Semantics and Pragmatics of False Friends by Chamizo-Domínguez Pedro J

Author:Chamizo-Domínguez, Pedro J.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Taylor & Francis (CAM)

4 Semantics of False Friends

Tropical False Friends

4.1. THE TROPES AND THE EMERGENCE OF FALSE FRIENDS

As it can be inferred from what has been said in the previous chapter, full or partial semantic false friends have their origin in the fact that two cognates from two given languages have acquired distinct meanings because they have undergone semantic changes in one or in both of the languages in question. The main linguistic mechanisms that permit explaining that a signifier has been acquiring diverse meanings with the passing of time are the tropes or figures of speech, hence the title of this chapter. But it should be stressed that the English adjective tropical itself is a false friend vis-à-vis its Spanish cognate in the sense that the meaning which I am using here is not acceptable in Spanish according to the DRAE. In fact, the English adjective tropical is derived from two distinct nouns. When it derives from tropic it means, «pertaining to, occurring in, or inhabiting the tropics; belonging to the torrid zone» or «like the climate or growth of the tropics, very hot, ardent or luxuriant» (OED), and these meanings are equivalent, mutatis mutandi, to those that DRAE offers for its Spanish cognate «perteneciente o relativo a los trópicos» or «ampuloso, frondoso, exagerado.» But the English adjective tropical derives from trope as well and means, «pertaining to, involving, or of the nature of a trope or tropes; metaphorical, figurative» (OED). But regardless that this second derivation is not lexicalised in Spanish, the literal translation of the title of this chapter to Spanish as the Semántica de los falsos amigos: falsos amigos topicales would be unacceptable or, at least, understood in another sense and susceptible to the criticism on the part of some purist. In any case, the aim of this chapter is to explore some paradigmatic cases in which they have begun to create false friends because of certain figurative uses that have become lexicalised in some language while they have not done so in another or others.

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