Lexis and Semantics

Question 1

Denotative meaning (Denotation)

Answer 1

literal meaning of a word

Question 2

Connotative Meaning (Connotation)

Answer 2

the associated meaning of a word

Question 3

Figurative language

Answer 3

language used in a non-literal way to describe something in another’s terms (metaphor and similie)

Question 4

Synecdoche

Answer 4

a form of figurative language where an element of something is used to describe the whole or vice verse
Eg. a new set of wheels, going to the pictures

Question 5

Analogy

Answer 5

a comparison, framing something in a different way

Question 6

Semantic fields

Answer 6

grouping of words connected by a shared field of reference

Question 7

Synonyms

Answer 7

words that have equivalent meanings

Question 8

Antonyms

Answer 8

words that have contrasting meanings

Question 9

Hypernyms

Answer 9

words that label categories
Eg. animal (this contains; dog, kangaroo, ladybird)

Question 10

Hyponyms

Answer 10

words that can be included in a larger, more general category

Question 11

Homonyms

Answer 11

words that are identically spelled but hold different meanings
Eg. cool, box, wake

Question 12

Homophones

Answer 12

words of different spellings with distinct meanings that when spoken aloud sound the same
Eg. too, to, two

Question 13

Levels of formality

Answer 13

vocab styles including intimate (slang and colloqualisms), taboo, casual and formal

Question 14

Elision

Answer 14

the process of missing our parts of words, usually for informality
Eg. studying English Lit, pysch instead of psychology

Question 15

Clipping

Answer 15

words that appear complete but have been constructed by having part of their content elided
Eg. pram, car, bus

Question 16

Occupational Register

Answer 16

a technical vocab associated with a particular occupation

Question 17

Dialect

Answer 17

the words you speak - This can be lexis (tea cake, ginnel) or grammar (I’ve not got one vs ‘I haven’t got one)

Question 18

Sociolect

Answer 18

a language style (not pronunciation) associated with a particular group

Question 19

Portmanteau

Answer 19

spork, Brexit, hangry

Question 20

Compounds

Answer 20

idiot-proof, ice-cream

Question 21

Acronyms

Answer 21

NASA, LASER, SCUBA

Question 22

Initialisms

Answer 22

BBC, RSPCA

Question 23

Semantic change

Answer 23

the process of words changing meaning over time, including narrowing, broadening, amelioration, pejoration, semantic reclamation

Question 24

Narrowing

Answer 24

a word’s meaning becomes less generalised or inclusive over time

Question 25

Broadening

Answer 25

a words meaning becomes more diverse over time

Question 26

Amelioration

Answer 26

a words meaning has gained positive connotations over the years

Question 27

Prejoration

Answer 27

a words meaning has gained negative connotations over the years

Question 28

Semantic Reclamation

Answer 28

the process of a cultural group taking back lexis that have been used pejoratively towards them in order to neutralise its power

Question 29

Antithesis

Answer 29

contrasting ideas that have been juxtaposed in a text - not necessarily direct opposites but the switch from one idea to another