The Dynamics of Meaning: Semantic Changes and Meaning Shifts Found in Netflix Series Wednesday (2022)

Rahmawati, Herlina and Radjaban, Yohanes (2025) The Dynamics of Meaning: Semantic Changes and Meaning Shifts Found in Netflix Series Wednesday (2022). Skripsi thesis, Universitas Teknologi Yogyakarta.

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Abstract

Language is a dynamic system that evolves and is influenced by cultural, social, and technological changes. This study aims to analyze the semantic changes and meaning shifts in the Netflix series Wednesday (2022) through three key questions: (1) What are the types of semantic changes found in the dialogues of the series Wednesday (2022)? (2) What are the types of meaning shifts found in the dialogues of the series Wednesday (2022)? (3) What are the functions of the semantic changes and meaning shifts that occur in the dialogues of the series Wednesday? The study applies Stephen Ullmann’s (1962) theory to categorize semantic changes (widening, narrowing, amelioration, and pejoration) and meaning shifts (metaphorical shift, metonymy shift, popular etymology, and ellipsis). A qualitative method is used to analyze dialogue transcripts, with dictionary references for historical context. The findings reveal that widening and pejoration are the most frequent semantic changes, while metaphorical shifts dominate the meaning shifts. These changes primarily function to develop meanings through resemblance or association and express emotional or connotative values. The results highlight how linguistic adaptations enrich character interactions and reflect cultural or technological influences. This study contributes to understanding language dynamics in media and offers insights for future linguistic and film analysis research.

Item Type: Thesis (Skripsi, Tugas Akhir or Kerja Praktek) (Skripsi)
Uncontrolled Keywords: meaning shifts, semantic changes, wednesday
Subjects: P Language and Literature > PR English literature
Divisions: Fakultas Humaniora > S1 Bahasa Inggris
Depositing User: Kaprodi S1 Bahasa Inggris UTY
Date Deposited: 10 Sep 2025 07:19
Last Modified: 02 Oct 2025 06:14
URI: http://eprints.uty.ac.id/id/eprint/18791

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