An Analysis of The latest development of the English vocabulary浅析英语词汇的最新发展.docx

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1、本 科 毕 业 论 文浅析英语词汇的最新发展学 院 外国语学院专 业 英 语年 级 2009级学 号 222008322252091姓 名 指 导 教 师 成 绩二O一二年五月iiiAn Analysis of The latest development of the English vocabularyWang HaoSupervisorZhao XinA Thesis Submitted inPartial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree ofB. A. in EnglishSCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE

2、SSOUTHWEST UNIVERSITYMay, 2012AcknowledgementsMany people have made invaluable contributions, both directly and indirectly to my research. I would like to express my gratitude to all those who helped me during the writing of the thesis. Firstly, I would like to express my warmest gratitude to Profes

3、sor Zhao Xin, my supervisor, for her instructive suggestions and valuable comments on the writing of this thesis.Secondly, I was indebted to all the teachers in the School of Foreign Languages who taught and helped me in the past four years. Besides, my thanks would go to my beloved family for their

4、 loving considerations and great confidence in me all through these days. And I wish to thank all my fellow classmates who gave me help and time in listening to me and helping me work out my problems during the difficult course of the thesis.At last, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to

5、the author whose words I have cited or quoted, and to the scholars upon whose ideas I have freely drawn.ContentsAcknowledgementsiContentsiiAbstractiii摘要iv1.Introduction12.Literature review22.1Vocabulary formation22.2Vocabulary development43.The latest development of English vocabulary53.1Using the w

6、ord formation constitute new words53.2The change of meaning53.3New words64.Influencing factors of the development64.1Science and technology rapid progress64.2Political and economic changes frequently74.3The world situation turmoil85.Conclusion8References10An Analysis of the latest development of the

7、 English vocabularyAbstractWe normally reading English newspapers and magazines and listening to English radio always run into a lot of new English words. They are fresh ingredients and important part of English language . English vocabulary in the unceasing development, especially since the end of

8、the second world war, The Times change, science and technology in the development, the people in the course of the exchange created some new words and that adapt to the situation. And these new words are created through various methods. Through the understanding of the latest development, English le

9、arners can have a good command of English this language, and every year into the database about 1500-1600. In this paper, the composition of the English vocabulary is briefly summarized, then discusses the reasons and the development of the English vocabulary and the factors affecting the developmen

10、t way. At last, English vocabulary development are summarized, showing that the language is a mirror image of social development and the most important carrier of the human mind.Key words: English vocabulary The latest development Language浅析英语词汇的最新发展王浩西南大学外国语学院，重庆 400715摘要我们平时阅读英语报刊杂志、收听英语广播时总会碰到不少新

11、的英语词汇，它们是英语语言中的鲜活成分和重要的组成部分。英语词汇在不断发展，尤其是第二次世界大战结束以来，时代在变化，科技在发展，人们在交流过程中创造出了一些与之相适应的新词。而这些新词是通过各种方法创造出来的。英语学习者通过对英语词汇最新发展的了解，可以更好地掌握英语这门语言,每年进入数据库的大约有个。本文对英语词汇的构成进行了简单的总结，再探讨了英语词汇的发展原因及影响因素和发展途径，最后对英语词汇的发展进行总结，说明了语言是社会发展的镜像，是人类思维最重要的载体。关键词： 英语词汇 新发展 语言iv1. IntroductionLike any modern language, Engl

12、ish vocabulary is in continuing development. In Shakespeares time, the recorded English vocabulary was about 140000 words. Now, English vocabulary even by 500000 words computing, which have more than two-thirds of the word is created in nearly three hundred years. People encountering new things, new

13、 experience, the development of new ideas, there are always written words to represent them. Since the 20th century, especially in the last fifty years, there appear a large number of new meaning and new words, old words constantly to be eliminated. English vocabulary process forward development in

14、these metabolism. Time changing, science and technology developing, thought progressing, as the reflection of the reality, language should keep up with the pace of society evolution. Up to now, except for technical terms, the English vocabulary also has broken 500000 words. According to The dictiona

15、ry partner Barnhart Companion magazine statistics, 1500-1600 new words and new meanings are added to their computer database each year. Here give some examples, On December 14, 1995, the European Union leaders decided to adopt the euro as the names of the single currency in 2002. From then on, in En

16、glish, there is a new word of monetary unit. In English, there are many new words from even a person. A good (or bad) fame, his name could enter the general vocabulary. Taking US President Bill Clinton as an example, from 1993, not only his name had become household name, it appeared derivative Chin

17、tonian; It can be used as an adjective, Clinton said, can also said of having the or to do with the woman of the Bill Clinton. For example: We in the audience want to believe. We want to be suitably Clintonian and nostalgic. But at the end, its too smug and too hollow.(The Buffalo News,Feb.12,1993)

18、Clintonian this now also became a noun, said a person who supports the policies of President Bill Clinton. Clintons name in addition to derive Clintonian this word beyond, still generated the Clintonspeak (Clinton type way of speaking), explained in English language, is the typical language, jargon,

19、 or vocabulary of Bill Clinton . the word for the first time as early as Clintons presidential campaign（The Boston Globe,June3,1992）. Not only has Clintonspeak of Clinton, his predecessor, George Bush also have his Bushspeak, the word is also born in the running for President in 1980. The American w

20、riter George Orwell in his political satires 1984 coined in the doublespeak (false words), newspeak (lie-refer to the ambiguous and contradictory characteristics of language for its propaganda）and oldspeak ( cliches).2. Literature review2.1 Vocabulary formationEnglish vocabulary is mainly produced t

21、hrough all kinds of word-formation.2.1.1 AffixationAffixation is one of derivation, with the help of the prefix or suffix, to form a new word. 。For example: supercomputer(超级计算机)、antipollution(反污染)、workholic(嗜好工作)、glohalization(全球化)、ecoconscienee(生态意识)、eyberoulture(网络文化)、healthisra(健康至上) etc。 2.1.2 B

22、lendingBlending refers to combine a part of word and another part of word into one united to form a new word. For example: newscast(新闻联播)、infonomics(信息经济)、digicam(数字照相机)、hacktivism(有政治目的的黑客行动)、greentech(绿色技术)、medicaid(医疗补助)等。2.1.3 Word formation by analogyAnalogy word formation is through the analog

23、y of a new method. For example: since have bulldozer (大型推土机)，then why not the smaller one called “calfdozer”? The spaceman (太空人) analogy out earthman (地球人) and moonman (月球人). Computer products can be user-friendly (一般人都可以使用), So books can be reader-friendly (一般人都可以阅读), Legal writing can be a citizen

24、-friendly (一般人都可以读懂)。2.1.4 Word formation by contrastContrast word formation is using the existing antonyms to constitute a new composite antonyms. For example: the boycott (联合抵制) constitute girlcott (妇女界联合抵制), the blacklist (黑名单) constitute a whitelist（白名单，指守法人士），the brain drain (人才外流) constitute a

25、 brain gain (人才流入) etc.2.1.5 CompoundingCompounding refers to two or more words in a certain sequence form neologisms. Such as population explosion (人口爆发), the fat farm (减肥场所), Alpha geek (电脑高手), mail order (邮购货物), big table (谈判过程中的主要谈判会议) etc.2.1.6 AbbreviationAbbreviation is divided into two ways.

26、 One is processing the original complete word., abbreviating part of letters to form new word. Another kind is compounding the first letter of the main word as a new word. Abbreviation is a kind of contemporary English very active word-formation methods. For example: CD (mp act discs，激光唱片) 、APS(adva

27、nced photo system，高级照相系统)、B2B(business-to-business，公司对公司) etc.2.1.7 Translation loansTranslation loans is some compound English words borrowed from other languages, but the part was translated into English. For example: black humor (黑色幽默) comes directly from French “humour noir”. The Chinese paper t

28、iger (纸老虎), let a hundred flowers blossom (百花齐放), four modernizations (四个现代化) can be also often be seen in British and American newspapers and magazines.2.1.8 Loan wordsLoan words is some certain words from a national language is spreading to another national language. English, there are a large num

29、ber of foreign words. For example: extraordinary (extraodinaire, French), nebbish (poor bastard, Yiddish), favela (slums, shanty towns, Portuguese), ikabana (flower arrangement, Japanese), wok (cooking pot, Chinese), gemutlich (comfortable and pleasant, German), etc.2.1.9 NeologyNeology is to give t

30、he existed English words, in the new social condition, with new meaning, and form neologisms. For example: recovery the original meaning is return to an original state . Now it can now be used to referring to the return of the ship-borne machine down; Renewal the original meaning update, now of the

31、new meanings for the reconstruction of the city; Menu originally refers to restaurant menu, now also used to refer to the computer menu.2.2 Vocabulary development2.2.1 The renaissanceA large number of celebrities, Leonardo da Vinci, Copernicus, Bruno, appeared in the Renaissance. Shakespeare is a gr

32、eat dramatist and poet of English Renaissance period. His works made a enduring contribution to English vocabulary and English status. 20000 25000 words were used in Shakespeares poetry and the script. many vocabularies which were used by Shakespeare at that time have become the main vocabulary or m

33、odern English idioms. For example: the salt of youth(年轻人的热情，from The Merry Wives of Windsor), golden opinions(很高的评价，无上的美誉, from Macbeth), lie in ones throat(信口开河, from Twelfth Night) etc. 2.2.2 Bourgeois revolutionAnd the middle of 17 century, Britain has bourgeois revolution, which forced Charlie i

34、i and the royal familys to exile to France. After the restoration of Britain, French was popular in England. English vocabularies, ballet (芭蕾舞)、cartoon (漫画)、dentist (牙科医生)、routine (例行公事，日常工作) are borrowed from French.2.2.3 Colonial development periodBy the eighteenth century, some Indian language vo

35、cabularies are borrowed by English from North Americas part of settlements, such as caribou (驯鹿)、hominy (玉米片)、moose (麋，驼鹿)、totem (图腾，氏族血统的标志) etc, and from India, such as bandana (一种印花大手帕)、cashmere (开司米毛织品)、coolie (苦力)、curry (咖喱粉)、shampoo (洗发香波)、candy (糖果) etc.2.2.4 20th centurySince the 20 century,

36、 the whole world into a knowledge of the explosive growth in the information age. English was constantly developing to be simpler. Using nouns as attributive become the most common word pairs structure. For example: college library (学院的图书馆)、summer holiday (暑假)、winter clothes (冬季服装)、travel agent (旅行代

37、理人)、river bank (河岸)、London Transport (伦敦交通局)、Tower Bridge (伦敦泰晤士河桥) etc.3. The latest development of English vocabulary3.1 Using the word formation constitute new wordsFor derivation, Many old affix still very active now. For example, Super-in the contemporary English is a very active, prefixing an

38、adjective in front said the quality described is present in an unusually large degree, and prefixing a noun said a bigger, more powerful, or more important version of a particular thing.Blending words also many, sometimes even is hard to distinguish the word is whether some components or affix, part

39、 of the word. Through the method of analogy form neologisms can be called analogy word-formation. Yesterday draw analogy to yester year ,the fish eye and worm s eye draw out from bird s eye. And the analogy is similar to t contrast word formation, that is, by the existing antonyms constitute a new a

40、ntonyms, such as boycott by girlcott , nightmare by day mare ,blacklist by whitelist.the compound words possess the largest percentage, like: fat farm, generation gap, laundry list, letter, phase down, mail order, open-heart surgery, motor home, machine-tooled etc.A large loan words into English, we

41、 can see from the Japanese karaoke , from the French apres ski-(after skiing social activities), extraordinaire (special), bidonville (suburban area) and ye-ye (jazz music), and ye-ye itself is French borrow from the English word yeah-yeah .3.2 The change of meaningThe past to be some various change

42、able process is still at work and the old words in the new social conditions are endowed with new meanings. The past to be some various changeable process is still at work and the old words in the new social conditions are endowed with new meanings. The verb break has a new meaning breaking dance. I

43、n computer terms, mouse became the mouse locator. The usage of old words is expanding. Like the original meaning of recovery is return to an original state, can now be used to refers to the astronauts splashed down in back and carrier machine for the return of the land; Rendezvous is the literal mea

44、ning of meet, can now be used to refers to the convergence of the spaceship.3.3 New wordsNow, one of the biggest concern names is apples computer production “ipad”. When IPad came into market, it is hot in the young people of the world. Sales reached high record. New words come out with the emergenc

45、e of new things endlessly. In electronics, for example: e-mail (电子邮件), e-journal (电子杂志), e-cash (电子货币), e-card (电子贺卡), e-business (电子商务) etc. Vocabulary like any other organisms, will metabolism.4. Influencing factors of the development4.1 Science and technology rapid progress The later half of the

46、20th century, science and technology are developing rapidly, taking new subject, theres not just several hundred. For example: cybernetics, bionics, sociolinguistics and so on. The new findings of science and technology, inventions and theory, all need words to express. So, on the one hand, producin

47、g a large number of new words, some of which are made in structure, or on the basis of the existing words and transform them; On the other hand, some old words are endowed with new meaning, that is its semantic changed. Science of each subject adds a great amount of new words to English. Ecology is

48、an example. We can see ecoactivist and environmentalist talking about ecocatastrophe(ecological disaster), ecocide (ecological destroy) and ecocrisis (ecological crisis), try to solve air pollution, noise pollution, thermal pollution , or even visual pollution (visual pollution), culture pollution, spiritual pollution, graffitti pollution. To protect the ecological environment is