Semantic Change Overview

Principles

Definition

Semantic change is the diachronic alteration in the meaning of linguistic units, primarily words. As a core concept and area of study within historical linguistics, it investigates the processes, mechanisms, and patterns by which word meanings evolve over time, revealing insights into language history and the dynamic relationship between language and its users.

Ontological type

Typologies

Theoretical Frameworks

Methodologies

Key developments

Key Figures

Subjectification and Diffusion era

Elizabeth Closs Traugott [1], associated with Stanford University [3] in this era, contributed to the study of subjectification in semantic change. Her key contributions include the rise of epistemic meanings and subjectification through diffusion across speech communities, as demonstrated in On the Rise of Epistemic Meanings in English: An Example of Subjectification in Semantic Change [6]. James Milroy [2], associated with Newcastle University [4] and the University of Michigan [5] in this era, helped shape diffusionist and variationist accounts of linguistic change. His two papers, Linguistic Variation and Change [7] and Linguistic Variation and Change: On the Historical Sociolinguistics of English [8], articulated how variation and diffusion interact with standardization to drive semantic and social change.

Corpus-Network Diffusion era

Sali A. Tagliamonte [1] is a leading linguist whose work in this era centers on research conducted at the University of Toronto [3] and the University of York [4]. Her key contributions, as reflected in the papers Be like et al. beyond America: The quotative system in British and Canadian youth [6], Peaks beyond phonology: Adolescence, incrementation, and language change [7], and Was/were variation across the generations: View from the city of York [8], illuminate diffusion patterns, adolescence-driven change, and cross-generational variation within English varieties, underscoring how corpora reveal network-mediated semantic shifts in youth speech. Alexandra D’Arcy [2] is a collaborator whose work in this era is linked to the University of Toronto [3] and Newcastle University [5]. Her contributions, evidenced in Peaks beyond phonology: Adolescence, incrementation, and language change [7], The diachrony of quotation: Evidence from New Zealand English [9], and The development of linguistic constraints: Phonological innovations in St. John's English [10], advance understanding of how quotation, phonology, and linguistic constraints evolve—crucial for corpus-driven diffusion and network-based models of semantic change in this era.

Dynamic Embedding Models era

Haim Dubossarsky [1] is a leading figure in the Dynamic Embedding Models era (2015-2021), with stints at the University of Cambridge [3] and the University of Amsterdam [4]. Dubossarsky's key contributions include SemEval-2020 Task 1: Unsupervised Lexical Semantic Change Detection [6], Outta Control: Laws of Semantic Change and Inherent Biases in Word Representation Models [7], and A bottom up approach to category mapping and meaning change [8], which advanced the era by providing benchmarks, bias-aware analyses, and granular mappings of meaning change. Dominik Schlechtweg [2] is a prominent contributor in this era, with affiliations at the University of Amsterdam [4] and Universitat Pompeu Fabra [5]. Schlechtweg's key contributions include SemEval-2020 Task 1: Unsupervised Lexical Semantic Change Detection [6] and A Wind of Change: Detecting and Evaluating Lexical Semantic Change across Times and Domains [9], which supported cross-domain evaluation and robust detection of lexical drift.