CONTRASTIVE SEMANTICS

CONTRASTIVE SEMANTICS

1. Semantics is the study of meaning. It is the study of the meaning expressions in natural language (NL), which include words, phrases, sentences, texts.

   • Provides:
     • a) A definition of the meaning of expressions. b) An explanation of their meaning. c) A representation of their meaning. d) An account of the semantic relations between expressions
   • Semantics (or sense) relations can be
     • di) intra lexical. Most notably polysemy
     • d2) inter lexical. These include synonymy, antonymy, etc.

2. Polysemy

   • Is the result of some mechanisms that extend the meaning of the words used in all languages
     • a) Connotation: the meaning of a word is suggested by or associated with a given word or thing
     • b) Metaphor: a word ordinarily designating one thing is used to designate a very different one
     • c) Metonymy: a word is replaced by another one

3. Homonyms are homographs and/or homophones but have different meanings

   • Cross-linguistic homonymy leads to false friends
     • False friends are words/phrases in two languages with similarities, but significant semantic differences
       • a) belong to some common semantic field 'constipated-constipado'
       • b) belong to different semantic areas 'carpet-carpeta'
       • c) overlap partially 'relativo-realtive'

4. Figurative language refers to words/expressions that depart from everyday literal senses

5. Similies compare one object or idea with another one to suggest two things alike

6. Idioms and other multi-word are word sequences established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words