<i>Maid</i> in Cornwall

Abstract While the research literature on regional dialect levelling is substantial (e.g. Williams and Kerswill 1999 ; Britain 2002 Watt Jansen 2019 ), this process under-explored under-theorised when it comes to patterns of lexical usage. Using maid as a case-study, in article I provide detailed account processes Cornwall. consider usage from two perspectives, that onomasiology semasiology. From an onomasiological perspective, , variant concept woman exhibits socio-stylistic reallocation, with attested usages study being limited older speakers careful speech styles. semasiological senses ‘woman’ ‘female servant or attendant’, have undergone structural reallocation apparent-time prototypical sense for but more peripheral their younger counterparts.