Etymology and Semantic Change of Words of Nautical Professions

Abstract

In this thesis I examine a set of words used for contemporary nautical professions. I research the word formation and etymology of these words and their possible semantic changes by comparing their original meanings to their current meanings. The purpose of the thesis is to determine whether the meanings of these words have changed and shifted from the nautical semantic domain to other semantic domains. The investigation into the origins of the words primarily relied on the online version of the Oxford English Dictionary. Three other online English dictionaries were used to compare the meanings of the words: the Cambridge Dictionary, The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, and the Merriam-Webster. Semantic changes are discussed according to Wilkins' (1996) conception model of semantic change. The research findings indicate that words originally referring to specific nautical professions have not undergone significant semantic change. The words that are not related to maritime activities have acquired more diverse meanings, with some transitioning from their original semantic domain to another.