SEMANTICS Part 2
LEVELS • D) hyponymy • words grouped into hierarchical classes superordinate members (hyperonyms) subordinate members (hyponyms) • Hyperonyms: a general meaning, including hyponyms • e.g. flower → rose, tulip, carnation etc. • Hyperonym: a specific word or one of the
LEVELS • • • • •
hyponyms used as a hyperonym, e.g. in Serbian ovca, ovan, jagnje – OVCA no hyperonym – lexical gap e.g. in Serbian: hodati, trčati, leteti KRETATI SE hodati, trčati ???
• important for units in a dictionary
LEVELS • LEXICAL FIELD • words grouped in other ways according to their meaning – into lexical or semantic fields (one lexical core, derived words, a related meaning, the same general concept) • some semantic features in common • e.g. furniture, relatives, clothes, food etc.
LEVELS • members in one semantic field –differences not always completely clear • shape, use, material in a semantic group • e.g. chair vs. armchair • glass vs. cup vs.mug • typical representative of a certain concept – prototype
LEVELS • comparing words with that prototype • a neutral or emotionally-coloured meaning • In Serbian, KUĆA (neutral) • KUĆICA – positive implication, hypocoristic meaning • KUĆERINA – negative implication, pejorative meaning
LEVELS • diminutive (KUĆICA, PIGLET, KITCHENETTE), augmentative (KUĆERINA) • MEANING OF PHRASES AND CLAUSES/ SENTENCES • meanings of words transferred to larger units (phrases, clauses, sentences)
LEVELS • meaning of larger units - combination of meanings of smaller units • sometimes not enough just to add/sum up the meanings of smaller units • new quality in meaning: idioms • the total meaning not equal to the simple sum of the meanings of the words making the idiom
LEVELS • fixed combinations of words, a new, specific meaning • sleep like a log - spavati kao klada • red tape • a piece of cake – prosto k’o pasulj • in Serbian: ispod žita (behind closed doors) • ubiti nekoga u pojam (render sb speechless)
LEVELS • • • • •
nositi glavu u torbi (court danger) kupiti mačku u džaku (buy a pig in a poke) provesti se kao bos po trnju (get a rough ride) (plans) pasti u vodu (go up in smoke) significant for translation, not translated literally • different languages - different idioms for the same/similar ideas
LEVELS • priča za malu decu • a) a likely story (ironic tone) • b) an old wives’ tale • c) a cock-and-bull story • usually informal style • sometimes atypical combinations of words, e.g. eat one’s hat, eat one’s heart out • set expressions
LEVELS • no addition, omission, different WO • kick the bucket - *the bucket he kicked • hold one’s horses - *hold one’s horses tightly • • • •
various possible structures: V + DO get the thick end of the stick V + PP be over the moon as...as as cool as cucumber etc.
LEVELS • COLLOCATIONS • usual combinations of words typically occurring together, not idioms • a predictable meaning • less tightly linked than idioms • mother tongue – native language • a blond girl - *a blond cat • a costly mistake - *an expensive mistake
LEVELS • significant for translation • a bad mistake - *loša greška, gruba greška, • krupna greška • WORD ORDER (WO) • meaning of a phrase and WO, e.g. red brick brick red
LEVELS • CLAUSES/SENTENCES • semantic relations between clauses, e.g. equivalence, periphrasis (the same or almost the same meaning) • 1) a) The child found the puppy. • b) The puppy was found by the child. • 2) a) He can go. • b) He is allowed to go.
LEVEL • 3) a) She must go. • b) She is obliged to go. • clauses/sentences - ambiguous • 4) The chicken is ready to eat. • 5) Njemu je lako verovati. • ambiguities and the creation of puns (igre rečima)
LEVELS • 6) In most gardens the beds are too soft – so the flowers are always asleep. • (L. Carroll, Through the Looking-glass) • linguistic meanings combined with extralinguistic meanings (knowledge about our physical world and its phenomena)
LEVELS • extralinguistic knowledge and the truth-value (istinitost) of a clause/sentence • 7) The present king of France is tall. • grammatically correct, not true • extralinguistic knowledge and contradiction
LEVELS • contradictory - includes contradictory meanings of words) • tautological (repetition of information already contained or implied) • 8) This square is round. • 9) a) His brother is the only child. • b) This bachelor is not married.
LEVELS • clauses/sentences - semantically irregular – cannot be interpreted semantically • 10) Colourless green ideas sleep furiously. • (N. Chomsky)
LEVELS • meaning (semantics) related to • grammar (morphology and syntax) • language use • mutual influence, analysed together, as a system
LEVELS Mistranslations and ambiguities • 11) I saw them walking by the bank. • 12) Dog for sale: eats anything, specially fond of children. (advertisement) • 13) A guitar for sale. No strings attached. (advertisement)
LEVELS • 14) We do not tear your clothing with machinery. We do it by hand.(a hotel in Africa) • • 15) Our wines leave you nothing to hope for. • 16) We take your bags and send them in • all directions. (airline company)
LEVEL Additional idioms 17) to put it in a nutshell 18) he is so long-winded 19) I can’t make head or tail of what he’s saying. JOKE - PUN Present, Past and Future enter into a bar. It was tense.