references. Contiguity can occur for different relationships: the whole and the part (synecdoche), the object and its origin, etc.

There are several procedures that create new meanings of the words: Metaphor, similarity between two different referents. Metonymy, is given by the contiguity of two references. Contiguity can occur for different relationships: the whole and the part (synecdoche), the object and where appropriate.

4. Euphemisms and Dysphemisms

Euphemisms are words used to avoid taboo language (curse words), and actually considered a drawback to hide (blind, unemployed). These are opposite phenomena: the word-prestige, one that, for ideological or cultural reasons, carries positive connotations, so it is used in multiple contexts. Dysphemisms are lexical creations or translations of meaning that have the function of showing the negative connotations of a term (cogorza).

5. Semantic Calques

These consist of taking a new meaning, as the word is equivalent to another word in another language.

6. Popular Etymology

This is the creation of a word by its etymology misinterpretation.

7. Suppression

This occurs when an expression that consists of several words is reduced to one of them, and the word that remains takes on the meaning of the original expression.