Definition and Examples of the Amelioration of Words

Definition and Examples of the Amelioration of Words Definition In linguistics, amelioration is the upgrading or elevation of a words meaning, as when a word with a negative sense develops a positive one. Also called melioration or elevation. Amelioration is less common than the opposite historical process, called  pejoration. See Examples and Observations below. See also: EtymologyFive Words That May Not Mean What You Think They MeanHow Word Meanings ChangeLanguage ChangeSemantic ChangeStatus-Word EtymologyFrom the Latin, better. Examples and Observations NiceThe word nice is a classic example of amelioration . . .. This is a rare occurrence, compared with the opposite process of pejoration, or downgrading.The meaning of nice when it first appeared in Middle English (about 1300) was (of persons or their actions) foolish, silly, simple; ignorant, senseless, absurd. . . . A shift away from disparagement began in the 1500s, with such meanings as requiring or involving great precision or accuracy. . . .The movement toward amelioration reached its apex in the 1800s with such meanings as kind and considerate, friendly.(Sol Steinmetz, Semantic Antics: How and Why Words Change Meanings. Random House, 2008)DizzyA possible example of amelioration during ME [Middle English] might be, depending on ones viewpoint, the word dizzy. In OE [Old English] it meant foolish, a meaning that survives marginally in such expressions as a dizzy blonde; but by ME its primary meaning was suffering from vertigo.(C. M. Millward and Mary Hayes, A Biography of the E nglish Language, 3rd ed. Wadsworth, 2011) Amelioration and DeteriorationAmelioration, whereby a word takes on favorable connotations and deterioration whereby it takes on pejorative associations, are often telling indications of social change. There is a particularly pregnant category ably defined by C.S. Lewis as the moralization of status words (1960) . . .. By this process terms originally denoting status and class slowly acquired moral connotations, favorable and otherwise, evaluative of the moral conduct commonly attributed to that class. Hence, villain, a medieval serf, and Anglo-Saxon ceorl, still lower in the hierarchy, deteriorated to villain and churlish, while noble and gentle, predictably, rose in moral connotations. In more recent times, the steady amelioration of ambitious and aggressive reveals a change in attitude towards those who seek advancement or success in a highly competitive fashion.(Geoffrey Hughes, Words in Time: A Social History of the English Vocabulary. Basil Blackwell, 1988)Amelioration and Verb icideSometimes amelioration involves weakening of an originally strongly negative meaning: so, annoy is from Late Latin inodiare to make loathsome, in turn from the Latin phrase mihi in odio est it is hateful to me . . .. Likewise, terribly and awfully have weakened to become alternatives for very. [Geoffrey] Hughes (1988) associates this type of amelioration with the popular press, and labels it verbicide, citing tragedy which can now, in journalistic usage, be applied to an earthquake killing thousands or to a missed goal in football.(April M. S. McMahon, Understanding Language Change. Cambridge University Press, 1999) Pronunciation: a-MEEL-ya-RAY-shun

Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Article Example The approved measured was very controversial because it went against the principles of free trade. The U.S historically has prided itself in being a country in favor of free trade. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the tire tariff on Chinese imports and to determine the impact of this policy. The U.S. government and President Obama promised the American people that they would protect the country against the threat the Chinese economy poses. I agree with the President’s decision to impose a tariff on Chinese tire imports. The reason that I believe this was the right decision is because the tire industry in the U.S. had reached a point in which it needed governmental intervention to salvage a dying industry. Between 2005 and 2009 the U.S tire industry lost 5,000 jobs. The tire industry is a byproduct of the automobile industry. The U.S. has always prided itself in the accomplishments of the Big 3 automakers. The policy to protect the U.S tire industry by imposing a tariff seems like a logical move because Chinese imports were cannibalizing the U.S. market. During the last five years Chinese imports of tires had tripled in volume. The new tariff on Chinese tire imports benefits the U.S tire manufactures that have operations in the United States territory. ... This new policy should help ignite job creation in the U.S. tire industry. Another stakeholder group that benefits from the policy is low price tire manufactures outside of China. The group that is hurt the most by this policy is Chinese tire manufactures. Another stakeholder group that is potentially hurt by this policy is the consumers of tires because they will not able to purchase Chinese imported tires at rock bottom prices anymore. The decision to impose a tariff on Chinese tires was a difficult one because the U.S. typically does not believe in the use of protectionism. Protectionism can be defined as the government’s placing of tariffs or quotas on imports to protect domestic industries from global competition2. If the government were to impose tariffs of all goods imported into the United States then the U.S. would be in complete violation of the WTO and it would not be promoting free trade. Another negative consequence of imposing tariffs on all goods imported is tha t it would raise the prices of all consumer goods which would lead to inflation and higher cost of living for the American people. If tariffs were imposed on all items coming into Broward County my life would be very different because I probably would have to get a second job just to pay for my living expenses. The prices of consumer goods would skyrocket at Broward County. Governments often have to make tough decisions that may have political and economical backlash. President Obama made the right choice to impose a tariff on Chinese tire imports because China was cannibalizing the market by flooding it with millions of cheap tires. The excess amount of cheap tires in the marketplace was hurting this industry as American companies could not make a profit due to the

Responses on two posts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Responses on two posts - Essay Example The story of the Karen people is just an example of many ethnic groups being persecuted by their governments. The post makes one realize that military governments are tyrannical as it is clear that the Burmese military government contributed to the persecution of the Karen people. However, the situation would have been different for the Karen people, if Burma was controlled by a democracy that had full representation. Countries like the US and other Asian nations must step in to save the plight of the Karen people and stop the likely extinction of a whole ethnic group.1 2. The Art of Maneuver: Maneuver-Warfare Theory and Air Land Battle by Robert Leonhard is a book that explains how the Germans could have countered the new Soviet prowess in operational war. There was a part of the book that shows how the Soviets mimicked the German style of warfare, but the Soviet forces were more operationally focused than the Germans. 2The Soviet forces believe in following orders, hence giving no room for innovation on the battlefield. The book related the Soviet dominance of the German forces to the speed and population of the Soviet forces.

Islam and Religious Group Essay Example for Free

Islam and Religious Group Essay Select at least 1 religious and 1 ethnic group not your own from the list below. †¢Religious groups (based on http://religions.pewforum.org/pdf/affiliations-all-traditions.pdf) oChristianity †¢Evangelical Protestant †¢Mainline Protestant †¢Historically Black Churches †¢Roman Catholic †¢Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) †¢Jehovah’s Witnesses †¢Orthodox (Greek, Eastern) oJudaism (Orthodox, Conservative, or Reform) oBuddhism (Theravada or Mahayana) oIslam (Sunni, Shia, Sufism) oHinduism †¢Ethnic groups (based on divisions in U.S. Census Bureau documents) oAsian (Asian descent) oBlack (African descent) oHispanic and Latino (South or Central American descent) oPacific Islander (Polynesian descent) oWhite (European descent) Part III Answer the following questions in 150 to 250 words each about the religious group you selected: †¢How does your selected religious group differ from other religious groups (such as in their beliefs, worship practices, or values)? †¢What has been the experience of your selected religious group with others that do not share its beliefs or practices? †¢In what ways has the religious group you selected contributed to American culture? †¢Provide specific examples of prejudice or discrimination your selected religious group has experienced. †¢What were the sources of this prejudice or discrimination? †¢Does what you’ve learned about this religious group help you understand it? In what ways? Answer the following questions in 150 to 250 words each about the ethnic group you selected: †¢How does your selected ethnic group differ from other ethnic groups (such as differences in ancestry, language, or culture)? †¢What has been your selected ethnic group’s experience with other ethnic groups? †¢In what ways has the ethnic group you selected contributed to American culture? †¢Identify some specific examples of prejudice or discrimination that your selected ethnic group has experienced historically. †¢What were the sources of this prejudice or discrimination? †¢Does what you’ve learned about this ethnic group help you understand it? How? Part IV Answer the following questions in 150 to 250 words each: †¢How are the prejudice and discrimination experienced by your selected religious group and ethnic group similar? †¢How are they different? †¢Can you draw any conclusions about discrimination from this comparison

Death of a Salesman: The Emptiness of the American Dream :: Death of a Salesman

Any way that you state it, an American dream is a never-ending cycle of idealism. In other words, the yearning to be better than the best and to achieve perfect governmental harmony throughout society. Think about it though, if this were a possibility, wouldn’t it have already occurred? The first character seen directly acknowledging the emptiness of the American dream was the overlooked Loman brother, Happy. Happy, although suffering from â€Å"younger-brother syndrome† and lack of fatherly attention, proved to be the only successful family member of all the Lomans. Still, any amount of success would never be enough for him. The American dream would never be enough to make Happy â€Å"happy†. All I can do now is wait for the merchandise manager to die. And suppose I get to be merchandise manager? He’s a good friend of mine, and he just built a terrific estate on Long Island. And he lived there about two months and sold it, and now he’s building another one. He can’t enjoy it once it’s finished. And I know that’s just what I would do. I don’t know what the hell I’m workin’ for. Sometimes I sit in my apartment- all alone. And I think of the rent I’m paying. And it’s crazy. But then, it’s what I always wanted. My own apartment, a car, and plenty of women. And still, goddammit, I’m lonely. It is rather ironic that the American dream that Willy strives for everyday is the very same dream Happy pushes away. Willy believes the key to life and achieving the American dream is being well liked. However, his beliefs were faulty as well as trite, as we all saw when Bernard, who wasn’t very â€Å"well liked,† achieved the American dream. â€Å"Bernard can get the best marks in school, y’understand, but when he gets out in the business world, y’understand, you are going to be five times ahead of him†¦Because the man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead. Be liked and you will never want.†(Willy P. 33) This is Willy and one of his more pompous conversations with Biff on regards to Bernard. As usual, Willy’s prediction was far off from the truth. Bernard grew up and got married, had 2 boys, and had his last appearance leaving to go argue a case in front of the Supreme Court.

Shapes of Ice

Shapes of ice do depend on how fast they felt, no doubt about it. Here is what people ask. â€Å"Does the shape of an ice cube affect the rate at which the ice cube will melt?†, and the answer to that question is a definite yes.Have you ever looked at an ice cube and just watched it melt?It is surprisingly very, very interesting. All of us have better things to do besides that, but if you have, you won't regret it. Anyway, the answer to that experiment is yes because it is scientifically proven. Many scientists in the world have wondered this same question, and they all have turned out to get the same answer. When these people finally got their answer, they all have gotten close, if not the exact same answers if they have chosen the shapes to form. Scientists have done this experiment in many ways, such as choosing different shapes to form and melt, choosing the amount of water to freeze, and the temperature of the room they have to melt the cubes.( University of Illinois, 2007). One important thing that is looked at is the scientists' hypotheses. Many scientists' hypotheses are very different, knowing it is an educated guess, but the end result shows they all come up with nearly the same answer, and that is the rectangular ice cube will melt the fastest, no matter how large they make the cube. ( Zimmermann, 2017). The most complicated question behind this experiment is why is it the rectangular shape that melts the fastests. The rate at which the ice cubes melt is also called the fusion rate. Ice melts when a warmer medium, such as air or water comes into contact with the ice surface. Also, in order to know exactly which shape melts the fastest, they need to have the same volume, or the experiment will be pointless. An important thing to know is the greater the surface area, the quicker the ice cube will melt. Other people's experiments have been slightly different than what we have here, but they are known to choose the rectangular shape as one of their shapes the majority of the time. (â€Å"Ice Melting†, 2013). It also states that each scientists went through about the same struggles during the process of the experiment. ( l Zimmermann, 2017.). The most simple struggle was getting the particular shape out of the container without having it break or making it deformed. Because the shapes weren't the normal shape, it is tricky to get it out of the ice cube tray. Many scientist have had a question, and that is the exact opposite of the question people usually deal with. Not how fast they melt, but how fast they freeze. All in all, the rectangular shape, because it is flat and has more surface area than the others, will melt the fastest. If you think and picture in your mind, the larger the surface area is, the more heat will get to it at the same time, and of course heat melts ice. ( David Zimmermann, 2017.) ( â€Å"Shapes of Ice Cubes†, n.d.)

Use Of Symbolism In The Catcher In The Rye and The Great...

Use Of Symbolism In â€Å"The Catcher In The Rye† and â€Å"The Great Gatsby† There are many writers like James Joyce, Patrick Kananach and Thomas Moore who use symbolism to convey and support indirect meaning in their writings. J.D. Salinger and F. Scott Fitzgerald both use symbolism in similar ways. In both â€Å"The Catcher In The Rye† and â€Å"The Great Gatsby†, the authors used symbolism to convey emotions and reality. In â€Å"The Catcher In The Rye†, J.D. Salinger uses Holden’s red hunting cap, the exhibits at the Museum of Natural History and â€Å"kings in the back row† as symbols whose meanings help tell the story. Holden’s red hunting hat stands for Holden’s disapproval of adult society and phonies. Although, Holden and his hat are out of place†¦show more content†¦In chapter 4, the kings in a game of checkers are used to demonstrate Holden’s child-like nature. Holden tells Stradlater that when Jane played checkers she always kept her kings in the back row because she like the way they looked there. Holden asks Stradlater to ask Jane if she still keeps all her kings in the back row. This must be interesting to Holden because he talks about it throughout the novel. The row of kings also show how Holden can’t separate his past from his present. Like Salinger, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses may symbols in â€Å"The Great Gatsby† to reveal the characters’ emotions and values. The main and first symbol used is the green light on the end of Daisy’s dock. Fitzgerald introduces Jay Gatsby at the end of chapter one as Gatsby stands with his â€Å"stretched out arms toward †¦.a single green light, minute and far away†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The green light on the other side of the water symbolizes Gatsby’s desires, dreams and goals. The light, however, is far away and unreachable, like his goals and dreams. The green light conveys the reality that Gatsby will never get to be with Daisy and that she is not the one. Chapter two takes the reader through an area between West Egg and New York the author calls a valley of ashes. This is an area used to dump garbage and industrial ashes. The valley of ashes represents places and people who the rich think are disposable. Myrtle and George Wilson are poor and they live in the valley ofShow MoreRelatedUse of Symbolism in The Catcher in the Rye and The Great Gatsby820 Words   |  4 PagesUse Of Symbolism In The Catcher In The Rye and The Great Gatsby There are many writers like James Joyce, Patrick Kananach and Thomas Moore who use symbolism to convey and support indirect meaning in their writings. J.D. Salinger and F. Scott Fitzgerald both use symbolism in similar ways. In both The Catcher In The Rye and The Great Gatsby, the authors used symbolism to convey emotions and reality. In The Catcher In The Rye, J.D. 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