- •English lexicology a course of lectures
- •Introduction
- •1. Lexicology as a branch of linquistics
- •2. Kinds of lexicology
- •3. Links of Lexicology with other branches of Linguistics
- •Lecture 1. Word-meaning
- •1.1. Semantics as a branch of Lexicology studing meanihg
- •1.2. Approaches to the study of meaning
- •1.2.1. Referential approach to meaning
- •1.2.2. Functional approach to meaning
- •1.3. Types of word-meaning
- •1.3.1. Grammatical meaning
- •1.3.2. Lexical meaning
- •1.3.3. Part-of-speech meaning
- •1.3.4 Denotative, significative and connotative meanings
- •1.3.5. Connotative meaning
- •1.3.6. Emotive charge and sociostylistic reference of words
- •1.3.7. Pragmatic meaning
- •1.4. Types of morpheme-meaning
- •1.4.1. Lexical meaning of morphemes
- •1.4.2. Functional or part-of-speech meaning of morphemes
- •1.4.3. Differential meaning of morphemes
- •1.4.4. Distributional meaning of morphemes
- •1.5.2.2. Morphological motivation of words
- •1.5.2.3. Semantic motivation of words
- •Lecture 2. Change of Meaning
- •2.1. Causes of semantic change
- •2.1.1. Extralinguistic causes of semantic change
- •2.1.2. Linguistic causes of semantic change
- •2.2. Nature, results and types of semantic change
- •2.2.1. Similarity of meanings or metaphor
- •2.2.2. Contiguity of meanings or metonymy
- •2.2.3. Types of semantic change without the transfer of name
- •2.2.3.1. Specialization and generalization of meanings
- •2.2.3.2. Amelioration and pejoration of meaning
- •2.2.3.3. Hyperbole, litotes, irony, euphemism, disphemism, taboo
- •Lecture 3. Polysemy
- •3.1. The notion of polysemy
- •3.2. Approaches to polysemy
- •3.2.1. Diachronic approach to polysemy
- •3.2.2. Synchronic approach to polysemy
- •Lecture 4. Homonymy
- •4.1. Definition of homonymy
- •4.2. Homonymy of words and homonymy of word-forms
- •4.3. Classification of homonyms
- •4.3.1. Full and partial homonymy
- •4.3.2. Classification of homonyms by the type of meaning
- •4.3.3. Classification of homonyms by the sound-form, graphic form and meaning
- •4.4. Sources of homonymy
- •4.4.1. Diverging meaning development
- •4.4.2. Converging sound development
- •4.5. Differentiation of polysemy and homonymy
- •Lecture 5. Word-meaning in syntagmatics and paradigmatics
- •5.1. Definition of syntagmatics and paradigmatics
- •5.2. Conceptual or semantic fields
- •5.3. Hyponimic (or hierarchical) structures and lexico-semantic groups
- •5.4. Synonymy and antonymy
- •Lecture 6. Word-structure
- •6.1. Segmentation of words into morphemes
- •6.2. Classification of morphemes
- •6.3. Procedure of morphemic analysis
- •6.4. Morphemic types of words
- •6.5. Derivative structure of words
- •7.3. Composition or compounding
- •7.4. Conversion
- •7.5. Shortening and abbreviation
- •7.5.1. Shortening or contraction
- •7.5.2. Abbreviation
- •7.6. Back-formation or reversion
- •8. Word-groups and phraseological units
- •8.1. Lexical and grammatical valency
- •8.2. Definition of phraseological units
- •8.3. Classification of phraseological units
- •Literature
- •Contents
- •Introduction 1
3.2. Approaches to polysemy
3.2.1. Diachronic approach to polysemy
Polysemy viewed diachronically is a historical change in the semantic structure of the word resulting in disappearance of some meanings and in new meanings being added to the existing ones, and also in the rearrangement of these meanings in its semantic structure.
For example, in the course of a diachronic semantic analysis of the word table we find that of all the meanings it has in Modern English, the primary meaning is ‘a flat slab of stone or wood’ which is proper to the OE word tabule from Latin tabula; all other meanings are secondary as they are derived from the primary meaning of this word and appeared later than the primary one. It follows that the main source of polysemy is a change in the semantic structure of the word.
Polysemy may also arise from homonymy. When two words become identical in sound-form , the meanings of them are felt as making up one semantic structure. Thus, for example, the human ear and the ear ‘a spike of corn’ (колос, початок) are from the diachronic point of view two homonyns. The first ear (OE ēāre) is etymologically related to the Lat auris; the second word ear (OE Northumbrian eher, Goth ahs) is related to the Lat acus, aceris. Synchronically, however, they are perceived as two meanings of one and the same word. The ear of corn is felt to be a metaphor of the usual type; cf. the eye of the needle) and consequently as one of the derived or, synchronically, minor meanings of the polysemantic word ear.
3.2.2. Synchronic approach to polysemy
Polysemy viewed synchronically is understood as co-existence of various meanings of the same word at a certain historical period and the arrangement of these meanings in the semantic structure of the word.
In connection of the polysemantic word table we feel that the first meaning occurring to us in this word is ‘an article of furniture’. This meaning is defined as the basic, major or central meaning of this word as opposed to its minor or marginal meanings. The basic meaning occurs in various contexts, whereas minor meanings are observed only in certain contexts; for example, ‘table of contents’.
Thus we can assume that the meaning ‘a piece of furniture’ occupies the central place in the semantic structure of the word table. As to other meanings of this word we find it difficult to grade them in order of their comparative value.
A more objective criterion of the comparative value of individual meanings seems to be the frequency of their occurrence in speech. The central meaning has the highest frequency value.
Of great importance is the stylistic stratification of meanings of a polysemantic word as individual meanings may differ in their stylistic reference. Stylistically neutral meanings are more frequent.
As the semantic structure of a polysemantic word is never static the relatioship between the diachronic and synchronic evaluation of individual meanings of the same word may be different in different periods of the historical development of language.
Lecture 4. Homonymy
4.1. Definition of homonymy
The term homonym is derived from Greek homos ‘similar’ and onoma ‘name’. Two or mere words identical in sound and / or spelling but different in meaning, distribution and often in origin are called homonyms. Homonyms may also be defined as words possessing identical sound forms and / or spelling but different semantic structure.