Analysis of the semantic development of selected equestrian terms

Abstract

This paper aims to bring more attention to the understudied field of equestrian terminology. It studies the semantic change of 15 terms in equestrian specialty field which have been divided into two categories: ‘colours’ and ‘gaits and movements’. The purpose is to determine whether the terms originate from equestrianism or outside of the field, whether one of the categories is more likely to originate from either one of them, if the terms that originated in equestrianism have their meanings broadened outside of it, and processes of semantic change are identified.