英語詞匯學(xué)chapter

1、Chapter 6 Polysemy and HomonymyContents of todays lecture: Polysemy Homonymy The Stylistic Value of Polysemy and Homonymy 1.Polysemy（一詞多義）（一詞多義） Definition It is a term used in semantic analysis to refer to a lexical item which has a range of different meanings. One-meaning words are very rare. They

2、 are often scientific terms (e.g. oxygen, moonwalk, earthrise) Most words are polysemous. “Polysemy is a rule and monosemy（單義詞）（單義詞） is the exception”.The commoner a word, the more meanings it has.One example: fair (of attitude, behavior) just and honest; impartial; (of results) average, quite good;

3、 (of the weather) clear and sunny; (of amount) satisfactory, abundant; (of the skin, hair) pale; light in color; clean, clear; without blemish (page 109) It is interesting to note that some polysemic words have different affective and stylistic meanings for their individual senses.e.g. Proud is appr

4、eciative when it means “having the quality of self-respect and showing this in ones standards of behavior,” yet it is emotionally neutral or negative in its other senses. Bread is a slang word when its meaning is “money”, yet it is stylistically neutral in other senses. Think: Why are there many pol

5、ysemic words in English?1) Necessity：an essential feature of a languages economy and efficiency 2) Possibility: arbitrary assignment of form and meaning 3) Result: Most words are polysemous. “Polysemy is a rule and monosemy is the exception”.The commoner a word, the more meanings it has. 1) Diachron

6、ic approach(歷時角度)Two approaches to polysemy: Diachronically, we study the growth or change in the semantic structure of a word, or how the semantic structure of a word has developed from a primary meaning to the present polysemic state. （一詞多義是同一個詞的語義結(jié)構(gòu)歷史（一詞多義是同一個詞的語義結(jié)構(gòu)歷史發(fā)展的結(jié)果。）發(fā)展的結(jié)果。） This first mea

7、ning is the original meaning(原原始意義始意義). These later meanings are called derived meanings(派生意義派生意義).2) Synchronic approach(共時角度共時角度) Synchronically, we are interested in the comparative value of individual meanings and the interrelation between the central meaning and secondary meanings. The basic me

8、aning of a word is considered to be the core of word meaning, called the central meaning. The derived meanings, no matter how numerous, are secondary meanings.Note: One criterion of the comparative value of individual meanings is the frequency of their occurrence in speech. Central meaning: the most

9、 frequently occurring meaning.Relationship between the primary and the central meaning:The two may coincide, e.g. hand: terminal part of the human arm beyond the wrist - both primary and central A new meaning may become the center, e.g. prevent: to anticipate (primary or original meaning, obsolete n

10、ow) to keep from happening (new meaning, synchronically central in Modern English)Two processes leading to polysemy:1) Radiation(語義輻射語義輻射) It is a semantic process in which the primary meaning stands at the center and the secondary meanings proceed out of it in every direction like rays. Power (in 1

11、3 senses) (page111)1. ability to do or act, particular faculty of body or mind;2. vigour, energy;3. active property,4. government, influence, authority; personal ascendance; political or social ascendancy;5. authorization, delegated authority;6. influential person, body, or thing7. deity;8. (colloq)

12、 large number or amount;9. (Math.) third, tenth, etc. power of a number; product obtained from three, ten, etc, factors equal to the number;10.instrument for applying energy to mechanical purposes;11.mechanical or electrical energy as opp. to hand-labour;12.capacity for exerting mechanical force, es

13、p. horse power;13.magnifying capacity of lens 12345678910111213Note : Each secondary meaning has directly developed from “ability to do or act” that stands at the center. No relation between the secondary meanings.2) Concatenation (連鎖，連結(jié)性) It is semantic process in which the meaning of a word moves

14、gradually away from its first sense by successive shifts, until there is no connection between the sense that is finally developed and the primary meaning.The concatenation of the meaning of the word candidate (L, meaning “white robed”) A: pertaining to a person dressed in white A + B: A white-robed

15、 applicant for office, because the Romans wore white robes when standing for office B: An applicant for office; or a person taking an examination Analysis: is far removed from , whose original meaning has become obsolete. candidate：穿白袍的人穿白袍的人身著白袍身著白袍申請職位的人申請職位的人候選人候選人Another example: board：木板：木板餐桌餐桌

16、會議桌會議桌董董事會事會 The difference between Radiation and ConcatenationRadiation describes a process where each of the derived meanings is directly connected to the primary meaning.Concatenation describes a process where each of the later meaning is related only to the preceding one like chains. 2. Homonymy

17、(同音異義，同形異義) Homonyms are words different in meaning but either identical both in sound and spelling or identical only in sound or spelling.Think: Why are there rich monosyllabic homonymous words in Modern English?1) Reason: Monosyllabic words stand a far better chance of being homonyms than others.2

18、) Abundant in monosyllabic languages like:Chinese, primarily monosyllabic HomonymyEnglish, with common words primarily monosyllabicA. 3 Types of homonymsperfect homonyms homophoneshomographs1) Perfect homonyms(完全同音同形異義詞) Words identical both in sound and spelling but different in meaning.2) Homophon

19、es(同音異形異義詞) Words identical only in sound but different in spelling and meaning:3) Homographs(同形異音異義詞) Words identical only in spelling but different in sound and meaning.B. Sources of homonyms1. Phonetic convergence （因變的匯合（因變的匯合）: the most common cause of homonymy, or to be more exact, of homophone

20、s. example:Old Norse rs race running French race race nation, breedreis2. Semantic divergence（詞義分（詞義分化）化）: “When two or more meanings of the same word drift apart to such an extent that there will be no obvious connection between them, polysemy will give place to homonymy” An example of semantic divergenceflour ME (the finest part of the wheat) flour: the reproductive wheat mealstructure of some seed-bearing plants花花 flower: a new spelling to distinguish from “flour” that indicates “wheat meal