Unit 8Check Your UnderstandingState whether each of the following statements is TRUE or FALSE.a. English words are either appreciative or derogatory. (F)b. The affective meaning of a word may change over time. (T)c. Affective meaning has nothing to do with culture. (F)d. The semantic prosody of a word determines the affective meaning of its collocates. (T)e. A variety of lexical devices are employed in English to express affective meanings. (T)In-Class Activities1. The following two pairs of sentences contain four words in bold face.A. a. His (her) eyes sparkled with amusement (merriment, good humour, high spirits, happiness).b. His (her) eyes glittered with anger (rage, hatred, malice).B. a. Look at that lovely little girl.b. Look at that tiny girl.ASK:(1) Can the two words in bold face in each pair of sentences be used interchangeably? If not,why?(2) Can you suggest more pairs like the above ones?KEY:Answer:(1) No. The verbs sparkle and glitter are close synonyms. They are different in terms of affective connotations. In the above two sentences, both adjectives (little and tiny) describe the smallness of the girl. However, little suggests ‘attractiveness’ and ‘pleasantness’ while tiny implies the abnormal growth of the child. Therefore, little is appreciative while tiny is derogatory.(2) Slim and skinnyFamous and notoriousProud and arrogantConfident and conceited2. The following are the concordance lines of the verbs cause and provide obtained with thecorpus tool from a very small part of BNC (spoken and part of written news report). Observe the collocates of the two words and answer the questions that follow.ASK:(1) What are the features of the two words in terms of semantic prosody?(2) Can you use each of the two words in a sentence of your own?Answer:(1) Cause is often used with words with a negative feature, that is, something unpleasant, such as problem, damage, danger, chaos. Provide is often used with words with a positive feature, or something useful, for example, food accommodation, necessities, comfortable conditions.(2) The bad weather is causing problems for many farmers.The hospital has a commitment to provide the best possible medical care.3. One interesting finding about semantic prosody is that it often demonstrates some relationship with transitivity. Louw (1993) points out that where human beings are in control of their own destiny and are shaping it transitively for themselves, the semantic prosody is positive, but where people are at the mercy of forces beyond their control, the things which build up intransitively are negative and uniformly threatening. For example, the verb phrase “break out”can be both transitive and intransitive (Sinclair, 1990). Observe the following concordance lines in which break out appears:(1) Which of the lines above involve the transitive use of break out? Which involve theintransitive use of break out?(2) What are the semantic features of break out in these sentences?Answer:(1) Break out in Line 1-8 is intransitive whereas it is transitive in Line 9-15.(2) Break out in Line 1-8 is used with the subject being something negative, such as war, fight, trouble, violence. However, break out in Line 9-15 is used with words expressing something that pleasant, such as beer, barbecue, apple cider.4. The following is an excerpt from Henrik Ibsen’s drama A Doll’s House. Read this excerpt and then answer questions.Mrs. Linde: But how dare a man of his education be so forward?Nora: What on earth are you talking about?Mrs. Linde: Oh, stop pretending, Nora. Do you think I haven’t guessed who it was who lent you that two hundred pounds?Nora: Are you out of your mind? How could you imagine such a thing? A friend, someone who comes here every day! Why, that’d be an impossible situation!Mrs. Linde: Then it really wasn’t him?Nora: No, of course not. I’ve never for a moment dreamed of -- anyway, he hadn’t any money tolend then. He didn’t come into that till later.Mrs. Linde: Well, I think that was a lucky thing for you, Nora dear.Nora: No, I could never have dreamed of asking Dr. Rank – Though I’m sure that if I ever did ask him—Mrs. Linde: But of course you won’t.Nora: Of course not. I can’t imagine that it should ever become necessary. But I’m perfectly sure that if I did speak to Dr. Rank—Mrs. Linde: Behind you husband’s back?Nora: I’ve got to get out this other business; and that’s been going on behind his back. I’ve got to get out of it.Mrs. Linde: Yes, well, that’s what I told you yesterday. But—Nora (walking up and down): It’s much easier for a man to arrange these things than a woman—Mrs. Linde: one’s own husband, yes.Nora: Oh, bosh, (Stops walking.) When you’ve completely repaid a debt you get your I. O. U.back, don’t you?Mrs. Linde: Yes, of course.Nora: And you can tear it into a thousand pieces and burn the filthy, beastly thing!Mrs. Linde(looks hard at her, puts down her sewing and gets up slowly): Nora, you’re hiding something from me.Nora: Can you see that?Mrs. Linde: Something has happened since yesterday morning. Nora, what is it?Nora (goes towards her): Christine! (listens.) Ssh! There’s Torvald. Would you mind going into the nursery for a few minutes? Torvald can’t bear to see sewing around. Anne-Marie’ll help you.Mrs. Linde (gathers some of her things together): Very well. But I shan’t leave this house until we’ve talked this matter out.She goes into the nursery, left. As she does so, Helmer enters from the hall.Nora (runs to meet him): Oh, Torvald dear, I’ve been so longing for you to come back! Helmer: Was that the dressmaker?Nora: No, it was Christine. She’s helping me mend my costume. I’m going to look rather splendid in that.Helmer: Yes, that was quite a bright idea of mine, wasn’t it?Nora: Wonderful! But wasn’t it nice of me to give in to you?Helmer(takes her chin in his hand): Nice—to give in to your husband? All right, little silly, I know you didn’t mean it like that. But I won’t disturb you. I expect you’ll be wanting to try it on.Nora: Are you going to work now?Helmer: Yes. (Shows her a bundle of papers.) Look at these. I’ve been down to the bank—(Turns to go into his study.)Nora: Torvald.Helmer: (stops): Yes.Nora: If a little squirrel asked you really prettily to grant her a wish—Helmer: First I should naturally have to know what it was.Nora: Squirrel would do lots of pretty tricks for you if you granted her a wish.Helmer: Out with it, then.ASK:(1) How many types of lexical devices are used to convey each of the speaker’s affect? What arethey?(2) What do you think are the effects of these lexical devices?Answer:(1) Interjections: oh, wonderful, out with itExclamatory what and how: how dareExaggerative expressions: a thousand piecesIntensifiers: so, quite, rather, much, of course, never, on earth, really, naturally, completely, perfectly(2) These lexical devices clearly shows the speaker’s affect and attitude5. In English, there are numerous expressions deployable for intensifying an attitude or emotion. Look at the following utterances.a. I did not regret a drop [a rush/a tittle].b. My father did not care a straw [a bean/a fig/a jot/a button].c. Mary did not worry a pin [a scrap].d. The man did not flinch a hair.ASK:(1) How are these expressions similar to each other?(2) Can you provide more expressions of the same kind?Answer:(1) They mean “a small amount” and they are all used with “not”, forming emphasizing negatives.(2) a bit, a touch, a hint, a trace, a grain, a speck, an ounce, an itom6. It is often necessary that public notices be written with emphatic tones. Look at the following notices.ASK:(1) Which word can be omitted without affecting the basic meaning of the notice in each case?(2) Do you know of other ways that may serve to intensify the tone of public notices?Answer:(1)anytime, strictly, absolutely(2)never, anyone, anywhere, anyway, completely, definitely, entirelyPost-Class Tasks1. In the following table, words in the first column are appreciative words. Match them with words in the right column that are derogatory.Appreciative Derogatoryself-assured over-the-topgenerous fancifulthrifty arrogantdetermined nosyshrewd self-importantconfident meanfrank cunningenthusiastic abruptinquisitive stubbornimaginative extravagantAnswer:Appreciative Derogatoryself-assured self-importantgenerous extravagantthrifty meandetermined stubbornshrewd cunningconfident arrogantfrank abruptenthusiastic over-the-topinquisitive nosyimaginative fanciful2. Poets tend to be highly affectionate people. Read the following well-known poem by Robert Burns. Discuss the lexical devices that the poet uses to convey his strong emotion. What other methods does he employ for the same purpose?A Red, Red RoseMy love is like a red, red roseThat’s newly sprung in June:My love is like the melodyThat’s sweetly played in tune.As fair art thou, my bonnie lass,So deep in love am I:And I will love thee still, my dear,Till a’ the seas gang dry.Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,And the rocks melt wi’ the sun:And I will love thee still, my dear,While the sands o’ life shall ru n.And fare thee weel, my only love,And fare thee weel a while!And I will come again, my love,Thou’ it were ten thousand mile.Answer:(1) Exclamation: weel; amplifier: so; exaggerative expression: ten thousand mile(2) Other devices: Repetitions, exaggerations, similes3. The following words or phrases have been claimed to have a negative (‘unpleasant’, or ‘unfavourable’) semantic prosody. For each case, investigate whether this is true.For those cases that do have a negative prosody, identify near-synonyms with a neutral or positive semantic prosody.a. be bent onb. commitc. dealingsd. happene. make off withAnswer:bent on: True. For example: bent on violence, bent on destroying, bent on self-destruction, etc.) happen: True. This word is often used with words such as “accident”, “strange things”. commit: True. This word often collocates with crime, offence, rape, assault, unlawful act.Neutral synonyms: do, perform, carry outmake off with: True.dealings: Not true. This word does not necessarily collocate with negative words. Instead, neutral collocates are often found, such as dealings with customers, exchange dealings, dealings in commodities, dealings between parties, dealings in contract, dealings with business investors, dealings with corporate investors.4．Find out the emphasizing negatives in the following sentences.a. Don’t worry. I am not at all hungry.b. Sorry, but I am not the slightest bit interested in this project.c. There are none at all in this box, as far as I can see.d. I did n’t enjoy it in the least.e. There is no money whatsoever available for school trips at the moment.f. You have no excuse whatever.g. I’ll never, never go to there again.5. Read the following sentences and group them according to the type of lexical devices used to express the speaker’s affect.a. I just don’t like it.b. I kind of like him.c. You are absolutely correct.d. They literally tore his arguments to pieces.e. I so wanted to see her.f. They honestly admire her courage.g. I can well understand your feelings.h. I quite enjoyed the party, but I’ve been to better ones.i. The incident somewhat influenced his later life.Answer:Emphasiers:I just don’t like it.They literally tore his arguments to pieces.They honestly admire her courage.Amplifiers:You are absolutely correct.I so wanted to see her.I can well understand your feelings.Downtoners:I kind of like him.I quite enjoyed the party, but I’ve been to better ones.The incident somewhat influenced his later life.6. Read the following sentences and decide whether the italicized words are emphasiers, amplifiers or downtoners.a. My brother can actually speak six foreign languages. (emphasizer)b. It was a sacrifice indeed. (emphasizer)c. I can perfectly see why you are anxious about it. (amplifiers)d. I simply don’t believe it. (emphasizer)e. I know these animals slightly. (downtoners)f. I entirely agree with you. (amplifiers)g. I am sort of fond of the new teacher. (downtoners)h. That’s a somewhat thicker book. (downtoners)。