HOW WORDS CHANGE MEANINGS

Words often change their meanings. A word's new meaning sometimes replaces the old one entirely.

Here are some common ways in which words change meanings:

-by generalisation.

-a word originally with a restricted sense can be used more extendedly.

-example: the verb to arrive comes from the Latin word ad ripam which means to the shore or riverbank. However, to arrive is no longer restricted to water transport.

-by specialisation.

-opposite of generalisation.

-although a hound was initially any kind of dogs, it was later used only of larger types of dogs when the word dog was adopted in the Middle Ages.

-by degeneration.

-the words' core meaning are removed, leaving only some vague idea.

-example: amazingly and terribly.

-by deterioration.

-a word will have a less favourable meaning than the original one.

-example: lewd used to mean ignorant which was originally used of someone who was not a member of the clergy.

-by euphemism.

-a word is given a new sense to replace the one that has negative connotations.

-example: lavatory-toilet, little boy's room, powder room, cloakroom, reest-room, and so on.

-by amelioration.

-opposite of deterioration.

-a word loses its pejorative connotaions.

-example: nice comes from a Latin word meaning ignorant.

-by regeneration.

-a word considered to be slang or vulgar becomes part of the standard vocabulary.

-example: budge, coax, mob, shabby, sham, snob, stingy, strenous, tiff.