The Dynamics of Lexical Meaning in English: Cognitive and Semantic Mechanisms of Meaning Chang

This article examines the word as a lexical unit, with particular emphasis placed on lexical meaning, semantic changes, and the processes underlying the formation of polysemy in the English language, including the role of metaphor and metonymy in this process. Based on a semasiological and systemic approach, the study analyzes the functions of words as both nominative and cognitive units, the ways in which their meanings develop under the influence of extralinguistic and intralinguistic factors, as well as the role of phonological convergence in the emergence of homonymy. The research further demonstrates that morphological, syntactic, and contextual mechanisms operate in interaction to eliminate formal ambiguity and maintain effective communication. The findings confirm that the lexicon represents a dynamic and self-regulating system in which semantic differentiation and formal economy coexist in parallel.