How Words Change (the basics)

How Words Change (the basics)

1. Diachronic Change

   • the study of how language evolves through time

2. Synchronic Change

   • the study of language as it exists at one point in time

3. Narrowing

   • a word's meaning becomes less broad

4. Broadening

   • a word's meaning becomes wider

5. Amelioration

   • when a word's meaning becomes more positive over time

6. Perjoration

   • when a word's meaning becomes more negative over time