Lexis + Semantics - Language Levels Flashcards
Lexis
Genres of language, grouping texts based on expected shared conventions.
New words and language change.
Semantics
Words and their meanings.
Semantic Field
Groups of terms from the same domain.
Synonymy
Lexical items with similar semantic value / meaning.
Lexical Item
A singular word.
Antonymy
Lexical items with opposite semantic value.
Hyponymy
The hierarchical structure that exists between lexical items (words holding more or less power than other words).
Neologism
A newly coined word or expression.
To Coin
To invent a new word or phrase.
Portmanteau
A word blending the sounds and combining the meaning of two others. E.g. Brexit.
Acronym
An abbreviation formed from the initial letters of other words and pronounced as a word. E.g. LASER , NASA.
Denotation
The literal meaning (in the dictionary)
Connotation
The suggested meaning.
Etymology
The study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have changed throughout history.
Collocation
Two words that ‘go together’. E.g. pay attention or fast food.
Idiom
A figurative expression. A group of words meaning something different to the lexical items from which it comprises.
Euphemism
A mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing. A type of Idiom.
Linguistic Taboo
Any element of a language bearing a quality that renders in intrinsically impolite or forbidden.
Dysphemism
A derogatory or unpleasant term used instead of a pleasant or neutral one.
** ADD ALL THE NOUNS ADJ, PRONOUNS ETC **
such as dynamic verbs etc8
