Abstract：Linguist D.Wilkins once said, “People can express a few things without grammar, people can express noting without vocabulary”. It is clear that the English vocabulary has an important effect. The motivation of words is the reasons for the formation of word meaning  and is the semantic connection between morphemes or the logical basis of the development  of word meaning. The theory of motivation provides the original power for the generation of meanings. It also provides the self organizing order for the combination of the signifier and the signified of the linguistic signs. Therefore,it has the important theoretical value and practical significance. The paper discusses the study of English motivation and analyzes the value and significance of English motivation,types,the relationship between motivation and culture and arbitrariness. English motivation includes phonetic motivation, morphological motivation and semantic motivation. The motivation also has inseparable connection with  history and culture of society. English motivation has the ontological value, epistemological value and methodological value. At the same time, it has a crucial significance for the study and research of language,which can not be ignored. 

Key words: Motivation;Phonetic Motivation;Morphological Motivation;Semantic Motivation

CONTENTS

摘要

Abstract

1.Introduction-1

1.1 Significance of the study-1

1.2 Study home and abroad-5

2.Types of motivation-9

2.1 Phonetic motivation-9

2.1.1 Primary onomatopoeia-9

2.1.2 Secondary onomatopoeia-9

2.2 Morphological motivation-10

2.2.1 Compound-10

2.2.2 Derivation-10

2.2.3 Blending-11

2.2.4 Abbreviation-11

2.2.5 Back-formation-12

2.2.6 Conversion-13

2.3 Semantic motivation-13

2.3.1 Metaphor-13

2.3.2 Metonymy-14

2.3.3 Analogy-14

2.3.4 Synecdoche-14

2.3.5 Euphemism-14

3.Relationship between motivation and culture-16

3.1 General description-16

3.2 Common nouns converted from proper nouns-17

3.2.1 Place converted from proper nouns-17

3.2.2 Names converted from proper nouns-17

3.2.3 Titles converted from books or films-18

3.2.4 Brand names-18

4. Arbitrariness and motivation of linguistic signs-19

Conclusion-21

References-22

Acknowledgments-23