Задание
Вопросы
Список использованных источников
SPECIALIZATION (or NARROWING) is a gradual process when a word passes from a general sphere to some special sphere of communication, it means a lexeme becomes more specialized in meaning. In other words, specialization is the narrowing of a word to refer to what previously would have been. The meaning of a word can specialize when it remains in the general usage. It happens in the case of the conflict between two absolute synonyms when one of them must specialize in its meaning to remain in the language.
For instance, the native word «meat» had the meaning «any type of food», this meaning is preserved in the compound «sweetmeats», «mincemeat», «nutmeat». The meaning «edible flesh» was formed when the word «food», its absolute synonym, won in the conflict of absolute synonyms (both words are native). The English verb «starve» was specialized in its meaning after the Scandinavian verb «die» was borrowed into English. «Die» became the general verb with this meaning because in English there were the noun «death» and the adjective «dead». «Starve» got the meaning «to die of hunger».
The difference between meanings of the words is revealed in the context. For example, «case» has a general meaning «circumstances in which a person or a thing is». It is specialized in its meaning when used in law (a law suit), in grammar (a form in the paradigm of a noun), in medicine (a patient, an illness).
There is another way of specialization – the formation of proper names from common nouns, it is often used in toponimics, e.g. the City - the business part of London, Oxford - university town in England, the Tower - originally a fortress and palace, later - a prison, now - a museum.
QUESTIONS
1. In what case does the specialization happen?
(It happens in the case of the conflict between two absolute synonyms when one of them must specialize in its meaning to remain in the language).
2. How can you reveal the difference between meanings?
(The difference between meanings of the words is revealed in the context).
1. Бабич, Г.Н. Лексикология английского языка: учеб. пособие/ Г.Н. Бабич. – 5-е изд. – М.: ФЛИНТА: Наука, 2010. – 200 с.
2. Гинзбург, Р.З. Лексикология английского языка: учебник для ин-тов и фак. иностр. яз./Р.З. Гинзбург, С.С. Хидекель, Г.Ю. Князева и А. А. Санкин. – 2-е изд. – М.: Высш. школа, 1979. – 269 с.
