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1、Polysemy in EnglishTable of ContentsAbstract in English.iAbstract in Chinese.ii1 Definition and phenomenon 2 Two approaches to polysemy 2.1 diachronic approach 2.2 synchronic approach 3 Two main processes of sense-shift 3.1 Radiation 3.2 Concatenation 4 Compare polysemy to homonymy 4.1 Homonymy and
2、homonyms 4.1.1 Perfect homonyms 4.1.2 Partial homonyms 4.2 Differences 1111112233333AbstractPolysemy is the common language phenomenon. In English, in addition to the terms, Single-meaning words is very few; Polysemy make it difficulty for us to learn English. To understand and grasp the meaning of
3、polysemant, must consider the relations between word meaning in the polysemous word. This article introduces phenomenons of polysemy , then explains polysemy in diachronic approache and synchronic approach , next shows Two main processes of sense-shift , that are Radiation and Concatenation . Then d
4、istinguish between polysemy and homonymy , and explains homonymy briefly , and tell the the essential differences , that is to analyse from etymologyKey words:polysemy;etymology;摘 要一词多义是语言的普遍现象, 在英语中，除了术语外，单义词是很少的, 一词多义为我们学习英语带来很多困难。要理解和掌握多义词的词义，必须考虑多义词中各词义之间关系。本文首先介绍了一次多义的现象，再从历时和共时两种角度解释了一词多义现象，随后
5、阐述了一词多义现象的两种词义转换过程，即放射和连锁。随后对一词多义现象和同音异义现象进行了区分，并简单介绍了同音异义现象，并指出了根本的区分方法，即根据词源分析。关键字：一词多义现象；词源学；1.Phenomenon1.1 Definition and phenomenonPolysemy is the common language phenomenon. In English, in addition to the terms, Single-meaning words is very few; Most of the words is polysemants, the higher th
6、e frequency of the word, the more meaning it has, its vitality is stronger. Polysemy make it difficulty for us to learn English. The root cause of the Polysemy is generality and evolution of meaning. Due to the height of the general meaning, in the course of evolution, meaning the original meaning m
7、ay appear differentiation, forming a new meaning.When a new meaning is produced by a word, old meaning may disappear, may also keep. The old and new meaning coexist in one word is formed within the polysemy. The produce of many meaning is a historical evolution process.To understand and grasp the me
8、aning of polysemant, must consider the relations between word meaning in the polysemous wordPolysemy is “a term used in semantic analysis to refer to a lexical item which has a range of different meanings.”(Westview Press,1980,p.274) That is to say, the same word may have a set of different meanings
9、,although different words do have different meanings. Polysemy gives rise to a great number of polysemic words which are products of sense-shift in the course of the development of the vocabulary.1.2 Two approaches to polysemy1.2.1 diachronic approachIt refers to the study of the growth or change in
10、 the semantic structure of a word, or how the semantic structure of a word has developed from a primary meaning to the present polysemic state, i.e. with derived ( second) meanings springing from the original (primary) meaning. From the diachronic point of view, polysemy is assumed to be the result
11、of growth and development of the semantic structure of one and same word. The primary meaning gave birth to new meaning.The primary meaning become either absolute or disappeared altogether1.2.2 synchronic approachIt refers to the comparative value of individual meaning and the interrelation between
12、the central meaning and secondary meanings. Synchronically, polysemy is viewed as the coexistence of various meanings of the same word in a certain historical period of time, say, Modern English. The basic meaning of a word is the core of word meaning. The core of word meaning called the central mea
13、ning （secondary meaning）The central meaning has gradually diminished in currency with the changes and one of the derived meanings has become dominant. E.g. gay1.3 Two main processes of sense-shift.There are two main processes in the change of meaning.1.3.1 Radiation meaning3meaning 4meaning 5meaning
14、 6meaning 7meaning nmeaning 2meaning 1Radiation is a term used to refer to a process of sense-shift in which the original meaning of a word is to be considered as the central meaning and the other meanings are derived from itSeeing the chart belowchart (1)This chart shows us the process of radiation
15、 ,meaning 1 is the original meaning of the word , the others jusr branchs of it , the branchs have connection with origion meaning. That is radiation.For example , the word “head” has a original meaning , that is “part of the body containing the eyes,nose, mouth and ears and the brain”, then it radi
16、ated to many branchs meaning , such as “ability to reason; intellect; imagination; mind”、 “top or highest part” and so on .1.3.2 Concatenation.Concatenation is a term used to refer to another process of sense-shift in which the original meaning of a word may be lost on other meanings,that is to say,
17、other meanings of a word produced are not connected with its primary sense.Seeing the chart belowMeaning 1Meaning 2Meaning 3Meaning n Chart (2)From chart (2) , we can know the process of concatenation . meaning 1 is the first meaning of a word , then it had another meaning meaning 2, then from the m
18、eaning 2, it had meaning 3so we had meaning n. And meaning n always has no connection with meaning 1. That is concatenation.Id like to give you some example to explain it . The word “cheater”, for instance , meant first an officer who attended to escheats or an escheator. Then it came to mean an esc
19、heator who was dishonest. And now it means a dishonest person. 1.4 Compare polysemy to homonymy There has another definition of word , that is homonymy , many people mixing polysemy up with homonymy. And some people thought they are the same , in my opinion , I think they are different . Id like to
20、show the differences between them.1.4.1 Homonymy and homonymsHomonymy is a term used to refer to two or more words which have the same form,but differ in meaning.Homonyms are words different meaning ,but either identical both in sound and spelling or identical only in spelling or sound.Example :Angl
21、e n. l - the space between two lines or surfaces that meet or cross each other;Angle v. l - to fish with a hook and line.1.4.1.1 Perfect homonymsPerfect homonyms are words identical in sound and spelling or both in sound-form and parts of speech , but different in meaning.()1.4.1.2 Partial homonyms
22、Partial homonyms are words different in meaning , but identical in spelling or sound. It has three types , they are homographs , homophones and homoforms.1.4.2 Differences Its easy to distinguish homophones and homographs with polysemants for homophones have different spellings and pomographs have d
23、ifferent sounds. But Perfect homonyms and polysemants are fully identical regard to spelling and pronunciation.The essential differences between them is Homonyms refers to those who happened to be same sound and/or with the spelling of different words and the polysemant is refers to two or more diff
24、erent meaning of the same word, so its a polysemant,the important standard of discriminating two kinds of words is its etymology, Homonyms is from different etymology, polysemant is from the same etymology.For example , ball and ball.ball (1) - round object, O.E., from O.N. bollr ball, from P.Gmc. *
25、balluz (O.E. bollock testicle is a dim.), related to PIE base *bhel- to swell. To be on the ball is 1912, from sports. Ball-point pen first recorded 1947. The verb meaning copulate is first recorded 1940s in jazz slang; balls courage, nerve is from 1920s; ball-buster first attested 1950. ball (2) - dancing party, 1632, from O.Fr. baller to dance, from L.L. ballare to dance, from Gk. ballizein to dance, jump about, from PIE base *gwel- to drip, spring forth, throw.From this they are not polysemants ,they are homonyms.
