Lexis and Semantics Flashcards
Denotative and connotative meanings
The literal (denotative) and associated (connotative) meanings of words
Figurative language
Language used in a non-literal way in order to describe something in another’s terms (e.g. simile or metaphor)
Semantic fields
Groups of words connected by a shared field of reference
Synonyms
Words that have equivalent meanings
Antonyms
Words that have contrasting meanings
Hypernyms
Words that label categories, e.g: animal (this category would include words like dog, cat, and rabbit) - so words composed of hyponyms
Hyponyms
Words that can be included in a larger, more general category (e.g. the hyponyms car, bus, aeroplane as a form of the hypernym transport)
Levels of formality
Vocabulary styles including slang, colloquialisms, taboo, formal and fixed levels
Occupational register
A technical vocabulary associated with a particular occupation or activity
Sociolect
A language style associated with a particular social group
Dialect
A language style associated with a particular geographical region
Neology
The process of new word formation, including the following: blends, compounds, acronyms, initialism, eponyms
Semantic change
The process of words changing meaning, including the following: narrowing, broadening, amelioration, pejoration, semantic reclamation
Blend
A word formed by joining parts of two or more older words (e.g. brunch from breakfast and lunch), or, the reduction of a words to one of its parts (e.g. flu from influenza)
Compounds
Joining two existing words into one word
Calque
A word or a phrase borrowed from another language by literal, word-for-word translation.
Semantic loan
A subcategory of calques: the extension of the meaning of a word to include new, foreign meanings.
Eponyms
A proper noun that becomes commonly used for an idea it is associated with, usually by changing part of its speech. (e.g. Orwellism)
Loanword
A word borrowed from another language
Onomatopoeic word
A word which imitates natural sounds
Idiolect
One’s unique patterns of vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation
Initialism
Where abbreviations become words. They differ from acronyms in that each letter is pronounced separately.
Amelioration
When a word’s meaning improves or becomes more positive over time
Pejoration
When a word’s meaning becomes more negative over time.
