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Semantics: The Analysis of Meaning. Deny A. Kwary http://www.kwary.net Airlangga University. Lexical Semantics (cf. p.274). Semantic properties: The components of meaning of a word.
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Semantics: The Analysis of Meaning Deny A. Kwary http://www.kwary.net Airlangga University
Lexical Semantics (cf. p.274) • Semantic properties: The components of meaning of a word. • Semantic feature: A notational device for expressing the presence or absence of semantic properties by pluses and minuses. • Example of componential analysis: baby is [+ young], [+ human], [– abstract].
Identify the features (1) 1. (a) widow, mother, sister, aunt, maid (b) widower, father, brother, uncle, valet • The (a) and (b) words are • The (a) words are • The (b) words are [+ human] [+ female] [+ male] 2. (a) bachelor, paperboy, pope, chief (b) bull, rooster, drake, ram • The (a) and (b) words are • The (a) words are • The (b) words are [+ male] [+ human] [+ animal]
Identify the features (2) 3. (a) table, stone, pencil, cup, house, ship (b) milk, alcohol, rice, soup, mud • The (a) words are • The (b) words are [+ count] [- count] 4. (a) pine, elm, sycamore (b) dandelion, aster, daisy • The (a) and (b) words are • The (a) words are • The (b) words are [+ plant] [+ tree] [+ flower]
Semantic Relations among Words (p. 269) • 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) • Flourish – thrive • Intelligent – stupid • Casual – informal • Flog – whip • Drunk – sober • synonym • antonym • synonym • synonym • antonym
Semantic Relations among Words (cf. page 270; with critical notes) • 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 • Read • Wind • Live • Tear • Invalid • Bow • Dove
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. • Metonymy: A word substituted for another word with which it is closely associated, e.g. diamond for a baseball field. • Retronymy: An expression that would once have been redundant, but which societal or technoligical changes have made nonredundant, e.g. silent movies movies silent movies
That’s All For TodaySee You Next Week Deny A. Kwary http://www.kwary.net Airlangga University