How do the connotations of terms contribute to meaning changes in general language?

What is it about?

When expert terms circulate in different contexts and enter general language, their meanings can change, sometimes drastically. One possible shift in meaning is the emergence of new connotations. Connotations have been little studied in terminology, mainly due to the historical development of this discipline. However, they are crucial for understanding how new meanings of terms are created in general language, particularly in situations where non-experts use these terms.

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Why is it important?

This article analyses how terms function in specialized, semi-specialized, and non-specialized texts, and it demonstrates how new connotations of terms emerge in these texts. Additionally, drawing on existing research on these issues, the article discusses the linguistic and extralinguistic factors that can influence the emergence of these new connotations. Finally, the article discusses the role of these connotations in the mechanisms of semantic change, as far as terms are concerned.