Semantic Issues: An Analytical Study of Semantic Evolution

Abstract

This study addresses the phenomenon of semantic development in the Arabic language as one of the most prominent aspects of linguistic change, resulting from the interaction between language and social-cultural reality. The study highlights the ongoing changes in word meanings and how they are influenced by social and cultural factors, focusing on the manifestations of semantic specification, generalization, and semantic shift, in addition to phenomena such as semantic degeneration, elevation, and change in usage domain. The research also examines the main factors influencing this development, such as: the desire for clarity, expressive needs, intellectual development, and historical and social influences. It draws upon the contributions of both classical and modern Arab linguists to demonstrate their awareness of semantic evolution and transformations. Semantic development is a key aspect of linguistic evolution, and it manifests in the shifting meanings of words over time—a process that is continuous and evident in various Arabic dictionaries, where word meanings differ from one era to another depending on changing contexts and usage.