Lecture 9. Development of New Meanings

Exercises

I. Explain the logical associations in the following groups of meaning for the same words. Define the type of transference which has taken place.

1. The wing of a bird — the wing of a building; the eye of a man — the eye of a needle; the hand of a child — the hand of a clock; the heart of a man — the heart of the matter; the bridge across-the-river — the bridge of the nose; the tongue of a person — the tongue of a bell; the tooth of a boy — the tooth of a comb; the coat of a girl — the coat of a dog.

2. Green grass — green years; black shoes — black despair; nickel (metal) — a nickel (coin); glass — a glass; copper (metal) — a copper (coin); Ford (proper name) — a Ford (car); Damascus (town in Syria) — damask; Kashmir (town in North India) — cashmere.

II. Analyse the process of development of new meanings in the italicized words in the examples given below.

1.1 put the letter well into the mouth of the box and let it go and it fell turning over and over like an autumn leaf. 2. Those who had been the head of the line paused momentarily on entry and looked around curiously. 3. A cheerful-looking girl in blue jeans came up to the stairs whistling. 4. Seated behind a desk, he wore a light patterned suit, switch from his usual tweeds. 5. Oh, Steven, I read a Dickens the other day. It was aw­fully funny. 6. They sat on the rug before the fireplace, savouring its warmth, watching the rising tongues of flame. 7. He inspired universal confidence and had an iron nerve. 8. A very small boy in a green jersey with light red hair cut square across his forehead was peer­ing at Steven between the electric fire and the side of the fireplace. 9. While the others were settling down, Lucy saw Pearson take another bite from his sandwich. 10. As I walked nonchalantly past Hugo's house on the other side they were already carrying out the Renoirs.

III. Explain the basis for the following jokes. Trace the log­ical associations between the different meanings of the same word.

1. Father was explaining to his little son the funda­mentals of astronomy.

"That's a comet."

"A what?"

"A comet. You know what a comet is?"

"No."

"Don't you know what they call a star with a tail?"

"Sure — Mickey Mouse."

2. "Pa, what branches did you take when you went to school?"

"I never went to high school, son, but when I attend­ed the little log school-house they used mostly hickory and beech and willow."

3. What has eyes yet never sees? (Potato)

4. H e (in telephone booth): I want a box for two.

5.Voice (at the other end): Sorry, but we don’t have boxes for two.

H e: But aren't you the box office of the theatre?

Voice: No, we are the undertakers.

 

IV. Have the italicized words evaluative connotations in their meanings? Motivate your answer and comment on the history of the words.

1. The directors now assembling were admirals and field marshals of commerce. 2. For a businessman to be invited to serve on a top-flight bank board is roughly equivalent to being knighted by the British Queen. 3.1 had a nice newsy gossip with Mrs. Needham before you turned up last night. 4. The little half-starved guy looked more a victim than a villain. 5. Meanwhile I nod­ded my head vigorously and directed a happy smile in the direction of the two ladies. 6.1 shook hands with Tom; it seemed silly not to, for I felt suddenly as though I were talking to a child.

 

 

Lecture 10. Homonyms: Words of the Same Form

Exercises

I. Find the homonyms in the following extracts. Classify them into homonyms proper, homographs and homo­phones.

1. "Mine is a long and a sad tale!" said the Mouse, turning to Alice, and sighing. "It is a long tail, certain­ly," said Alice, looking down with wonder at the Mouse's tail; "but why do you call it sad?" 2. a) My seat was in the middle of a row. b) "I say, you haven't had a row with Corky, have you?" 3. a) Our Institute football team got a challenge to a match from the University team and we accepted it. b) Somebody struck a match so that we could see each other. 4. a) It was nearly Decem­ber but the California sun made a summer morning of the season, b) On the way home Crane no longer drove like a nervous old maid. 5. a) She loved to dance and had every right to expect the boy she was seeing almost every night in the week to take her dancing at least once on the weekend, b) "That's right," she said. 6. a) Do you always forget to wind up your watch? b) Crane had an old Ford without a top and it rattled so much and the wind made so much noise. 7. a) In Brittany there was once a knight called Eliduc. b) She looked up through the window at the night. 8. a) He had a funny round face, b) — How does your house face? — It faces the South. 9. a) So he didn't shake his hand because he didn't shake cowards' hands, see, and somebody else was elected captain, b) Mel's plane had been shot down into the sea. 10. a) He was a lean, wiry Yankee who knew which side his experimental bread was buttered on. b) He had a wife of excellent and influential family, as finely bred as she was faithful to him. 11. a) He was growing progressively deafer in the left ear. b) I saw that I was looking down into another cove similar to the one I had left. 12. a) Iron and lead are base metals, b) Where does the road lead? 13. Kikanius invited him and a couple of the other boys to join him for a drink, and while Hugo didn't drink, he went along for the company.

II. On what linguistic phenomenon is the joke in the fol­lowing extracts based? What causes the misunderstand­ing?

1. "Are your father and mother in?" asked the visi­tor of the small boy who opened the door.

"They was in," said the child, "but they is out."

"They was in. They is out. Where's your grammar?"

"She's gone upstairs," said the boy, "for a nap."

2. "Yes, Miss Janes, it's true my husband has left his job. He thought it was better for him to enlist rather than to be called up. Anyway, he has burned his bridges behind him."

"Oh, well, I shouldn't worry about that. They'll pro­vide him with a uniform in the Army," commented the neighbour.

3. "I got sick last night eating eggs."
"Too bad."

"No, only one."

4. Husband and wife were enjoying a quiet evening by their fireside, he deep in a book and she in a cross­ word puzzle. Suddenly she questioned him:

"Darling, what is a female sheep?"

"Ewe [ju:]," he replied. His further explanation hard­ly soothed her.

5. "I spent last summer in a very pretty city in Swit­zerland."

"Berne?"

"No, I almost froze."

6. О f f i с er (to driver in parked car): Don't you see
that sign "Fine for parking"?

Driver: Yes, officer, I see and agree with it.

III. a. Find the homonyms proper for the following words; give their Russian equivalents.

1. band — a company of musicians. 2. seal — a warm-blooded, fish-eating sea-animal, found chiefly in cold regions. 3. ear — the grain-bearing spike of a cere­al plant, as in corn. 4. cut — the result of cutting. 5. to bore — to make a long round hole, esp. with a pointed tool that is turned round. 6. corn — a hard, horny thickening of the skin, esp. on the foot. 7. fall — the act of falling, dropping or coming down. 8. to hail — to greet, salute, shout an expression of welcome. 9. ray -wg any of several cartilaginous fishes, as the stingray, skate, etc. 10. draw — something that attracts attentien.