Semantics The Analysis of Meaning Lexical Semantics cf
- Slides: 10
Semantics: The Analysis of Meaning
Lexical Semantics (cf. p. 274) Semantic properties: The components of meaning of a word. n Semantic feature: A notational device for expressing the presence or absence of semantic properties by pluses and minuses. n Example of componential analysis: baby is [+ young], [+ human], [– abstract]. n
Identify the features (1) 1. (a) widow, mother, sister, aunt, maid (b) widower, father, brother, uncle, valet The (a) and (b) words are [+ human] The (a) words are [+ female] The (b) words are [+ male] 2. (a) bachelor, paperboy, pope, chief (b) bull, rooster, drake, ram [+ male] The (a) words are [+ human] The (b) words are [+ animal] The (a) and (b) words are
Identify the features (2) 3. (a) table, stone, pencil, cup, house, ship (b) milk, alcohol, rice, soup, mud [+ count] The (b) words are [- count] The (a) words are 4. (a) pine, elm, sycamore (b) dandelion, aster, daisy The (a) and (b) words are [+ plant] [+ tree] The (b) words are [+ flower] The (a) words are
Semantic Relations among Words (p. 269) n n Synonymy: words that have the same meanings, e. g. start & begin. Antonymy: words that are opposites in meanings, e. g. hot & cold. Synonymy or Antonymy (p. 307) a. n Flourish – thrive b. n Intelligent – stupid n Casual – informal c. n Flog – whip d. n Drunk – sober e. synonym antonym
Semantic Relations among Words n n Polysemy: A word which has two or more related meanings, e. g. bright: ‘shining’ ; ‘intelligent’ Homonymy: A word which has two or more entirely distinct meanings, e. g. club: ‘a social organization’ ; ‘a blunt weapon’. Homophony: Different words pronounced the same but spelled differently, e. g. two and too. Homography: Different words spelled the same but pronounced differently, e. g. minute and minute.
Identifying homophones 1. [steə] 1. Stair, stare 2. [weist] 2. waste, waist 3. [si: liη] 3. sealing, ceiling 4. [kju: ] 4. cue, queue 5. [sent] 5. sent, cent, scent
Identifying homographs 1. Read 2. Wind 3. Live 4. Tear 5. Invalid 6. Bass
Identifying Homonyms in Jokes 1. Time flies like an arrow Fruit flies like a banana 2. Policeman: Why have you parked your car here? Motorist: Because the sign says “Fine for Parking”. 3. Customer: Have you got half-inch nails? Ironmonger: Yes, sir. Customer: Then could you scratch my back. It’s very itchy
More semantic relations among words Hyponymy: Words whose meanings are specific instances of a more general word, e. g. isosceles and equilateral are hyponyms of the word triangle. n Metonymy: A word substituted for another word with which it is closely associated, e. g. diamond for a baseball field. n Retronymy: An expression that would once have been redundant, but which societal or technoligical changes have made nonredundant, e. g. silent movies n