English ‘Joyful’ Vocabulary – Semantic Developments (Sounds – Meaning – Communication)

The book offers a novel exploration into the semantic development of English terms concerning the concept of ‘joy’ («bliss», «cheer», «delight», «dream», «game», «gladness», «glee», «joy», and «mirth»). The analysis, carried out within the framework of cognitive and historical linguistics, employs the notions of cognitive domains, profiling, and categorisation. The author adopts a panchronic perspective, according to which language reflects the way speakers experience the world. This allows her to provide a new insight into the intrinsic nature of semantic change.