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English Linguistics 1

English Linguistics 1. 3 What's in a word: lexicology 3.1 Conceptual and lexical categories 3.1.1 Conceptual categories 3.1.2 Lexical categories 3.2 Words and meanings 3.2.1 Routes to meaning 3.2.2 What is meaning?. 3.3 Lexical fields 3.4 Lexical relations/meaning relations

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English Linguistics 1

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  1. English Linguistics 1

  2. 3 What's in a word: lexicology 3.1 Conceptual and lexical categories 3.1.1 Conceptual categories 3.1.2 Lexical categories 3.2 Words and meanings3.2.1 Routes to meaning3.2.2 What is meaning? Session 3

  3. 3.3 Lexical fields 3.4 Lexical relations/meaning relations 3.4.1. Synonymy 3.4.2. Relationships of contrast 3.4.3. Hierarchical relationships Session 3

  4. 3.5 Lexical ambiguity 3.5.1 Polysemy 3.5.2 Homonymy 3.6 Metaphor and metonymy 3.6.1 Metaphor 3.6.2 Metonymy Session 3

  5. 3.1 Conceptual and lexical categories aspects focused on so far:signs - the link between their (material) form and meaning / function in order to get a better understanding of the nature of language:a 'look' into the minds of the speakers / the conceptual world – the pre-linguistic world Session 3

  6. 3.1.1 Conceptual categories concept: a person's 'idea' of what something in the world is likee.g. 'mother', 'dog' – single entities – Session 3

  7. humans tend to 'slice' reality into discernible units  → conceptual categories whenever we perceive sth. we attempt to categorize it, e.g. piece of music classification as jazz, rock, pop, classical, techno, ethno, world music etc.  Session 3

  8. conceptual categories laid down / expressed in language = linguistic categories (signs) we all have made experience that there are more concepts than linguistic expressions, e.g. when we try to describe a phenomenon knowing that there is no exact term; different from just not knowing a term! Session 3

  9. conceptual categories/stage linguistic categories/level other modes of expression lexicon syntax/grammar sign form meaning realization as sound Fig. 3-1: Fromconcepttosound (simplified) Session 3

  10. What makes the step from concept to linguisticcategory so interesting? problems / questions: - Are concepts universal/ the same for all humans? - Are concepts socio-culturally determined? - What happens when concepts are 'translated' into languages? no attempt at definite answers! just a glimpse at some phenomena Session 3

  11. compare expressions for same concept in different languages: E F G Hufeisen I → different languages may 'translate' the same phenomenon differently – the construal / construction of the 'world' in linguistic items Session 3

  12. Signs differently motivated: E , F, I – relationship between the animal as a whole and the protecting device G – F, I, G – E – Session 3

  13. E grand piano - F piano à queue - G Flügel - F and G – Session 3

  14. concept: 'part of the street for pedestrians' BE pavement - AE sidewalk - F trottoir - from trotter: G Gehsteig - Bürgersteig - AuGTrottoir - see French, but? Session 3

  15. so far: conceptual categories 'translated'  words or lexical categories similar relationships applies also to 'translation' grammatical categories Session 3

  16. different ways of saying more or less the same thing Look at that rain. same lexical category: rain different word classes: (1) noun, (2) verb Session 3

  17. E kiss Navajo Session 3

  18. Summary: when transforming a concept into a linguistic category languages may focus on different characteristics / features of the concept and make this characteristic the most prominent by expressing it linguistically, at the same time – disregard other features; the same applies to more complex conceptual phenomena Session 3

  19. 3.1.2 Lexical categories examples from 3.1.1 relatively 'clear' (horse-shoe, piano, pavement) definition/ description of their 'lexical meaning' can be agreed upon by different people other cases add another dimension, e.g. vase? Session 3

  20. ex. vase many different shapes and types - common denominator: 'container for flowers' question: whatisourconceptof a typical 'vase'? Fig. 3-2 Session 3

  21. ex. chair: task: draw a picture of a 'chair', that comes to your mind, do not think too long about it, there is no 'right' or 'wrong' Session 3

  22. the most typical or best member – the subtype that first comes to mind = prototype / prototypical member ≠ peripheral members Session 3

  23. Fig. 3-3: Chairs category of stools different from chairs – lack of a back Session 3

  24. Fig. 3-4: A selectionofthedrawingsofcup-likeobjectsusedbyLabov Session 3

  25. centre firmly established • boundaries far from absolute • fuzzy, overlap Session 3

  26. 3.2 Words and meanings 3.2.1 Routes to meaning Two starting points: 1. word which senses? 2. concept which words? Session 3

  27. ad 1. dictionary fruit a, b, c, d….. word form  list of various senses = semasiology (Greek sema 'sign') Look up the senses/meanings of 'fruit' in the DCE or another monolingual dictionary (at least 5 to 6 meanings): Session 3

  28. fruit /fru:t/ n plural fruit or fruits Session 3

  29. Session 3

  30. ad 2. onomasiology (Greek ónoma 'name') concept list of words which denote the same or similar concepts use a dictionary of synonyms to find synonyms for the concept of 'fruit': (thesaurus, synonym finder) Session 3

  31. fruit, n. a. b. Session 3

  32. 3.2.2 What is meaning?   no generally accepted definition of 'meaning' suggestion (1): words name or label things in the world, two aspects are taken care of:  distinction between denotation and reference Session 3

  33. denotation – class of things indicated by a word • reference – a particular thing when the word is used e.g. A cat. A cat. Three men . Three men. Session 3

  34. suggestion (2): two aspects - all 'things' in the world the expression can be used to refer to and the inherent / internal characteristics or features  distinction between extension and intension Session 3

  35. extension – all things, facts, abstract ideas … which can be referred to by the same linguistic expression (= ~ denotation, see above) • intension – the features which define the expression Session 3

  36. exs.: eveningstar, morningstar – different intension, same extension = Tony Blair(extension) different intensions (up to 2007): the prime minister of GB, the Labour leader, Cherie's husband Session 3

  37. suggestion (3): the semantic triangle – room for the idea, the concept signifié signified Begriff chose thing Sache signifiant signifier Bezeichnung Session 3

  38. Other types of meaning (so far: 'denotation and reference') e.g. That girl is a real cat. ('unpleasant woman') cat – different from cat1 (denotation) they differ in denotation - they also differ in the associations that come to our mind Session 3

  39. + types of meaning which refer to associations that words have for us connotation / connotational meanings Session 3

  40. Try to complete the types: individualassociations: woman stylistic or social: give other choices with a stylistic difference domicile - Session 3

  41. regional: editorial – petrol – chips – … reflected meaning: the Holy Ghost, the Comforter Session 3

  42. collocational meaning 'goodlooking, attractive' pretty - handsome pretty + [ ] handsome + [ ] different in their collocations Session 3

  43. languages differ in the collocational range of words G Nase, Zähne, Schuheputzen E Session 3

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