From cart to truck: meaning shift through words in English in the last two centuries

TL;DR

This study employs diachronic word embeddings to analyze how English words for the same concepts have shifted in meaning over two centuries, reflecting societal changes in various domains.

Contribution

It introduces a methodology combining diachronic word embeddings and alignment techniques to study semantic shifts over time.

Findings

Identified semantic shifts in energy, transport, entertainment, and computing domains.

Demonstrated the effectiveness of diachronic embeddings in capturing language change.

Highlighted challenges and ethical considerations in interpreting semantic shifts.

Abstract

This onomasiological study uses diachronic word embeddings to explore how different words represented the same concepts over time, using historical word data from 1800 to 2000. We identify shifts in energy, transport, entertainment, and computing domains, revealing connections between language and societal changes. Our approach consisted in using diachronic word embeddings trained using word2vec with skipgram and aligning them using orthogonal Procrustes. We discuss possible difficulties linked to the relationships the method identifies. Moreover, we look at the ethical aspects of interpreting results, highlighting the need for expert insights to understand the method's significance.