Semantic change and Victorian governess fiction [articol]

Abstract

This paper is part of a Cultural Studies thesis researching the contribution of 19th c. Governess writings to the social mutations regarding women’s social role and education, by looking at stereotypes. In this context, the complex Employer Employee relation between the “lady of the house” and th e “Governess” needs to be studied in its language related dimensions. The word “lady”, formerly a precise denominator, transitioned to the semantically augmented and less precise word “lady” of the 19th c. This transition, expressed in newly coined phrases and in new usage contexts, reflects quintessential social changes. The word “Governess’ names a social position at the core of Victorian social debate. It was used in collocation with certain determinant adjectives, carrying little information. This usage pattern is particularly relevant for the Victorian concepts of social interaction and social improvement. The research employs different Governess related texts: advertisements, instructionals , letters, memoirs, children’s books and fiction.