Polysemy. Semantic Structure of the Word (SSW)

(11) SSW – not an indissoluble unity, not necessarily stand for one concept;

most words = several concepts = several meanings => polysemantic words;

polysemy = the ability of words to have >1 meaning

 

(12) FAQs:

1. Is polysemy an anomaly or a general rule in English vocabulary?

- it is not: most English words are polysemantic.

2. Is polysemy an advantage or a disadvantage so far as the process of communication is concerned?

- well-developed polysemy is a great advantage as it enriches expressive resources of language. The number of sound combinations that human speech organs can produce is limited => at a certain stage of language development the production of new words by morphological means → limited => polysemy → increasingly important in providing the means for enriching the vocabulary

 

(13) word → polysemantic word

↑ ↑

new meanings → system of meanings ← develops gradually,

↑ ↑ over the centuries

just added to old ones oust some of old ones

 

general tendency - to increase the total number of meanings & to provide for a quantitative and qualitative growth of the language's expressive resources.

(14) analysis of SSW ← 2 levels:

1 level: SSW = system of meanings: Fire, n.

(only the most frequent meanings are given)

I Flame

(= main meaning; centerof SSW; general; dominance over other meanings)

II III IV V

An instance Burning material The shooting Strong feeling,

of destructive in a stove, fireplace, of guns, etc.; passion,

burning; etc.; e.g.: There is e.g.: to open enthusiasm;

e.g.: a forest fire a fire in the next (cease) a fire e.g.: a speech

room. A camp fire. lacking fire.

Secondary meanings

associated with special circumstances, aspects & instances & with one another, IV & V - exclusively through meaning I

(15) Bar, n

II III

The profession of barrister, lawyer; → (In a public house or hotel)

e.g.: go to the Bar; read for the Bar. ← A counter or a room where drinks are

served; e.g.:

They went to the bar for a drink.

traditional barrier dividing a court-room

into 2 parts counter = kind of barrier b/w

customers& barman

I

Any kind of barrier to prevent people from passing.

 

(16) a centre can be found not in every polysemantic word → different principle of SSW arrangement:

Dull, adj.

I. Uninteresting, monotonous, boring;

e. g. a dullbook, a dull film.

II. Slow in understanding, stupid;

implication e. g. a dull student. There is no

of deficiency, III. Not clear or bright; generalised meaning

insufficient e. g. dull weather, a dull day, a dull colour. covering& holding

quality, IV. Not loud or distinct; together the rest

something e. g. a dull sound. of the SSW
lacking V. Not sharp; e. g. a dull knife.

VI. Not active; e. g. Trade is dull.

VII. Seeing badly; e. g. dull eyes (arch.).

VIII. Hearing badly; e. g. dull ears (arch.)

▼

Dull, adj.

I. Uninteresting → deficient in interest or excitement.
II....Stupid → deficient in intellect.

III. Not bright → deficient in light or colour.

IV. Not loud → deficient in sound.

V. Not sharp → deficient in sharpness.

VI. Not active → deficient in activity.

VII. Seeing badly → deficient in eyesight.

VIII. Hearing badly → deficient in hearing.

=>centre holding together the complex SSW - not 1 of the meanings but a certain component singled out within each separate meaning

 

(17)

2 level: SSW=“divisible” at the level of different meanings & at a deeper level

↑

Each = subject to structural analysis,

represented as sets of semantic components.

=> componential analysis -one of the modern methods of semantic research, meaning = a set of elements of meaning which are not part of the vocabulary of the language itself, but rather theoretical elements, postulated in order to describe the semantic relations b/w the lexical elements of a language.

 

(18) The scheme of SSW dull → SSW ≠ a mere system of meanings; each separate meaning = subject to further subdivision & possesses an inner structure of its own => SSW should be investigated:

a) at the level of different meanings,

b) at the level of semantic components within each separate meaning.

For a monosemantic word (= with one meaning) – only b).