英语词汇学第10讲

Synonymy
Motivations of synonyms: borrowing
Native room foe help leave bodily
Borrowed chamber enemy aid depart corporal
Synonymy
Motivations of synonyms: borrowing
in spelling but different in meaning, e.g. bear (n.)/bear (v.) b. homographs are identical in spelling but different in sound and meaning, e.g. tear (n.)/tear (v) c. homophones are identical in sound but different in spelling and meaning, e.g. dear/deer.
Polysemy
Relationship between meaning and concept • Word concept referent
word
Concept 1 Concept 2 Concept 3
Referent 1 Referent 2 Referent 3
Polysemy
crane
Native
Latin
friendship
maternal
hearty
enemy
inner
amity
outer
acute
motherly
cordial
sharp
interior
deed
action
foe
exterior
In this pattern, native, French, and Latin or Greek words co-exist.
Native time belly fire ask
French age stomach flame question
Latin epoch abdomen conflagration interrogate
Match the following native terms with their Latin counterparts.
English Lexicology
Readings Task IX Check
• Chapter 7 & 8 of A Survey of English Lexicology
• Key points in the book will be discussed next week
Review of Lecture IX
Word 1 Word 2 Word 3 Word 4 ……
Synonymy
Concept 1
Referent 1
Synonymy
Motivations of synonyms: borrowing Words of native origin form many couplets and
triplets with those borrowed from other languages.
Polysemy
If polysemy is viewed diachronically, it is understood as the growth and development or, in general, a change in the semantic structure of the word.
Because there were so many Knights. knights or nights
They are homophones.
Homonymy
From the above examples, we can see that homonyms are often employed to create puns for desired effect of humor or irony for stylistic purposes.
Polysemy means a plurality of meaning. In English as in any language the number of meanings is larger than the number of words.
With words, it may be said that polysemy is the rule, and monosemy is the exception.
in a particular direction in order to see or hear something better. e.g. She craned her neck to get a better view...
Polysemy
Please compare the following: • He is a father of two girls. • He is over 30 now. Why not have a girl? • I’ll have a girl help you.
Semantic Relationship
Semantically, all words are related in one way or another.
In light of meaning relations, words can be classified semantically.
Polysemy
choose
give up
abandon
go on with
continue
put off
postpone
win
gain the upper hand
hesitate
be in two minds
Synonymy
Semantic field is concerned with the vocabulary of a language as a system of interrelated lexical networks.
1. A crane is a kind of large bird with a long neck and long legs.
2. A crane is a large machine that moves heavy things by lifting them in the air.
e.g. The little hut was lifted away by a huge crane. 3. If you crane your neck or head, you stretch your neck
Homonymy
Homonyms are words different in meaning and either identical both in sound and spelling or identical only in spelling or sound.
Homonymy
Classification of English homonyms: a. Perfect homonyms are identical both in sound and
Internal linguistic factors external linguistic factors
Lecture X
Semantic Relationship
Lecture X Semantic Relationship
1. Polysemy 2. Homonymy 3. Synonymy 4. Antonymy 5. Hyponymy
பைடு நூலகம்
Homonymy
(In a restaurant) A: Waiter! B: Yes, sir. A: What’s this? B: It’s bean soup, sir. A: No matter what it’s been, what is it now?
bean or been They are homophones.
occupation dreamer drunk lie
walk of life star-gazer elevated distort the fact
Synonymy
Motivations of synonyms:
Coincidence with idiomatic expressions
pick up
Dialects and regional English
lift tube petrol
elevator subway gasoline
call box charm
telephone booth glamour (ScotE)
Synonymy
Motivations of synonyms:
Figurative and euphemistic use of words
Most languages share same semantic fields.
• Space • Time • Age • Kinship • Food • Color • Emotion
1. Change of Meaning 2. Types of Change
Meaning Extension Meaning Narrowing Meaning Elevation Meaning Degradation Meaning Transference
3. Motivations of Change
Synonymy
Synonyms are traditionally described as words different in sound and form but identical or similar in meaning.
English synonyms can be defined as two or more words of the English language, belonging to the same part of speech and possessing one or more identical or nearly identical denotational meanings interchangeable at least in some contexts, but differing in sound and form, shades of meaning and idiomatic use.
Semantic changes result as a rule in meanings being added to the ones already existing in the semantic structure of the word.
Polysemy
Synchronically we understand polysemy as the coexistence of various meanings of the same word in a certain historical period of the development of the English language.
Native
French
Latin/Greek
begin
terror
trepidation
rise
flame
interrogate
ask
commence ascend
fire
firm
conflagration
fear
question
secure
fast
mount
initiate
Synonymy
Motivations of synonyms:
Homonymy
Why should a man never tell his secrets in a cornfield?
Because there are so many ears. ears or ears
They are homographs.
Homonymy
Why is the Middle Ages also called the Dark Ages?