1、On Word Meanings and Sense Relations12 级英语 D 班，赖惠珊，NO.12Word MeaningsWhat is the definition of word meanings? Meaning is a notion in semantics classically defined as having two components: reference, anything in the referential realm denoted by a word or expression, and sense, the system of paradigm
2、atic and syntagmatic relationships between a lexical unit and other lexical units in a language. So, words may have two natures:“conventionality”and“motivation”.ConventionalityMost English words are conventional,arbitrary symbols; consequently, there is no intrinsic relation between the symbol and i
3、ts sense. There is no way to explain why this or that symbol has this or that meaning.MotivationMotivation refers to the connection between word symbol and its sense. From the point of view of motivation, the great majority of English words are conventional. However, there is a small group of words
4、that can be described as motivated, that is, a direct connection between the symbol and its sense can be really observed.Motivation can arise in three major ways:(1).Phonetic motivation:(onomatopoeic words)(2).Morphological motivation:(derivation, compounding, conversion)(3).Semantic motivation:Sema
5、ntic motivation refers to motivation based on semantic factors. It is a kind of mental association.eg: the leg of a table, a stony heartHer favorite dish is steak.He manages to earn bread.There are two main Types of Word Meaning. Word meaning is made up of various components which are interrelated a
6、nd interdependent. These components are commonly described as types of meaning. Two main types of word meaning are grammatical and lexical.Grammatical meaning Grammatical meaning refers to that part of meaning which indicates grammatical relationships or concept, such as the word class, singular and
7、 plural forms of nouns,tense meaning of verbs and their inflectional forms. Words with the similar lexical meaning can have different grammatical meanings, and words with different lexical meanings can have the same grammatical meaning. Grammatical meaning is in use.Take the following as the example
8、,(1).word-class:modern (adj) modernize(v) modernization(n)(2).Inlfectional paradign: cat catswrite writes wrote written writingLexical meaningLexical meaning is the meaning of an isolated word in a dictionary. This component of meaning is identical in all the forms of the word. For example, go, goes
9、, went, gone, going possess different grammatical meaning. But they have the same lexical meaning expressing the process of movement. Lexical meaning is composed of conceptual meaning and associative meaning. Lexical meaning is relatively stable.Conceptual meaning is the meaning given in the diction
10、ary and forms the core of word meaning. Conceptual meaning forms the basis for communication as the same word has the same conceptual meaning to all the speakers of the same language. For example,the word sunmeans a heavenly body which gives off lights, heat and energy. Mother means a female parent.
11、Associative meaning is the secondary meaning supplemented to the conceptual meaning. It differs from the conceptual meaning in that it is liable to the influence of such factors as culture, experience, religion, geographical region, class background, education, ect.Whats more, associative meaning co
12、mprises four types:Connotative meaning, stylistic meaning, affective meaning and collocative meaning.In contrast to denotative meaning, connotative meaning refers to the overtones or associations which a word suggests or implies. Take a example, Mother is often associated with love, care, forgiving,
13、etc.Words may have stylistic features,which make them appropriate for different contexts. This stylistic difference is especially ture of synonyms. Take some example, bodily-corporal, brotherly-fraternal,etc.Affective meaning indicates the speakers attitude towards the person or thing in question. W
14、ords that have emotive values may fall into two categories: appreciative or commendatory and pejorative or derogatory.Collocative meaning consists of the associations a word acquires in its collocation. In other words, it is that part of the word meaning suggested by the words before or after the wo
15、rd in discussion. For example, a bit or a littlecollocates with words od negative connotations: drunk, jealous, gloomy, etc.Sense Relations between WordsWords are arbitrary symbols and are independent indentities so far as their outer facet-spelling and pronunciation,is concerned. But semantically,
16、all words are related in one way or another, hence sence relations. In light of sense relations, words can be classified semantically.There are four types of sense relations.Hyponymy deals with the relationship of semantic inclusions. It refers to the relationship which obtains between the genus and
17、 the species,such that the former is included in the latter.Examples:color-grey blue Red black white yellow Synonyms are traditionally defined as words differing in sound form but identical or similar in meaning. Synonyms are based on the denotative meaning. In every synonymous group a common denota
18、tive component brings the words together. Such an agreement in denotation is the most important criterion of Synonymy. Example: head chief boss leaderstatesman politicianTypes of synonymsRelative or partial synonyms:words which are similar or nearly the same in denotation, but embrace different shad
19、es of meaning or different degree of a given quality.Sources of SynonymsThe English language is noted for its wealth of Synonyms.“The richness of English in Synonyms is largely due to the happy mingling of Latin, French and native elements.”Based on semantic similarity,synonymes are usually arranged
20、 into synonyms are usually arranged into synonymic groups or sets. Within this groups there is the most general term known as “synonymic dominant”. The synonymic dominant is the common denotational component that brings two or more words together into a synonymic group, which can be called a semanti
21、cally synonymous field.Antonymy is the standard technical term for oppositeness of meaning between words. Words that are opposite in meaning are Antonyms. They are a variety of oppositness. They can be classified into three major groups.a.semantic contrast:rich poorheavy lightdeep shallowb.Complemen
22、tariesalive deadsingle marriedpresent absentc.Conversiveslend borrowtake bringimmigrate emigratehusband wifeHomonymy is commonly used to refer to the linguistic phenomenon that words are identical in pronunciation, spelling, or both, but different in meaning. Modern English is exceptionally rich in
23、homonymous words, due to the monosyllabic structure of many common English words. There are roughly four times as many monosyllabic as polysyllabic homonyms.Polysemy means a single word having several or many meanings. Radiation and concatenation are the main processes leading to polysemy. Polysemic
24、 words of long standing are signs of an advanced culture. Polysemy is also an essential feature of a languages economy and efficiency.Homonyms are words different in meaning,but identical both in sound and spelling or identical only in spelling or sound. Phonetic convergence,semantic divergence and foreign influence are the three main sources of homonymy.Polysemic and homonymous words are stylustically useful to achieve humor or irony,or to heighten dramatic effect.
