Words
1. Why does English have a large vocabulary compared to other languages? Please give reasons to support your argument.
(1) its extensive廣泛contacts with other languages.
(2) the large numbers of people all over the world use it.
(3) the increasingly many purposes for which is used.
2. Do you agree that “what a word means today is what it meant in the past?” Please explain what etymology詞源學can help with today’s meaning of a word.
I don’t agree because language would change gradually as the time went by. It would cause semantic and meaning change.The study of etymologies may throw light on how a present-day meaning developed or reveal something about the working of the human mind, but it doesn’t help in determining what a word means today. 3. What is language? Please define what language is.
Language is the usage of people who speak the language. A language is a system of conventional vocal signs by means of which human beings communicate.
4. Please define the following terms.
(A) generalization: increasing the scope範圍 of a word, reducing the number of features in its definition that restrict 限制 its application.
(B) specification: The opposite of generalization, a process in which, by adding to the features of meaning, the referential 指涉的 scope of a word is reduced.
5. Please list the five processes of new word formation.
1. Creating words
2. Combing words: compounding Combing word parts: affixing
3. Shortening words
4. Blending words
5. Shifting words to new uses
6. What is a compound word? Please give 5 examples of any modern compound words you know.
A compound is made by putting two or more words together to form a new word with a meaning in some way different from that of its elements.
-air kiss
- baby boomer
- date rape
- downsize
- drive-by shooting
7. How are these pairs of words different in their meanings?
(A) blackball: against someone– black ball: the ball is black (B) greenhouse: a glass
(1) its extensive廣泛contacts with other languages.
(2) the large numbers of people all over the world use it.
(3) the increasingly many purposes for which is used.
2. Do you agree that “what a word means today is what it meant in the past?” Please explain what etymology詞源學can help with today’s meaning of a word.
I don’t agree because language would change gradually as the time went by. It would cause semantic and meaning change.The study of etymologies may throw light on how a present-day meaning developed or reveal something about the working of the human mind, but it doesn’t help in determining what a word means today. 3. What is language? Please define what language is.
Language is the usage of people who speak the language. A language is a system of conventional vocal signs by means of which human beings communicate.
4. Please define the following terms.
(A) generalization: increasing the scope範圍 of a word, reducing the number of features in its definition that restrict 限制 its application.
(B) specification: The opposite of generalization, a process in which, by adding to the features of meaning, the referential 指涉的 scope of a word is reduced.
5. Please list the five processes of new word formation.
1. Creating words
2. Combing words: compounding Combing word parts: affixing
3. Shortening words
4. Blending words
5. Shifting words to new uses
6. What is a compound word? Please give 5 examples of any modern compound words you know.
A compound is made by putting two or more words together to form a new word with a meaning in some way different from that of its elements.
-air kiss
- baby boomer
- date rape
- downsize
- drive-by shooting
7. How are these pairs of words different in their meanings?
(A) blackball: against someone– black ball: the ball is black (B) greenhouse: a glass