Forms and Reasons of Word Meaning Degeneration

Abstract

Just as the colorful and constant changes in every field happening in this world, word meaning change, especially word meaning degeneration, is going on every day. This paper illustrates the four forms of word meaning degeneration, including complete meaning degeneration, partial meaning degeneration, and degeneration caused by euphemism and meaning narrowing. Also, it explains the reasons of word meaning degeneration respectively from psychological, social, historical, cultural and linguistic perspectives. It also predicts that more and more words may become derogatory in sense in the future.