Lexical meaning and related notions

Question 1

Lexical meaning

Answer 1

Lexical semantics study the meaning of words and it has two major aspects: meaning relations internal to the vocabulary of the language i.e. relations of sense; and external meaning relations linking it to the outside world i.e. relations of reference.

Question 2

Lexical field

Answer 2

A group of words associated in their meaning is a lexical field. It is a set of structured words which are in syntagmatic and paradigmatic relation.
Paradigmatic relations are vertical relations and relations of substitution (e.g. SHE HAD A PINT/BOTTLE/GALLON OF BEER)
Syntagmatic relations are horizontal relations which have to do with the neighbouring words where one comes after the other (e.g. HE HAD A FALSE TOOTH/EYE/PASSPORT)

Question 3

Collocations

Answer 3

Collocations are relations between words where there is a mutual expectancy of lexemes to appear together. They are not fixed expressions but there is a certain degree of expectancy.

Question 4

Cliches

Answer 4

Cliches are frequently used fixed expressions that have lost their meaning. (e.g. PROUD OWNER OF; DIFFICULT DECISION)

Question 5

Proverbs

Answer 5

Fixed expressions that don’t correspond to the literal meaning and context of the words. (e.g. LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON; APPLE DOESN’T FALL FAR FROM THE TREE)

Question 6

Idioms

Answer 6

Idioms are fixed expressions consisting of more than 1 word whose meaning cannot be inferred from the meaning of the individual words (e.g. SPILL THE BEANS; NOT MY CUP OF TEA)

Question 7

Lexical gaps

Answer 7

A lexical gap is a situation when there is no lexical item in the place where we expect to find it. It is not used only for lexical items but also for grammatical absences in the structure. (e.g. FATHER/MOTHER BOY/GIRL BUT ONLY COUSIN) It exists due to the needs of society to distinguish things in everyday life.

Question 8

Linguistic relativism

Answer 8

LR states that people speaking different languages classify the outside experience in a different way than people speaking the same language. (e.g. English has a term for uncle, and Macedonian distinguishes between tetin and vujko). Some linguists have carried this concept to the extreme - LINGUISTIC DETERMINISM which states that language comes prior to and determines the interpretation of the world.

Question 9

Linguistic universalism

Answer 9

Chomsky stated that all languages were equal and took into account the fact that all people possess a system of learning and speaking a certain language. Ideas can be transferred from one language to another through translation. There are universal categories in all languages that are realized differently. The use of kinship and colours are used to represent the idea of linguistic universalism.

Question 10

Colours

Answer 10

Colour terminology is described as an important lexical field whose units are three-dimensional:

1. Hue - the reflection of light at different wavelengths (RED AND GREEN)
2. Luminosity - the reflection of more or less light (BLACK AND WHITE)
3. Saturation - the degree of freedom from dilution with white (RED AND PINK)
   * Berlin and Kay’s theory*

Question 11

Kinship

Answer 11

An argument for both LR and LU. Kinship terms are distinguished between three dimensions: sex (male/female), lineality (vertical description like aunt/uncle) and collaterallity (horizontal link, universal that appears in all languages like singling)
The difference between kinship terms in Macedonian and English is the different social relation and reality. The needs of society are reflected in the language.