Semantic Shift in English and Arabic Languages

Abstract

This dissertation, a total of three chapters, is intended to investigate semantic shift as a phenomenon that exists in English and Arabic languages. In this study, we aim at better illustrating the phenomenon and we also make a comparison between the two languages to see if they share the same types of semantic shift. Through the investigation of English and Arabic words we could notice that these changed over time at the level of semantics, an etymological endeavor that shows that the phenomenon of semantic shift exists in the English language as it exists in the Arabic language. Besides, the shift is systematic since they share the same types of change. Eventually, this study aims at suggesting to foreign language learners to pay attention to this phenomenon when reading books, articles, poems from Middle English because language is dynamic and keeps changing over time. Hence, understanding these texts presupposes knowing about the actual meanings of the author.