- •Lexicology As a Branch Of Linguistic Science
- •Lexicography
- •Lecture III Etymology
- •Vocabulary
- •Lecture IV Word-building
- •Minor Types of Word-Building
- •Lecture V Semantic Structure
- •Polysemy
- •Semantic changes
- •Change of meaning through ´transfer
- •Semantic groupings
- •Antonyms
- •Lecture VI Phraseology
- •2 Major criteria of their distinguishing: semantic & structural
- •Classification of the phraseological units
Polysemy
The majority of English w-s—polysemantic. If each w-d is found to be capable of conveying at least 2 concepts instead of 1, the expressive potential of the whole vocabulary increases twofold. Polysemy becomes increasingly important in providing the means of enriching the voc-ry, hence the process of enriching the voc-ry doesn’t consist merely in adding new w-s to it, but also in the constant development of polysemy.
hawk—1) ястреб, сокол; 2) хищник (о человеке); 3)амер. сторонник жёсткого курса (в политике)
lousy—1) вшивый; 2) груб. низкий, отвратительный, паршивый; 3) to be lousy with—кишмя кишеть
to flash—1) сверкать, вспыхивать; давать отблески
2) быстро промелькнуть, пронестись
3) осенить, прийти в голову, блеснуть(о догадке)
4) передавать по телеграфу, радио
5) разг. выставлять себя на показ, красоваться, бахвалиться
(1) dominates over other meanings, conveying the concept in the most general way, whereas meanings (2)-(5) are associated with special circumstances, aspects & instances of the same phenomenon.
(1)—the main meaning—the centre of the semantic structure of the w-d, as it covers & holds together the rest of the semantic structure;
(2)-(5)—secondary meanings—c.b. associated with one another, some of them exclusively through the (1).
But not in every w-d such a centre c.b. found. Some semantic structures are arranged on a different principal:
flat(adj.)—1) плоский, ровный (even)
2) нерельефный, плоский
3) вялый, скучный, однообразный (monotonous)
4) скучный, унылый; безжизненный; неэнергичный, неостроумный, невразумительный
5) ком. неоживлённый, вялый (о рынке) (lifeless)
7) выдохшийся (о пиве) (get exhausted)
There is smth. that all these seemingly miscellaneous [ֽmisi´leinjəs] mean-s have in common—the implication of deficiency[di´fi∫ənsi](отсутствия), of smth. lacking:
1) deficiency of heights
2) def-y of relief
3) def-y of energy, variety
4) def-y of interest, energy, intellect
5) def-y of life, activity
7) def-y of quality
The centre of the semantic structure isn’t 1 of the mean-s but a certain component which c.b. easily singled out within each separate meaning. Each separate mean-g is subject to further subdivision & possesses an inner structure of its own, which m.b. represented as sets of semantic components—semes(basic, elementary units of a sense).
The semantic structure—an organized set of recurrent variants & shades of mean-g a given sound complex can assume in different contexts, together with their emotional colouring, stylistic peculiarities & other typical connotations if any.
A polysemantic w-d m.b. represented as a hierarchical[ֽhaiə´ra׃kikl]ly organized on the basis of the primary mean-g structure of lexico-semsntic variants(LSV). Radiation — 1 of the types of connections between them(LSV) — all the mean-s are connected directly/immediately with the direct meaning(the mean-g nominates the object without the help of context, in isolation) & are motivated with it:
Hand It 1st appeared as a part of human body;
the 14th cent. — it came to denote skill (art) in manual labour;
the 16th c. — it came to denote a person doing some work;
later: ship’s crew;
side situation — on the 1 hand, on the other hand;
a gambler;
applause;
handwriting.
Heart a hollow muscular organ that receives blood from the veins & sends it out through the arteries. It’s the centre of all the living beings.
This gave ground to transfer the w-d to express the idea “the central part, the core of a plant / vegetable”.
the heart of the cabbage, the heart of the apple;
later: the centre of the innermost part of a region
He has a heart of stone (gold).
Concatenation — each following mean-g is connected with the preceding one, not with the primary meaning:
Film тонкая кожа→тонкая плёнка→фото- и киноплёнка→кинофильм
Test глиняный сосуд, в котором испытывают некоторое количество
металлов→испытание металлов→любое испытание