Lexis and Semantics Flashcards
What are denotative and connotative meanings?
Denotative meanings are the literal meanings of words, while connotative meanings are the associated meanings of words.
What is figurative language?
Figurative language is language used in a non-literal way to describe something in another’s terms (e.g. simile or metaphor).
What are semantic fields?
Semantic fields are groups of words connected by a shared field of reference, such as medicine or art.
What are synonyms?
Synonyms are words that have equivalent meanings.
What are antonyms?
Antonyms are words that have contrasting meanings.
What are hypernyms?
Hypernyms are words that label categories, such as ‘animal’ which includes dog, cat, and rabbit.
What are hyponyms?
Hyponyms are words that can be included in a larger, more general category, such as car, bus, and aeroplane as forms of the hypernym transport.
What are levels of formality?
Levels of formality refer to vocabulary styles including slang, colloquialisms, taboo, formal, and fixed levels.
What is occupational register?
Occupational register is a technical vocabulary associated with a particular occupation or activity.
What is a sociolect?
A sociolect is a language style associated with a particular social group.
What is a dialect?
A dialect is a language style associated with a particular geographical region.
What is neology?
Neology is the process of new word formation, including blends, compounds, acronyms, initialisms, and eponyms.
What is semantic change?
Semantic change is the process of words changing meaning, including narrowing, broadening, amelioration, pejoration, and semantic reclamation.
What is anaphoric referencing?
Referencing back to an already stated lexical item.
What is cataphoric referencing?
Referencing forwards to an, as yet, undisclosed lexical item.
What is substitution?
The replacing of one set of lexical items for another.
What is ellipsis?
The missing out of a word(s) in a sentence.
What is a euphemism?
A polite, socially acceptable way of talking about something that may be considered distasteful or delicate.
What is a dysphemism?
A blunt, perhaps taboo term.
