Lexical Semantics

Lexical Semantics

1. Study of words

   • Semantics look at denotation

2. Lexical Relations

   • Meaning of words in relation to one another
     • Synonymy
       • Similar meaning
         • Big ------- large
     • Antonyms
       • opposite meaning
         • Gradable
           • Wide -----Narrow
         • Non-Gradable
           • Alive -------Dead
     • Hyponomy
       • Meaning of 1 form included in larger form
         • Carrot -------- Vegetable
     • Homophony
       • Same sound different writing
         • Sea ------ see
     • Homonymy
       • Same name different meaning
         • Bank (finantial institution) ------ Bank (river-- edge of river)
     • Polysemy
       • Same word related meaning
         • Foot (human) -------- foot of a table
     • Metonymy
       • Referring to one thing in relation with another
         • Association
           • Table 14 needs water
             • The customers not the object
         • Container
           • I ate the whole bag
         • Part - Whole
           • All hands on deck
           • Synecdoche

3. Prototype Theory

   • Addresses problems Componential Analysis
     • Scaled Idea
       • Grey Area
         • Best represents category
           • 1970 - Eleanor Rosch
             • Bird = Individuals idea
               • - Sparrow - Hawk - Eagle
     • Problems
       • Useful in concrete objects
         • not abstract concepts

4. Componential Analysis

   • Analysis of words based on semantic features
     • Useful to compare
       • Bird
         • +Feathers + song + flight
       • Problems
         • Binary Categorization
           • Is or is not a member

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