On Invectives in Natural Language: A Panchronic Study of English Synonyms of 'Skinny'/'Fatty'

The author studies the synonyms of 'skinny' and 'fatty' from the cognitive linguistic perspective. The quantum of the analysed lexical items is subdivided into the following type-groups: zoosemy (animal metaphor), foodsemy (food metaphor), plantosemy (plant metaphor), metonymy, reification, eponymy, onomatopoeia, rhyming slang and varia.

The author researches selected synonyms of 'skinny' and 'fatty' **in the history of the English language from the perspective of cognitive linguistics. The method employed in grouping the analytical material has been dictated by the nature of the processes of semantic change. The author subdivided the quantum of the analysed lexical items into the following type-groups: zoosemy (animal metaphor), foodsemy (food metaphor), plantosemy (plant metaphor), metonymy, reification, eponymy, onomatopoeia, rhyming slang and varia. Surveying a collection of English dictionaries the author makes an attempt to determine the status of a given synonym in present-day English.

Autorentext

Agnieszka Grzasko graduated from the University of Rzeszów (Polish and English Studies) and the Jagiellonian University, Poland. She received her PhD degree in linguistics from the University of Rzeszów. Her academic interests include diachronic linguistics, cognitive semantics and the language of flirtation.

Klappentext

The author researches selected synonyms of 'skinny' and 'fatty' in the history of the English language from the perspective of cognitive linguistics. The method employed in grouping the analytical material has been dictated by the nature of the processes of semantic change. The author subdivided the quantum of the analysed lexical items into the following type-groups: zoosemy (animal metaphor), foodsemy (food metaphor), plantosemy (plant metaphor), metonymy, reification, eponymy, onomatopoeia, rhyming slang and varia. Surveying a collection of English dictionaries the author makes an attempt to determine the status of a given synonym in present-day English.

Inhalt

Insults in human's life Cognitive approach 'Fatty'/'Skinny' synonyms in the history of English Stereotypes Animals and humans Food and humans Plants and humans Meaning shifts Cultural and linguistic nature of the 'skinny'/'fatty' opposition