Crime Films and Lexical Change: Can an Analysis of an Electronic Corpus of Fifteen Crime Films Help Students Understand Semantic Mutations?
Lexical change proves one of the most puzzling aspects of the evolution of English for non native speakers. While some mechanisms which explain shifts in the semantic programs of known lexical items are well documented others like a puritan background have been rarely discussed. In this paper, we wi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Centre de Recherche "Texte et Critique de Texte"
2004-12-01
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| Series: | Sillages Critiques |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.openedition.org/sillagescritiques/1583 |
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| _version_ | 1832578508434440192 |
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| author | Jean-Louis Vidalenc |
| author_facet | Jean-Louis Vidalenc |
| author_sort | Jean-Louis Vidalenc |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Lexical change proves one of the most puzzling aspects of the evolution of English for non native speakers. While some mechanisms which explain shifts in the semantic programs of known lexical items are well documented others like a puritan background have been rarely discussed. In this paper, we will suggest that Noir films provide evidence of the lexical creativity caused by this puritan strain and may explain why so many English words have to be translated by French words they are not associated with in most dictionaries. We suggest that a better understanding of the forces at work in language evolution will not only help students of English as a second language but may provide some insight into more theoretical approaches. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bf27131a21d4476cbdea8e822295fe27 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1272-3819 1969-6302 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2004-12-01 |
| publisher | Centre de Recherche "Texte et Critique de Texte" |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sillages Critiques |
| spelling | doaj-art-bf27131a21d4476cbdea8e822295fe272025-01-30T13:48:17ZengCentre de Recherche "Texte et Critique de Texte"Sillages Critiques1272-38191969-63022004-12-01618519110.4000/sillagescritiques.1583Crime Films and Lexical Change: Can an Analysis of an Electronic Corpus of Fifteen Crime Films Help Students Understand Semantic Mutations?Jean-Louis VidalencLexical change proves one of the most puzzling aspects of the evolution of English for non native speakers. While some mechanisms which explain shifts in the semantic programs of known lexical items are well documented others like a puritan background have been rarely discussed. In this paper, we will suggest that Noir films provide evidence of the lexical creativity caused by this puritan strain and may explain why so many English words have to be translated by French words they are not associated with in most dictionaries. We suggest that a better understanding of the forces at work in language evolution will not only help students of English as a second language but may provide some insight into more theoretical approaches.https://journals.openedition.org/sillagescritiques/1583translationfilm noirpuritanismsemantic mutationslinguistics |
| spellingShingle | Jean-Louis Vidalenc Crime Films and Lexical Change: Can an Analysis of an Electronic Corpus of Fifteen Crime Films Help Students Understand Semantic Mutations? Sillages Critiques translation film noir puritanism semantic mutations linguistics |
| title | Crime Films and Lexical Change: Can an Analysis of an Electronic Corpus of Fifteen Crime Films Help Students Understand Semantic Mutations? |
| title_full | Crime Films and Lexical Change: Can an Analysis of an Electronic Corpus of Fifteen Crime Films Help Students Understand Semantic Mutations? |
| title_fullStr | Crime Films and Lexical Change: Can an Analysis of an Electronic Corpus of Fifteen Crime Films Help Students Understand Semantic Mutations? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Crime Films and Lexical Change: Can an Analysis of an Electronic Corpus of Fifteen Crime Films Help Students Understand Semantic Mutations? |
| title_short | Crime Films and Lexical Change: Can an Analysis of an Electronic Corpus of Fifteen Crime Films Help Students Understand Semantic Mutations? |
| title_sort | crime films and lexical change can an analysis of an electronic corpus of fifteen crime films help students understand semantic mutations |
| topic | translation film noir puritanism semantic mutations linguistics |
| url | https://journals.openedition.org/sillagescritiques/1583 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jeanlouisvidalenc crimefilmsandlexicalchangecanananalysisofanelectroniccorpusoffifteencrimefilmshelpstudentsunderstandsemanticmutations |