Microsoft Word alexicology doc

part of a theatre and stables intended for cows and horses, unless we 
take into consideration the fact that theatres in olden times greatly 
differed from what they are now. What is now known as the stalls 
was, at that time, standing space divided by barriers into sections so 
as to prevent the enthusiastic crowd from knocking one other down 
and hurting themselves. So, there must have been a certain outward 
resemblance between theatre stalls and cattle stalls. It is also possible 
that the word was first used humorously or satirically in this new 
sense. 
The process of development of a new meaning (or a change of 
meaning) is traditionally termed transference. 
Some scholars mistakenly use the term "transference of meaning" 
which is a serious mistake. It is very important to note that in any 
case of semantic change it is not the meaning but the word that is 
being transferred from one referent onto another (e. g. from a horse-
drawn vehicle onto a railway car). The result of such a transference is 
the appearance of a new meaning. 
Two types of transference are distinguishable depending on the 
two types of logical associations underlying the semantic process. 
Transference Based on Resemblance (Similarity) 
This type of transference is also referred to as linguistic metaphor. 
A new meaning appears as a result of associating two objects (phe-
nomena, qualities, etc.) due to their outward similarity. Box and stall, 
as should be clear from the explanations above, are examples of this 
type of transference. 
Other examples can be given in which transference is also based 
on the association of two physical objects. The noun eye, for instance, 
has for one of its meanings 
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"hole in the end of a needle" (cf. with the R. ушко иголки), which 
also developed through transference based on resemblance. A similar 
case is represented by the neck of a bottle. 
The noun drop (mostly in the plural form) has, in addition to its 
main meaning "a small particle of water or other liquid", the mean-
ings: "ear-rings shaped as drops of water" (e. g. diamond drops) and 
"candy of the same shape" (e. g. mint drops). It is quite obvious that 
both these meanings are also based on resemblance. In the compound 
word snowdrop the meaning of the second constituent underwent the 
same shift of meaning (also, in bluebell). In general, metaphorical 
change of meaning is often observed in idiomatic compounds. 
The main meaning of the noun branch is "limb or subdivision of a 
tree or bush". On the basis of this meaning it developed several more. 
One of them is "a special field of science or art" (as in a branch of 
linguistics). This meaning brings us into the sphere of the abstract, 
and shows that in transference based on resemblance an association 
may be built not only between two physical objects, but also between 
a concrete object and an abstract concept. 
The noun bar from the original meaning barrier developed a figu-
rative meaning realised in such contexts as social bars, colour bar, 
racial bar. Here, again, as in the abstract meaning of branch, a con-
crete object is associated with an abstract concept. 
The noun star on the basis of the meaning "heavenly body" de-
veloped the meaning "famous actor or actress". Nowadays the mean-
ing has considerably widened its range, and the word is applied not 
only to screen idols (as it was at first), but, also, to popular sportsmen 
(e. g. football, stars), pop-singers, etc. Of course, the first use of the 
word star to denote a popular actor must have been humorous or 
ironical: the mental picture created by the use of the word in this new 
meaning was 
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a kind of semi-god surrounded by the bright rays of his glory. Yet, 
very soon the ironical colouring was lost, and, furthermore the asso-
ciation with the original meaning considerably weakened and is 
gradually erased. 
The meanings formed through this type of transference are fre-
quently found in the informal strata of the vocabulary, especially in 
slang (see Ch. 1). A red-headed boy is almost certain to be nicknamed