Diachronic Prototype Semantics: A Contribution to Historical Lexicology

Author:   Dirk Geeraerts (Professor of General Linguistics, Professor of General Linguistics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium)
Publisher:   Oxford University Press
ISBN:  

9780198236528


Pages:   216
Publication Date:   27 March 1997
Format:   Hardback
Availability:   To order   Availability explained
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Diachronic Prototype Semantics: A Contribution to Historical Lexicology


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Overview

Prototype theory makes a crucial distinction between the central and peripheral sense of words. Geeraerts explores the implications of this model for a theory of semantic change, in the first full-scale treatment of the impact of the most recent developments in lexicological theory on the study of meaning change. He identifies structural features of the development of word meanings which follow from a prototype-theoretical model of semantic structure, and incorporates these diachronic prototypicality effects into a theory of meaning change. The author strikes a balance between theoretical exploration and diachronic description, supporting each step in the argumentation with detailed case studies which chart the semantic development of particular words, or illustrate specific mechanisms of semantic change. Thus the book provides both a theoretical model for diachronic semantics and a number of methodological strategies and representational formats that exemplify how changes of word meaning can be studied in practice.

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Author:   Dirk Geeraerts (Professor of General Linguistics, Professor of General Linguistics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium)
Publisher:   Oxford University Press
Imprint:   Oxford University Press
Dimensions:   Width: 15.10cm , Height: 1.70cm , Length: 22.60cm
Weight:   0.416kg
ISBN:  

9780198236528


ISBN 10:   0198236522
Pages:   216
Publication Date:   27 March 1997
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   To order   Availability explained
Stock availability from the supplier is unknown. We will order it for you and ship this item to you once it is received by us.

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Reviews

`an important contribution to historical semantics ... The chapters of this book are mainly based on earlier publications of the author, the materials are, however, combined in such a fashion as to produce a new, coherent whole. ... Geeraerts presents historical semantics as an exciting field where there is much interesting work to do. He raises many important questions ... and he provides very useful empirical analyses.' Prof Dr Gerd Fritz, Lexicology `A well written and useful book. Rigorous studies of how lexical meaning changes over time, such as Geeraerts's, are exactly what are needed to shed light on this essential problem.' William Frawley, Dictionaries - Journal of the Dictionary Society of North America


an important contribution to historical semantics ... The chapters of this book are mainly based on earlier publications of the author, the materials are, however, combined in such a fashion as to produce a new, coherent whole. ... Geeraerts presents historical semantics as an exciting field where there is much interesting work to do. He raises many important questions ... and he provides very useful empirical analyses. Prof Dr Gerd Fritz, Lexicology A well written and useful book. Rigorous studies of how lexical meaning changes over time, such as Geeraerts's, are exactly what are needed to shed light on this essential problem. William Frawley, Dictionaries - Journal of the Dictionary Society of North America


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