Componential analysis of the meaning

Componential analysis of the meaning

1. Eugene Albert Nida

   • An introduction to semantic structures. And with the pass of the years this book has a lot of importance with the communicative problems of translation

2. Meaning

   • Is based on the hypothesis that each lexical unit is composed of a certain number of semantic components
   • The words of a language can be grouped into semantic domains
     • The meaning of a word or sentence is the actual person, object, abstract notion, event, or state to which the word or sentence makes reference

3. Semantic field theory

   • Lexemes can be classified according to shared and differentiating features
   • The semantic features explain how the members of the set are related to one another and can be used to differentiate them from one another

4. Components of meaning

   • Distinguishing function and serve to distinguish the meaning of a lexeme from that of semantically related lexemes, or more accurately they serve to distinguish among the meanings of lexemes in the same semantic domain
   • Two types
     • Diagnostic or distinctive components: They serve to distinguish the meaning from others from the same domain
     • Common component: this is the central component which is shared by all the lexemes in the same semantic domain or lexical field
     • Words man, woman, boy, girl
       • "Human race"

5. Linguistic Basis for Componential Analysis

   • Four types
     • Naming: The process of naming is in certain respects similar to reference, though the perspective is somewhat different, naming is the specific act of designating a referent
     • Paraphrasing: Is also an important linguistic function and one can spell out the distinctive features of any semantic unit by employing certain types of paraphrases.
     • Defining: The process of defining would seem to be simply another form of paraphrase but defining is a highly specialized form of paraphrase and is rarely used in actual language situations It consists essentially in combining all the various specific paraphrases into a single statement based on the diagnostic components of the particular meaning in question
     • Classifying
       • Lumping together those units which have certain features in common
       • Separating out those units which are distinct from one another
       • determining the basis for such groupings
       • Classification is never merely a process of putting referents into conceptual files for the basic kinship terms in English

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