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  • How Words Can Acquire Negative Meanings Over Time: Pejoration Explained

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    Ejesieme Stephen
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    Pejoration is a linguistic process where a word's meaning deteriorates and takes on a more negative connotation over time. Examples include the Old English word "cnafa" meaning boy becoming the modern word "knave" meaning dishonest person, and the Latin word "villanus" meaning farm servant becoming the modern word "villain" meaning scoundrel or criminal. Other words like "lust," "coy," "cunning," and "uncouth" also used to have neutral or positive meanings but now imply something negative due to pejoration.

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    PEJORATION

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    Pejoration is a linguistic process where a word's meaning deteriorates and takes on a more negative connotation over time. Examples include the Old English word "cnafa" meaning boy becoming the modern word "knave" meaning dishonest person, and the Latin word "villanus" meaning farm servant becoming the modern word "villain" meaning scoundrel or criminal. Other words like "lust," "coy," "cunning," and "uncouth" also used to have neutral or positive meanings but now imply something negative due to pejoration.

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    211 views1 page

    How Words Can Acquire Negative Meanings Over Time: Pejoration Explained

    Uploaded by

    Ejesieme Stephen
    Pejoration is a linguistic process where a word's meaning deteriorates and takes on a more negative connotation over time. Examples include the Old English word "cnafa" meaning boy becoming the modern word "knave" meaning dishonest person, and the Latin word "villanus" meaning farm servant becoming the modern word "villain" meaning scoundrel or criminal. Other words like "lust," "coy," "cunning," and "uncouth" also used to have neutral or positive meanings but now imply something negative due to pejoration.

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    PEJORATION.

    A term in LINGUISTICS for the process of SEMANTIC CHANGE in which there is a depreciation or downward shift in the meaning of a word, phrase, or lexeme: for example, Old English cnafa (boy: compare German Knabe) became Modern English knave someone dishonest; Latin villanus (a farm servant) became Middle English vilain/vilein (a serf with some rights of independence), then Modern English villain (a scoundrel, criminal). .

    . PEJORATION (or Deterioration) Pejoration is when a word acquires disagreeable connotations, or negative semantic value e.g. lust in Old English meant desire or pleasure but today implies illicit or intemperate sexual desire. Human nature being what it is, pejoration is commoner than amelioration. Here are some well know examples of pejoration: coy once meant quiet and modest cunning meant skillful, gaudy meant brilliant and cheerful, uncouth meant unknown. Villain, knave and lewd are further examples where words have picked up negative semantic value, examples of pejoration. Many words related to women in society have also accumulated negative semantic value over time.

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