EsteRAzLEx Flashcards
Define lexicology
Lexicology
-The study of words and their meaning
-An integral part of any theory of language
oThe conception of language is tripartite – describing separately the sounds, the grammar and the meaning
-Studies total word-stock = ‘lexicon’, ‘lexis’, ‘vocabulary’
-Studies both individual words and the vocabulary as a whole
What is Lexicography?
- Lexicography = making of dictionaries – pragmatic study applying the principles of lexicology for a purpose determined by the intended use of the dictionary by non-linguistic factors
With what LExicology deals?
- Lexicology deals with
o The size and structure of the vocabulary
o The link with extra-linguistic knowledge
o The centre and the periphery of the lexical system and its subsystems
o The synchronic vs. The diachronic approach
o The contact areas with morphology and word-formation
o The notions of ‘word’ and ‘language unit’
o The concept-forming power of the word (a more abstract level)
What is Lexicon?
● lexicon contains systems of lexical items which are interrelated and in which the meaning of each individual word depends on its opposition to other items in the set
What is semasiology/onomasiology/semantics/semiotics/pragmatics
-Study of meaning involves semasiology/onomasiology/semantics/semiotics and pragmatics
Semasiology-proceeds from word to concept(dictionaries are semasiological works)
Onomasiology-procceds from concept to word (found in thesauruses)
Semantics-implies the study of menaing
Semiotics-the study of sings, both verbal and non-verbal (body language, gestures and facial expressions)
Pragmatics-the study of relation between the language sign and its user
What is lexical unit?
-Basic unit of lexical semantics
-In ideal case It has single form and single meaning
-Each lexical unit must be a semantic constituent-must have a meaning and each lexical unit must be at leat one word (no suffix nor prefix can be a LU)
-Er=linguistic sign but not a lexical unit, just a morpheme
-Kick a bucket – in this expression, bucket is not a lexical unit either – the idiom functions as a single unit, cannot be separated
What is sememe?
o Sememe – meaning of a lexical unit
Decomposes into semes/semantic components
Lexeme
conceived as a combination of all the related meanings attached to a particular form
Polysemous unit
single form representing all the related meanings
What is crucial in understanding individual sentences?
o Knowing the meaning of the lexical units
o Grammar, grammatical rules (word order…)
o Context
Was is word?
↳ -various definitions but as a semantic entity
- it is a linguistic unit of single meaning, believed to convey one complete thought
What is ambiguity?
- Only context can help us deduce the meaning in some cases
Influence of context on interpretation of lexical units
Ambiguity may arise in these tow situations:
Sentence ambiguity
-We finally reached the bank. Institution?/RIver bank?
-Homonymy cause ambiguity in this case
Structure of sentece
-Chicken is ready to eat
Semantic transparency and opaqueness
-Terms introduced by Bolinger
-The degree to which the meaning of a word or phrase can be easily understood or deduced from its individual components or parts.
-The compound word “lighthouse” is semantically transparent because its meaning can be inferred from its components: “light” and “house.” a lighthouse is a structure that contains a light used to guide ships.
-The word “butterfly” is semantically opaque because its meaning cannot be derived from the individual meanings of “butter” and “fly.” the term “butterfly” refers to a specific type of insect and has no direct connection to butter or flying.
-Present in idioms and Clipping
Principle of compositionality
The principle of compositionality in lexical semantics states that the meaning of a complex expression is derived from the meanings of its individual parts and how they are combined. The overall meaning of a phrase or sentence is not simply the sum of its parts but depends on the interaction and arrangement of those parts. For example, the phrase “big red ball” refers to a ball that is both big and red, illustrating how the meanings of the constituent words contribute to the interpretation of the expression.
-Cannot be applied to idioms–>to kick the bucket=to die–> cannot be inferred form the meaning of its parts
Idioms
-An expression whose meaning cannot be inferred from the meanings of its parts
-Idioms function as a single semantic unit and as a whole it is a single semantic constituent
-They are lexically compelx (consists of several lexical elements) and semantically simplex (carries single meaning)
Irreversible binominals
oExpressions usually consisting of two nouns, 2 constituents and the order of the constituents cannot be changed - change of order destroys the meaning
oFish and chips – special type of dish…chips and fish can be anything (any sort of fish, any serving…violating basic meaning)
Collocations
-2 constituents that frequently/typically cooccur
-Strong bond between the constituents due to frequent cooccurrence
Examples:Light drizzle, fine weather, high winds…
-Principle of compositionality can be applied to this type of lexical units
Collocational ranges
oPeculiar to each word,
oE.g. Disease and illness are very close in meaning, and yet catch a disease is acceptable and *catch an illness is not
-No two words share exactly the same range and frequency of occurrences within a range
Habitual collocations
Cliches-overused phrase or opinion
Ex. A woman’s place is in the home
Semantic cohesion /sudrznost/
Sometimes the bond between two constituents can be strengthened, there are two situations:
1.One situation: one of the words is not used in its core meaning
*Heavy drinker (heavy not in its core meaning, rather meaning of high consumption)
2.If one constituent can only be used with one word, the bond is very strong
*To foot the bill – to pay the bill…only used in this context, cannot use i will foot it
Lexical relations
-Lexicology is concerned with structures in the system of lexemes, which are of twofold nature
oInternal
Morphologically complex (compounds, suffixations, prefixations) and simple
oExternal
Syntagmatic and paradigmatic
Syntagmatic relations
-Based on syntagma introduced by saussure
-Expresses relation between sentence members/lexical units functioning at the sentence level
-Signs in linear sequence
SR operates:
-On the level of sounds
oReveal which combinations are possible word beginnings in english
(str- spr- yes, stl- not)
-On the semantic level
oSyntagmatic associations indicate compatible combination
The sun rose rather than the sun spoke
Pale moon rather than black-and-white moon.
Paradigmatic relations
-Saussure
-Concerns relations at the level of the system
-Substitutional relationship, concerns signs that could replace it in its position
-Pr are based on
oA common base (teacher-teaching)
oA common affix
oA common conceptual field- all works concerning education
-Pr operate
oAt the level of sounds in a language,
Contrast with one another on the basis of a single sound
*E.g. Back, bag and bat, fat, mat
oOn the lexical level
The paradigmatic contrast
*Indicates which words belong to the same word class (part of speech) so that they can fill the same slot in the sentence pattern
*E.g. He walked/went/ran/rushed/strolled across the road
oStroll, rush, walk, run, etc.
Though all these verbs imply ‘going’,
*Stroll implies ‘going slowly’, that is ‘walking’,
*Rush implies ‘going fast’, that is ‘running’.
So the pairs walk/stroll and run/rush are incompatible.