Full Answer
What is pejoration in linguistics?
Pejoration is the process by which a word develops a negative meaning or negative connotations over time. It is a type of semantic change. The process of pejoration occurs as the values of a society shift. This can lead to shifts in language and meaning associated with these changing values.
What is the root word of pejoration?
Medieval Latin pejoration-, pejoratio, from Late Latin pejoratus (past participle of pejorare to become worse, make worse) + Latin -ion-, -io -ion Love words? You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.
What are some examples of pejoration in literature?
Pejoration is much more common than the opposite process, called amelioration. Here are some examples and observations from other writers: "The word silly is a classic example of pejoration, or gradual worsening of meaning.
Is pejoration a type of semantic change?
It is a type of semantic change. Semantic change refers to a change in the meaning of a word over time. These words did not always have negative connotations but, as society progresses and our use of language changes, the meaning of words can change and develop. Pejoration is sometimes called 'deterioration' or 'degeneration'.
What is meant by pejoration?
Definition of pejoration : a change for the worse : depreciation specifically : an historical process by which the semantic and connotative status of a word tends to decline — compare melioration.
What is an example of pejoration?
In historical linguistics, the process of an inoffensive word becoming pejorative is a form of semantic drift known as pejoration. An example of pejoration is the shift in meaning of the word silly from meaning that a person was happy and fortunate to meaning that they are foolish and unsophisticated.
What is pejoration in semantic change?
Semantic change is a common change in languages. While semantic change takes many forms, one of the most prominent is pejoration. Pejoration is when a word's meaning is neutral in origin and gains a more negative meaning over time.
What is amelioration and pejoration?
Amelioration: a process whereby a positive meaning is associated with a word. An example from Middle English is nice which used to denote 'foolish' and now denotes 'pleasant'. 4. Pejoration: a process whereby a negative meaning is associated with a word.
Why does pejoration happen?
Pejoration is a type of semantic change that happens when a word's meaning becomes more negative.
What is the synonym of pejorative?
pejorativebelittling,contemptuous,decrying,degrading,demeaning,denigrative,denigratory,deprecatory,More items...
What is an example of an euphemism?
A euphemism is a word or phrase that is rife within everyday language and conversation. They allow us to have uncomfortable conversations without using unsettling language. For example, a boss telling an employee they are “let go” instead of “fired” aims to soften the blow.
What are the four types of semantic change?
Types of semantic change SEMANTIC EXPANSION Here a word increases its range of meaning over time. ... SEMANTIC RESTRICTION This is the opposite to expansion. ... SEMANTIC DETERIORATION A disapprovement in the meaning of a word. ... SEMANTIC AMELIORATION An improvement in the meaning of a word.More items...
What is an example of amelioration?
Amelioration is a process that makes something better. A philanthropist might devote her life to the amelioration of poverty and hunger. Any time there's amelioration, something negative is becoming more positive. If your landlord improves the water pressure and lowers the rent, that's amelioration.
How do you use ameliorate in a sentence?
Ameliorate Sentence ExamplesHe wanted to ameliorate the present suffering.She wanted to ameliorate the situation.A centralized policy would compound, not ameliorate, the problem.Is there anything I can do to ameliorate your imprisonment?A solution to ameliorate the negative impact of these areas is needed.
What is amelioration in slavery?
In the history of the former British territories in the Caribbean, the term Amelioration (literally, "making better") refers to the efforts of the Imperial government to improve the situation of the enslaved people in its colonies during the decade between 1823 and the abolition of slavery by Parliament in 1834.
What is social amelioration program or SAP?
The Social Amelioration Program (SAP) in the Sugar Industry was established with the aim of contributing to the attainment of decent living of sugar workers and their families through sharing in the fruits of production, or profit-sharing through the imposition of a lien on the volume of sugar produced.
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What is the meaning of pejoration?
In linguistics, pejoration is the downgrading or depreciation of a word's meaning, as when a word with a positive sense develops a negative one.
Is pejoration more common than amelioration?
Pejoration is much more common than the opposite process, called amelioration. Here are some examples and observations from other writers:
Silly
Hierarchy
Discreet
- "[U]sing language to 'spin' may worsen the meaning of the substituted language, a process linguists call 'pejoration.' That has happened to the previously innocuous adjective discreet, when used in 'personal' columns as a euphemism for illicit sexual meetings. A recent Wall Street Journal article quoted the customer service manager of an online dating service as saying he banned th…
Attitude
- "Let me give one final example of this kind of semantic corrosion--the word attitude. . . . Originally, attitude was a technical term, meaning 'position, pose.' It shifted to mean 'mental state, mode of thinking' (presumably whatever was implied by someone's posture). In colloquial usage, it has since deteriorated. He's got an attitude means 'he's got a confronting manner (probably uncoope…
Pejoration and Euphemism
- "One specific source of pejoration is euphemism . . .: in avoiding some taboo word, speakers may use an alternative which in time acquires the meaning of the original and itself falls out of use. Thus, in English, disinformation has replaced lying in some political contexts, where it has recently been joined by being economical with the truth." (April M. S. McMahon, Understanding Languag…
Generalizations About Pejoration
- "Some few generalizations are possible: "Words meaning 'inexpensive' have an inherent likelihood to become negative in connotation, often highly negative. Lat. [Latin] vilis 'at a good price' (i.e. inevitably, 'low price') > 'commonplace' > 'trashy, contemptible, low' (the current meaning of It. [Italian], Fr. [French], NE. [Modern English] vile). ...