A DIACHRONIC STUDY OF SEMANTIC CHANGE IN ENGLISH WORDS

Аннотация

This article explores the diachronic development of meanings in English vocabulary, emphasizing the various processes that lead to semantic change over time. Language is not a static system but a dynamic and evolving medium that adapts to social, cultural, and technological transformations. The study examines the main types of semantic change—broadening, narrowing, amelioration, pejoration, and metaphorical shift—using examples from Old English to Modern English. The analysis highlights how historical, psychological, and linguistic factors interact to modify meaning and reflects on the broader implications of such change for linguistic theory and lexicography. Keywords: semantic change, diachronic linguistics, meaning evolution, lexical shift, English language history. Аннотация: В данной статье рассматривается диахроническое развитие значений английской лексики с акцентом на различные процессы, приводящие к семантическим изменениям с течением времени. Язык — это не статичная система, а динамичная и развивающаяся среда, адаптирующаяся к социальным, культурным и технологическим преобразованиям. В исследовании рассматриваются основные типы семантических изменений — расширение, сужение, улучшение, пейорация и метафорический сдвиг — на примерах из древнеанглийского в современный английский язык. Анализ показывает, как исторические, психологические и лингвистические факторы взаимодействуют, изменяя значение слова, и рассматривает более широкие последствия таких изменений для лингвистической теории и лексикографии. Ключевые слова: семантические изменения, диахроническая лингвистика, эволюция значения, лексический сдвиг, история английского языка. Annotatsiya: Ushbu maqola ingliz lug'atida ma'nolarning diaxronik rivojlanishini o'rganadi, vaqt o'tishi bilan semantik o'zgarishlarga olib keladigan turli jarayonlarni ta'kidlaydi. Til statik tizim emas, balki ijtimoiy, madaniy va texnologik o'zgarishlarga moslashadigan dinamik va rivojlanayotgan muhitdir. Tadqiqotda qadimgi ingliz tilidan zamonaviy ingliz tiligacha bo'lgan misollar yordamida semantik o'zgarishlarning asosiy turlari - kengayish, torayish, yaxshilash, ta'qib qilish va metaforik o'zgarish - o'rganiladi. Tahlil tarixiy, psixologik va lingvistik omillar ma'noni o'zgartirish uchun qanday o'zaro ta'sir qilishini ta'kidlaydi va bunday o'zgarishlarning lingvistik nazariya va leksikografiya uchun kengroq oqibatlarini aks ettiradi. Kalit so'zlar: semantik o'zgarish, diaxron tilshunoslik, ma'no evolyutsiyasi, leksik siljish, ingliz tili tarixi. Introduction. The study of language change over time—known as diachronic linguistics—has long been a central concern of historical linguistics. One of its most fascinating aspects is semantic change, which refers to the evolution of word meanings through generations of speakers. Every living language undergoes semantic shifts as society, culture, and technology evolve. The English language, Vol. 5, No. 11 – Special Issue (EJAR) 49 ISSN: 2181-2020 LPTIENP International Scientific-Practice Conference on “Linguistics and Pedagogical Technologies: International Experience and National Practice” Denau, November 20, 2025 in-academy.uz/index.php/ejar with its rich history of contact, colonization, and innovation, offers a particularly vivid example of how meanings adapt to new realities. This paper aims to analyze the causes, types, and mechanisms of semantic change in English, drawing on diachronic data to show how meaning transformation reflects broader cognitive and social developments. Change is an inevitable part of all aspects of life. Indeed, the only constant phenomenon is change itself. This principle applies not only to human societies but also to languages across the world. Every language—including English—undergoes transformation in its alphabet, sounds, vocabulary, meanings, and grammar. Over the past 1,500 years, the English language has evolved significantly from its earliest form spoken on the British Isles to its modern version today. Because of this continuous transformation, it is essential to study and document these changes.[1] For this research, the biblical story of The Prodigal Son found in the Gospel of Luke (chapter 15, verses 25–32) was selected as the primary text for analysis. The choice of this passage is based on the availability of early English translations and the need to examine the same content across different historical stages of the English language. By comparing this text through various periods, the study aims to demonstrate the linguistic contrasts over time. The data were obtained from materials used in the History of English course delivered to Master’s students in the Department of English, University of Jos, between September 2022 and February 2023. Result and discussion. The concept of diachronic linguistics was introduced by Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure in 1916, who contrasted it with synchronic linguistics. In simple terms, diachronic linguistics is the historical study of l