Semantic Change Research Articles

Shocking projections: The rise of the [x-shock] construction complex in macroeconomics

How do economists think and talk about contingency? They express shock, but not in the typical sense of being surprised. In fact, mainstream economists build models in which shocking events are expected variables. An investigation of nominal forms in the [x-shock] construction (e.g., “technology shock,” “supply shock,” or “monetary shock”) among economists reveals a steep increase in the late twentieth century. We report on a large-scale empirical investigation of influential economic textbooks, top economic journals, and US Federal Reserve documents. Each corpus shows a steep rise in the frequency of nominal [x-shock] beginning in the 1980s. This quantitative analysis lays the groundwork for a qualitative analysis of the various uses of [x-shock] among economists from different schools. First, the rise of nominal shock typifies a process of de-subjectification in which shock moves from its more direct experiential uses toward a role of abstract causation. Second, the steep rise in usage coincides with the rise of general equilibrium models in some economic schools of thought. These models assume a particular type of force dynamic logic. In response, other schools invoke a contrasting force dynamic logic. These developments in the [x-shock] construction show not only semantic change but also the disciplinary logics consolidating that change.

Monitoring scene-level land use changes with similarity-assisted change detection network

ABSTRACT Scene-level change detection (SLCD), as opposed to pixel-level or object-level detection, offers semantic-level change information, which is vital for monitoring land use changes. The existing SLCD methods often rely on post-classification strategies that require separate classifiers for each temporal image, leading to a more complex process and decreased accuracy when classification errors occur. To address these issues, this study redefines SLCD as similarity-assisted category acquisition and introduces SACDNet (similarity-assisted change detection network), a novel network that integrates semantic information from single-temporal scenes with similarity information between bi-temporal scenes to enhance feature embedding learning. The effectiveness of SACDNet was evaluated on two public datasets, yielding impressive results. On the MtS-WH dataset, OA and F1 scores for binary change detection were 0.9701 and 0.9807, while for semantic change detection, both OA and F1 were 0.9042. A similar superior performance was also observed on the LUSCD dataset. Our experimental findings demonstrate that SACDNet significantly outperforms existing advanced SLCD methodologies, indicating its potential for improved change detection accuracy in various applications.

A Morphological Analysis of the Indonesian Suffixation: A Look at the Different Types of Affixes and Their Semantic Changes

A Morphological Analysis of the Indonesian Suffixation: A Look at the Different Types of Affixes and Their Semantic Changes

The Problems of Translating Classical Arabic Embedded in Saudi Novels from a Cultural Perspective

This essay examines the problematic issues that arise when translating classical Arabic language embedded in contemporary Saudi literature, with a particular emphasis on Girls of Riyadh a modern Saudi novel written .The premise of the present study is that classical Arabic has undergone semantic change through pejoration amelioration, through which their original meanings have been either completely changed or different connotations have been added. When the classical Arabic terms are used in an informal context, they may acquire new connotations, the interpretation of which is totally different from their original meaning. In most cases, these classical lexical items have been transformed into dialectal lexical items. Therefore, the present study inquires whether the translation of the classical Arabic elements embedded in Girls of Riyadh effectively and comprehensively captures the impact, pragmatics, style, atmosphere, aesthetics, and culture shown in the novel. A methodology based on corpus linguistics has been employed. This study engages in descriptive research by analyzing source text-target text pairs. The corpus of the study was composed of 29 examples taken from Girls of Riyadh. The study involved categorizing selected classical Arabic phrases from the Saudi novel as cultural indicators and examining their translation using House's covert translation idea and criteria, as well as Dickins's levels of cultural transposition. The findings of this study indicate that the translators predominantly employed a communicative approach, omitting classical Arabic terms or rendering them into formal English instead of employing tactics of domestication or foreignization.

Semantic variation and semantic change in the color lexicon

Abstract Color terms show a remarkable variation in their possible lexicalization patterns across different languages. In the literature, the interest has been especially to describe the color lexicon of a certain language and to determine whether it may abide or not by Berlin and Kay’s universal evolutionary sequence, e.g., whether a certain color denomination may be considered as a basic color term, or whether a certain color category is lexicalized by more than one basic color term, by which criteria, etc. It has not been established, however, which are the most common lexical sources of basic color terms on a comparative basis, and which semantic changes are more common in this semantic field. On the basis of data drawn from 70 ancient and modern Indo-European languages, we aim at answering precisely these research questions concerning the origin and the development of basic color terms. We discuss the various lexical sources of the basic color terms for white, black, red, green, yellow, blue, brown, gray, orange, pink, and purple, and we show the most important semantic changes leading to these color meanings. We also discuss to which extent these terms are likely to be inherited or borrowed. All this aims at being a contribution to the study of diachronic semantics.

Variation and evolution analysis of SARS-CoV-2 using self-game sequence optimization.

The evolution of SARS-CoV-2 has precipitated the emergence of new mutant strains, some exhibiting enhanced transmissibility and immune evasion capabilities, thus escalating the infection risk and diminishing vaccine efficacy. Given the continuous impact of SARS-CoV-2 mutations on global public health, the economy, and society, a profound comprehension of potential variations is crucial to effectively mitigate the impact of viral evolution. Yet, this task still faces considerable challenges. This study introduces DARSEP, a method based on Deep learning Associates with Reinforcement learning for SARS-CoV-2 Evolution Prediction, combined with self-game sequence optimization and RetNet-based model. DARSEP accurately predicts evolutionary sequences and investigates the virus's evolutionary trajectory. It filters spike protein sequences with optimal fitness values from an extensive mutation space, selectively identifies those with a higher likelihood of evading immune detection, and devises a superior evolutionary analysis model for SARS-CoV-2 spike protein sequences. Comprehensive downstream task evaluations corroborate the model's efficacy in predicting potential mutation sites, elucidating SARS-CoV-2's evolutionary direction, and analyzing the development trends of Omicron variant strains through semantic changes. Overall, DARSEP enriches our understanding of the dynamic evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and provides robust support for addressing present and future epidemic challenges.

Beyond the Synthetic Future: Usage-Based Linguistc

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the periphrases with the verb ir, in the third singular person, searching to describe the motivations for semantic change. Theoretical Framework: In this topic, the main concepts and theories that underpin the research are presented. Stand out the Usage-Centered Functional Linguistics - LFCU (Oliveira; Rosário, 2015; Furtado da Cunha, Bispo, Silva, 2016) which is based on Construction Grammar, Cognitive Linguistics (Goldberg, 1995; Traugott; Trousdale, 2021; Bybee, 2016), providing a solid basis for understanding the context ofthe investigation. Method: The methodology adopted for this research it is explanatory-descriptive and can be considered empirically based, focusing on the synchronic character, since the samples are extracted in a single temporal dimension Results and Discussion: The results obtained revealed that metaphorical and metonymic mechanisms are involved in the use of these constructions. In the discussion section, these results are contextualized in light of the theoretical framework, highlighting the implications and relationships identified. Possible discrepancies and limitations of the study are also considered in this section. Research Implications: The practical and theoretical implications of this research are discussed, providing insights into how the results can be applied or influence practices in the portuguese language teaching. These implications could encompass to other areas of study, such as cognition. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature when highlighting that there is a pattern in linguistic change. The relevance and value of this research are evidenced by describing the change at different levels and the impact on Portuguese language teaching.

Integrating approaches to the role of metaphor in the evolutionary dynamics of language

Abstract Metaphor occupies a central role not only in language use, but also in language change and evolution. Specifically, semantic extension motivated by metaphor plays an important role in extending the lexicon of languages. It is this process that enables the emergence of one of the key properties of modern languages, namely that they are open-ended, systematic, polysemous, structured semiotic systems. Here, we review results from three approaches whose integration presents an important cornerstone for an interdisciplinary account of the role of metaphor in the evolutionary dynamics of language: (1) Historical linguistics and diachronic semantics (2) Computational approaches and natural language processing, and (3) Experimental semiotics. Research in historical linguistics has shown that metaphor is a major mechanism of semantic change. Diachronic semantic analyses have not only mapped detailed historical trajectories of semantic extension motivated by metaphor, but also identified common metaphoric pathways of change as well as shared cognitive principles underlying them. Computational approaches and natural language processing have used findings and data from historical linguistics in attempts to automate the detection of metaphoric semantic change and to build data-driven models models of the principles underlying it. Experimental semiotics is a paradigm in which participants have to create novel communication systems in the absence of language. It represents an experimental design that can investigate cultural linguistic evolution and the emergence of metaphors and metaphorical extensions under controlled laboratory settings to shed light on the interactional and cognitive principles involved in it. Combining results from these approaches represents an important first step towards an interdisciplinary, integrative account of the role of metaphor, and processes of polysemous meaning extension more generally, in the evolutionary dynamics of language.

SeFi-CD: A Semantic First Change Detection Paradigm That Can Detect Any Change You Want

The existing change detection (CD) methods can be summarized as the visual-first change detection (ViFi-CD) paradigm, which first extracts change features from visual differences and then assigns them specific semantic information. However, CD is essentially dependent on change regions of interest (CRoIs), meaning that the CD results are directly determined by the semantics changes in interest, making its primary image factor semantic of interest rather than visual. The ViFi-CD paradigm can only assign specific semantics of interest to specific change features extracted from visual differences, leading to the inevitable omission of potential CRoIs and the inability to adapt to different CRoI CD tasks. In other words, changes in other CRoIs cannot be detected by the ViFi-CD method without retraining the model or significantly modifying the method. This paper introduces a new CD paradigm, the semantic-first CD (SeFi-CD) paradigm. The core idea of SeFi-CD is to first perceive the dynamic semantics of interest and then visually search for change features related to the semantics. Based on the SeFi-CD paradigm, we designed Anything You Want Change Detection (AUWCD). Experiments on public datasets demonstrate that the AUWCD outperforms the current state-of-the-art CD methods, achieving an average F1 score 5.01% higher than that of these advanced supervised baselines on the SECOND dataset, with a maximum increase of 13.17%. The proposed SeFi-CD offers a novel CD perspective and approach.

Dual-resolution guided multiscale network for land cover semantic change detection

Dual-resolution guided multiscale network for land cover semantic change detection

Skunked Terms as Part of Language Evolvement

The present article focuses on the process of language change and more specifically the evolvement of word meaning through the so-called skunked words. The term was coined by Bryan A. Garner, a lexicographer who uses it to refer to words that have developed new meanings, which have become so controversial that they are best avoided in writing and speech due to the risk of being misunderstood. This phenomenon poses significant challenges for linguists, lexicographers, and language users alike. In this research, we observe skunked words through the lens of corpus linguistics, aiming to shed light on their elusive nature and the dynamics of their usage. By applying corpus linguistic techniques, based on Coca Corpus tools, we offer insights into the nuanced meanings and connotations of skunked words, highlighting their fluidity and susceptibility to semantic change over time. Furthermore, we discuss strategies for managing the usage of skunked words in discourse, emphasizing the importance of context factors and linguistic awareness. This study contributes to the growing body of research on language variation and change, providing a corpus linguistic analysis of skunked words. Our findings not only enhance our understanding of these linguistic phenomena but also offer practical guidance for foreign language learners striving for clarity and precision in communication.

Still Changing: Semantic Innovation and Change in Multicultural London English

We attempt to further our understanding of the beginnings of language change by analyzing a semantic innovation in Multicultural London English: the use of still as a discourse-pragmatic item in utterance-final position. We show that the change follows well-attested processes of semantic change, so it could have occurred at any time and amongst any group of speakers. Its emergence now, amongst young men in inner city London, can be explained by considering not only well-known external factors such as population change but also by analyzing the interactional contexts in which the new meaning emerges and by relating this to the local peer group culture. In this way we gain insights into how speakers can be motivated to use a form with a new meaning during interactional moves that are especially important for them in their everyday lives.

Polysemy in Verbs Derived From Loanword Bases in Western Turkic Languages

This paper will present 137 polysemic verbs derived from loanword bases (nouns and adjectives) in Western Turkic languages, focusing on their use in Türkiye Turkish. As such, Türkiye Turkish will serve as the base language while Azerbaijan Turkish, Turkmen Turkish, and Gagauz Turkish equivalents will be used to make comparisons and draw certain conclusions. Since the noun stems from which the verbs are derived are not etymologically Turk- ish, it is impossible to track their historical phases giving the frames of this paper. The main sources or reference for Türkiye Turkish are Türkçe Sözlük and Kubbealtı Sözlüğü. Most of the corpus this research is based on consists of verbs formed by the suffix +lA- (132). The following suffixes also appear: +Al- (2), +A- (1), +Ar- (1), and +sA- (1). By creating a corpus with an over- view of elements from the four Western Turkic languages, it will be possible to draw valuable conclusions about semantic changes of polysemic verbs derived from loanword stems (from nouns and adjectives that in Türkiye Turkish have the status of loanwords).

FFPNet: Fine-Grained Feature Perception Network for Semantic Change Detection on Bi-Temporal Remote Sensing Images

Semantic change detection (SCD) is a newly important topic in the field of remote sensing (RS) image interpretation since it provides semantic comprehension for bi-temporal RS images via predicting change regions and change types and has great significance for urban planning and ecological monitoring. With the availability of large scale bi-temporal RS datasets, various models based on deep learning (DL) have been widely applied in SCD. Since convolution operators in DL extracts two-dimensional feature matrices in the spatial dimension of images and stack feature matrices in the dimension termed the channel, feature maps of images are tri-dimensional. However, recent SCD models usually overlook the stereoscopic property of feature maps. Firstly, recent SCD models are usually limited in capturing spatial global features in the process of bi-temporal global feature extraction and overlook the global channel features. Meanwhile, recent SCD models only focus on spatial cross-temporal interaction in the process of change feature perception and ignore the channel interaction. Thus, to address above two challenges, a novel fine-grained feature perception network (FFPNet) is proposed in this paper, which employs the Omni Transformer (OiT) module to capture bi-temporal channel–spatial global features before utilizing the Omni Cross-Perception (OCP) module to achieve channel–spatial interaction between cross-temporal features. According to the experiments on the SECOND dataset and the LandsatSCD dataset, our FFPNet reaches competitive performance on both countryside and urban scenes compared with recent typical SCD models.

A formal approach to reanalysis and the Early Semantic Stability Hypothesis: exploring the test case of the negative counterfactual marker ʾilmale in Hebrew and Aramaic

Abstract This study delves into the intricate process of reanalysis, wherein linguistic expressions undergo grammatical or semantic changes, or sometimes both. The primary objective of this study is to explore the theoretical aspects surrounding historical changes of this nature. To facilitate a comprehensive understanding of the topic, we provide a formal description of reanalysis as an analytical tool. Our formal description allows for the differentiation of various change scenarios, enabling us to identify distinct types of shifts from one analysis to another. This approach not only focuses on what has been reanalyzed, be it the morphology, syntax, or the semantics, but also emphasizes the interplay between all three linguistic modules (Form, Grammar, and Meaning) and their relationships. This holistic perspective enables a systematic examination of the significance of what remains constant at both points in time during the reanalysis process. The key insight arising from this analysis leads us to propose and substantiate the Early Semantic Stability Hypothesis. This hypothesis posits that the truth-conditional semantics of the original proposition remain unchanged throughout reanalysis, either in all contexts or in specific “bridging contexts” where the reanalysis occurs. To demonstrate these phenomena, we present a compelling test case, focusing on the development of the counterfactual conditional marker ʾilmale in Hebrew and Aramaic. Through a detailed examination of the syntactic and semantic reanalyses it underwent, we observe the emergence of unique semantic features. By adopting a formal semantic perspective, we address fundamental questions such as the level of ambiguity required for reanalysis to take place, the potential existence of universal constraints on reanalysis, and potential motivations driving these linguistic changes. This investigation provides valuable insights into the intricate mechanisms at play during reanalysis and contributes to the broader understanding of linguistic evolution and development.

Anticausativization in Gyalrongic languages

Abstract This article presents a comprehensive survey of anticausativization within Gyalrongic languages, a group of Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in Sichuan, China, contributing significantly to our understanding of this phenomenon’s theoretical and diachronic underpinnings. The research affirms that anticausative alternation is predominantly associated with verbs that exhibit a change of state semantics. This categorization includes decausative and autocausative verbs, further subdivided in Gyalrongic languages into specific semantic groups such as Separation, Removal, Physical Transformation, etc. Certain verbs with agent-oriented meanings also undergo anticausative alternation, calling for a revision of previous claims. Gyalrongic languages demonstrate a unique trend in their use of anticausative marking, deviating from global patterns by avoiding the polyfunctional employment of these markers. The article traces the origins of anticausative marking to a spontaneous / non-volitional action prefix and identifies the emergence of a new non-volitional prefix that has overtones of anticausative marking, descending from an orientational / TAME prefix.

Semantic Change in PL-SKT Loanwords and Figures of Speech Used in the Tai Epic Thao Hung or Cheuang

Semantic Change in PL-SKT Loanwords and Figures of Speech Used in the Tai Epic Thao Hung or Cheuang

Transcultural Adaptation of the “Caregiver Guilt Questionnaire” (CGQ)

ABSTRACT Objectives To implement a transcultural adaptation of the Caregiver Guilt Questionnaire (CGQ) for the Brazilian population. Methods Five stages were involved in the adaptation: two independent translations by Brazilian nationals fluent in Spanish; summary of translations produced; back-translation; evaluation by expert panel of judges (n = 5); and lastly, assessment by family caregivers (n = 30). Results semantic changes were made to render the items more relevant to Brazilian culture and replicate the five factors of guilt proposed by the original questionnaire. Conclusions A Brazilian version of the questionnaire was produced and transculturally adapted for use in Brazil, allowing future validation and application. Clinical implications The CGQ allows healthcare professionals to quantify feelings of guilt. Clinicians and clinical researcher can use the scale to obtain more precise interventions.

Further semantic change of the derogatory sociomorpheme tái in Chinese gender-related Internet neologisms

Internet neologisms provide discursive spaces for grassroots netizens. This study examines a pair of gendered labels gaining popularity in Taiwanese online forums: táinán ‘Tai-man’ and táinǚ ‘Tai-woman’. The quantitative keyword analysis based on a corpus of online data suggests that táinán and táinǚ are pejorative labels. The qualitative discourse analysis of the keywords in context presents gender stereotypes associated with táinán and táinǚ, respectively. Converging evidence for the negative attitudes toward táinán and táinǚ is obtained in a questionnaire survey. The shared morpheme tái inherits localness-related ideologies and interacts with gender ideologies concerning ideal manhood and womanhood, and it has come to index an ideological contrast between favorable foreignness and unfavorable localness. This study contributes to the current literature on Chinese morphological patterns studied in social contexts. Moreover, this study presents evidence that changes in social meanings also follow the dominant trajectories of other semantic changes.

From past to present: Exploring semantic change in Egyptian Colloquial Arabic address terms

From past to present: Exploring semantic change in Egyptian Colloquial Arabic address terms