现代英语词汇学概论5Word-meaning-and-Semantic-Featuresppt课件

1、现代英语词汇学概论,Lexicology,Chapter 5,Word meaning and Semantic Features,Chapter 5,5.1 Conventionality and Motivation 5.2 Main Types of Word Meaning 5.3 Componential Analysis and Semantic Features,5.1 The relationship between the sound-symbol and its sense,Questions: 1. What is the relationship between the

2、 sound-symbol and its sense? How are the sound and meaning of words related,How are the sound and meaning of words related,Two ways: 1. Conventionality (约定俗成) 2. Motivation (有理可据,Conventionality,Conventional or arbitrary Arbitrary: adj. decided by or based on chance or personal opinion rather than f

3、acts or reason. Conventional or arbitrary: there is no intrinsic relation between the sound-symbol and its sense,Motivation,Motivation: there is the connection between word-symbol and its sense Phonetic motivation Morphological motivation Semantic motivation,Phonetic motivation: pronunciation sugges

4、ts the meaning, including echoic words or onomatopoeic words E.g. woof-woof the woof-woof of a dog miaow the miaow of a cat roar the roar of a lion bang the bang of a door,Morphological motivation: there is a direct connection between the morphemic structure of the word and its meaning. E.g. antican

5、cer kilogram good-looking daydream,Semantic motivation: The figurative meaning can be understood by those who know the literal meaning. E.g. a stony heart the leg of a table,What is the relationship between the sound-symbol and its sense,1. Conventionality (约定俗成) Most words are conventional. 2. Moti

6、vation (有理可据) back,5.2 Types of Word Meaning,Types of Word Meaning: A. Grammatical meaning B. Lexical meaning,Types of Word Meaning,A. Grammatical meaning 1. word-class 2. inflectional paradigm B. Lexical meaning 1. denotative meaning 2. connotative meaning 3. social or stylistic meaning 4. affectiv

7、e meaning back,A. Grammatical meaning,1. word-class:The word-class determines the position that a word normally occupies in a sentence e.g. Being a child, he cant understand what he just said. He never dreams of being a superstar. _ in an atmosphere of simple living was what her parents wished for.

8、A. The girl to be educated C. The girl educated B. The girls being educated D. The girl was educated,A. Grammatical meaning,2. inflectional paradigm seasons of a year 一年四季 the poles 南北两极 “I bought it,” said Becky, in a voice trembling with emotion; “I went to see if I could be of any use to my kind

9、friends. I have never parted with that picture- I never will.” “是我把它买下的。那时候我去看了看到底有没有法子帮帮我的好朋友们。我一直把这幅画好好藏着-我以后也要把它好好藏着。,B. Lexical meaning,1. denotative meaning（外延意义） conceptual meaning (概念意义) the non-linguistic entities (physical objects, natural phenomena / things, events, processes) to which a w

10、ord refers a words definition given in a dictionary e.g. chair chair: a piece of furniture for one person to sit on, which usually ahs a back, a seat, four legs, and sometimes arms the same meaning for all speakers of a given community It is that aspect of lexical meaning which makes communication p

11、ossible. the central factor in linguistic communication,B. Lexical meaning,2. connotative meaning (内涵意义) the emotional association which a word or a phrase suggests in ones mind e.g. mother denotative meaning: female parent connotative meaning: love, care, warm,two levels of connotation Connotations

12、 pertaining to individuals based on personal experience e.g. father Connotations pertaining to a group e.g. communist, road, Uncle Sam,B. Lexical meaning,3. social or stylistic meaning the criterion of formality: formal, neutral and informal,B. Lexical meaning,4. affective meaning appreciatory (appr

13、ec.), derogatory (derog.,Types of Word Meaning,A. Grammatical meaning 1. word-class 2. inflectional paradigm B. Lexical meaning 1. denotative meaning 2. connotative meaning 3. social or stylistic meaning 4. affective meaning back,5.3 Componential Analysis and Semantic Features,A: male B: female (-ma

14、le) C: small (-adult) (1): human (2): Bovine (3): Ovine (4): Porcine,Man Man: +Hunan +Adult +Male Child Child: +Human -Adult +Male Cow Cow: +Bovine +Adult -Male Lamb Lamb: +Ovine -Adult +Male Boar Boar: +Porcine +Adult -Male,Semantic features (语义特征) Male Adult Human Bovine Ovine Porcine componential

15、 analysis A process of breaking down the sense of a word into its minimal components (semantic features). How to do a componential analysis on the basis of semantic contrast,Advantages of componential analysis Enable us to have an exact knowledge of the conceptual meaning of a word Help us to choose

16、 the right word or collocation e.g. Five students elapsed. Five years elapsed. Elapse: vi. fml. (of time) pass by,The committee has anticipated the problems that _ in the road construction project. (2007 TEM4) A. arise B. will arise C. arose D. have arisen,6. subtle / delicate A.There is a very subt

17、le difference between “citizen rights” and “human rights”. B.This is a delicate situation. We must handle it with great care. C. She looked very delicate, but she was very energetic and had a strong will. Delicate: 需要谨慎处理和对待 becoming ill easily; not strong 容易生病的; 不强壮的 Subtle: 有洞察、领悟事物细微差别和微妙关系的能力 no

18、t easy to detect or describe; fine; delicate /organized in a clever and complex way巧妙的/able to see and describe fine and delicate differences; sensitive 敏锐的,6. subtle / delicate A. There is a very subtle difference between “citizen rights” and “human rights”. B.This is a delicate situation. We must

19、handle it with great care. C.She looked very delicate, but she was very energetic and had a strong will. back,Subtle: adj. a. not easy to notice, understand, or explain difficult to understand 难理解微妙的 e.g. subtle differences in meaning b. clever in arrangement, esp. so as to deceive people 精妙的 e.g. a

20、 subtle plan c. very clever in noticing and understanding e.g. a subtle mind back,Delicate: adj. a. needing careful handling, esp. because easily broken or damaged e.g. Be careful with those wine glasses theyre very delicate. b. needing careful treatment in order to avoid failure or trouble e.g. a delicate situation The negotiations are at a very delicate stage. c. easily made ill e.g. a delicate child d. finely made in a way that shows great skil