Lectures on English Lexicology
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Focusing on Lexis in English Classrooms in Japan: Analyses of Textbook Exercises and Proposals for Consciousness-Raising Activities
Focusing on Lexis in English Classrooms in Japan: Analyses of Textbook Exercises and Proposals for Consciousness-raising Activities by Michiko Kasuya A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts of the University of Birmingham in part fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language (TEFL/TESL) This dissertation consists of approximately 15,000 words Supervisor: Dr Susan Hunston Centre for English Language Studies School of English University of Birmingham Edgbaston Birmingham B15 2TT England March 2000 ABSTRACT Recently the importance of focusing on lexis has been widely recognised in language acquisition theories. In particular, it is considered indispensable to deal with fixed expressions, lexical collocations and patterns, in consciousness-raising ways. This dissertation has attempted to reveal the problems of activities in the current English classrooms in Japan, especially regarding lexis teaching, and to propose activities that could develop learners’ competence to use the language. By analysing exercises from authorised textbooks, it has become obvious that English teaching in Japan has two problems. Firstly, the activities need to be more carefully constructed as to what knowledge they aim to develop in learners. There is too much emphasis on features of single words and not enough focus on lexical collocations. Secondly, the ways the activities are conducted need improvement. They merely require learners to memorise and manipulate the lexical items, and do not encourage learners to examine them. This dissertation proposes several activities, such as creating a learner’s concordance, comparing English collocations with Japanese collocations, and connecting patterns and meanings using reference materials. -
The Search for Old English Semantic Primes: the Case of HAPPEN
The search for Old English semantic primes: the case of HAPPEN Raquel Mateo Mendaza, University of La Rioja Abstract This journal article aims at contributing to the research line of the Natural Semantic Metalanguage Research Programme by identifying the Old English exponent for the semantic prime HAPPEN. This study applies four different criteria, namely, the morphological, textual, semantic and syntactic one, in order to select the most suitable candidate for prime exponent. The analysis is based on both lexicographical and textual sources. Conclusions are reached on both the descriptive and the methodological side. Keywords: Natural Semantic Metalanguage; Semantic primes; Old English 1. Introduction This research takes the approach of the Natural Semantic Metalanguage (NSM) model, which is based on the assumption that there is a set of core meanings in every natural language in terms of which complex words can be described by means of simpler terms. If these words are identified in every language, this will give rise to a universal ‘natural semantic metalanguage’ by which every concept will be understood without cultural or ethnicity restrictions.1 In order to contribute to the development of the Natural Semantic Metalanguage Research Programme (NSMRP) as well as the study of Old English lexicology, this article aims at establishing the Old English exponent for the semantic prime HAPPEN. In this sense, this article follows the line of research represented by previous work by Martin Arista and Martin de la Rosa (2006), de la Cruz Cabanillas (2007), Guarddon Anelo (2009) and Mateo Mendaza (2013), who have searched Old English for the exponents of semantic primes. -
The Generative Lexicon
The Generative Lexicon James Pustejovsky" Computer Science Department Brandeis University In this paper, I will discuss four major topics relating to current research in lexical seman- tics: methodology, descriptive coverage, adequacy of the representation, and the computational usefulness of representations. In addressing these issues, I will discuss what I think are some of the central problems facing the lexical semantics community, and suggest ways of best ap- proaching these issues. Then, I will provide a method for the decomposition of lexical categories and outline a theory of lexical semantics embodying a notion of cocompositionality and type coercion, as well as several levels of semantic description, where the semantic load is spread more evenly throughout the lexicon. I argue that lexical decomposition is possible if it is per- formed generatively. Rather than assuming a fixed set of primitives, I will assume a fixed number of generative devices that can be seen as constructing semantic expressions. I develop a theory of Qualia Structure, a representation language for lexical items, which renders much lexical ambiguity in the lexicon unnecessary, while still explaining the systematic polysemy that words carry. Finally, I discuss how individual lexical structures can be integrated into the larger lexical knowledge base through a theory of lexical inheritance. This provides us with the necessary principles of global organization for the lexicon, enabling us to fully integrate our natural language lexicon into a conceptual whole. 1. Introduction I believe we have reached an interesting turning point in research, where linguistic studies can be informed by computational tools for lexicology as well as an appre- ciation of the computational complexity of large lexical databases. -
Recent Developments in Spanish (And Romance) Historical Semantics
Recent Developments in Spanish (and Romance) Historical Semantics Steven N. Dworkin University of Michigan Diachronic semantics has long been the stepchild of Spanish (and Romance) historical linguistics. Although many studies have examined (often in searching detail) the semantic evolution of individual lexical items, Hispanists have ignored broader patterns of semantic change and the relevant theoretical and methodological issues posed by this phenomenon. Working within the framework of cognitive semantics, an approach which perforce requires a comparative perspective, a team of Romanists at the University of Tübingen headed by Peter Koch has offered over the last ten years new insights into questions of diachronic Spanish (and Romance) semantics, with emphasis on the causes of semantic change (see the essays in Blank & Koch 1999, 2003, Mihatsch & Steinberg 2004). I wish to survey here some of this recent German work in diachronic Spanish (and Romance) semantics and to discuss the insights provided by cognitive semantics into the nature of semantic change, especially with regard to cross-linguistic instances of metaphorical and metonymic changes in certain semantic categories (e.g., the designation of body parts, spatial and temporal adjectives and adverbials). Cognitive semantics has been concerned with the polysemous nature of lexical items and the cognitive principles that motivate the relations between their different senses. These same mechanisms can also account for diachronic changes in these relationships and in the internal relationships of lexical categories. Diachronic cognitive semantics focuses particularly on universal causes of semantic change brought about by mechanisms related to human cognition and perception. Although workers in diachronic cognitive semantics have also paid considerable attention to the semantic processes involved in grammaticalization (cf. -
Historical Linguistics and Cognitive Science
5 Historical Linguistics and Cognitive Science Philip Baldi 1 2 & Paola Eulalia Dussias1 (1 Penn State University) (2 University of Cagliari) Abstract In this paper we investigate possible links between historical linguistics and cognitive science, or theory of the mind. Our primary goal is to demonstrate that historically documented processes of a certain type, i.e. those relating to semantic change and grammaticalization, form a unified theoretical bundle which gives insight into the cognitive processes at work in language organization and evolution. We reject the notion that historical phenomena are excluded from cognitive speculation on the grounds that they are untestable. Rather, we argue for an extension of Labov’s uniformitarian doctrine, which states “that the same mechanisms which operated to produce the large-scale changes of the past may be observed operating in the current changes taking place around us.” (Labov, 1972:161). This principle is transferable to the current context in the following way: first, language as a system is no different today than it was millennia ago, easily as far back as diachronic speculation is likely to take us; and second, the human brain is structurally no different today from the brain of humans of up to ten thousand years ago. The cognitive- linguistic parallelism between the past and the present makes speculation possible, in this case about code- switching, even if it is not testable in the laboratory. It further allows us to make forward and backward inferences about both language change and its cognitive underpinnings. Keywords: historical linguistics, cognitive science, code-switching, semantic change, grammaticalization 1. -
16 Semantic Change
Semantic Change Semantic change can thus occur because the relation between signifidttt and Semantic Change signifii is arbitrary. Meaning is at the core of language by its very nature —no language would he 16 possible if its linguistic units did not have a meaning. En spite of its central role, Eugenio R. Lujin the study of meaning has been somewhat neglected in some approaches to Ian- gunge. It is sometimes considered the less linguistic port of language, in the sense that meaning has a direct connection to natural and sneial realities, which is not the case with other areas of language —we do not expect that the stud}' of the social structures of the speakers of a language will cast any light on the understanding of the phonology of their language nor that there is a correlation Chapter Overview between ergathdty or accusativity and hunter-gatherer societies in opposition to agricultural societies, but we do expect a difference of vocabulary and the 286 1. Introduction organization of the meaning of words between societies with a different level of 288 2. Types of Semantic Change technological development. 3. Semantic Change beyond the Word 296 From a historical perspective, this means that a change in thesociocultural or 299 environmental conditions of the speakers of a language may have an impact on 4. Causes of Semantic Change 5. Towards a Deeper Understanding of Semantic Change 304 this area of language—new words may be coined or borrowed or new mean ings of words may arise; compare Spanish raton 'mouse' (both animal and com Notes puter device, as a caique from English mouse; see section 4,3) vs. -
Contextualizing Historical Lexicology the State of the Art of Etymological Research Within Linguistics
Contextualizing historical lexicology The state of the art of etymological research within linguistics University of Helsinki, May 15–17, 2017 Abstracts Organized by the project “Inherited and borrowed in the history of the Uralic languages” (funded by Kone Foundation) Contents I. Keynote lectures ................................................................................. 5 Martin Kümmel Etymological problems between Indo-Iranian and Uralic ................ 6 Johanna Nichols The interaction of word structure and lexical semantics .................. 9 Martine Vanhove Lexical typology and polysemy patterns in African languages ...... 11 II. Section papers ................................................................................. 12 Mari Aigro A diachronic study of the homophony between polar question particles and coordinators ............................................................. 13 Tommi Alho & Aleksi Mäkilähde Dating Latin loanwords in Old English: Some methodological problems ...................................................................................... 14 Gergely Antal Remarks on the shared vocabulary of Hungarian, Udmurt and Komi .................................................................................................... 15 Sofia Björklöf Areal distribution as a criterion for new internal borrowing .......... 16 Stefan Engelberg Etymology and Pidgin languages: Words of German origin in Tok Pisin ............................................................................................ 17 László -
Semantic Reanalysis and Language Change Regine Eckardt* University of Go¨Ttingen
Erschienen in: Language and Linguistics Compass ; 5 (2011), 1. - S. 33-46 https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-818x.2010.00260.x Semantic Reanalysis and Language Change Regine Eckardt* University of Go¨ttingen Abstract Reanalysis is a well-known process of language change in morpho-syntax. However, the semantic composition of sentence meanings can also undergo reanalysis and lead to meaning changes for parts of the sentence. The article provides the basic notions of compositional semantics ⁄ pragmatics that underlie semantic reanalysis, surveys possible constellations and causes of reanalysis, and con- trasts the process to other ways of semantic change. I will, moreover, illustrate semantic reanalysis on basis of a case study which highlights some of its typical features. 1. Meaning Change and Grammaticalization Many people enjoy the fascinating task of tracing the history of words and expressions. Meaning changes often allow insights in cultural history, and major processes of change can be observed both in history and in daily life. For instance, speakers can decide to restrict the use of a word to what was formerly just the most frequent referents, like in Old English mete (‘food’) which turned into modern meat (food like in ‘steak’). This is called semantic narrowing, and we will use the example to introduce a few convenient notations. I will use [[a]] to refer to the meaning of a word a, e.g. [[dog]] stands for the meaning of the word dog. If the meaning of a word changes, we will use indices to indicate the two different meanings. Our instance of narrowing looks as follows: [[mete]]old was the concept ‘food’ or ‘meal’ in general, whereas [[mete]]new is the narrower concept ‘meat, edible muscle matter of animals’. -
Words of the World: a Global History of the Oxford English Dictionary
DOWNLOAD CSS Notes, Books, MCQs, Magazines www.thecsspoint.com Download CSS Notes Download CSS Books Download CSS Magazines Download CSS MCQs Download CSS Past Papers The CSS Point, Pakistan’s The Best Online FREE Web source for All CSS Aspirants. Email: [email protected] BUY CSS / PMS / NTS & GENERAL KNOWLEDGE BOOKS ONLINE CASH ON DELIVERY ALL OVER PAKISTAN Visit Now: WWW.CSSBOOKS.NET For Oder & Inquiry Call/SMS/WhatsApp 0333 6042057 – 0726 540316 Words of the World Most people think of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) as a distinctly British product. Begun in England 150 years ago, it took more than 60 years to complete, and when it was finally finished in 1928, the British prime minister heralded it as a ‘national treasure’. It maintained this image throughout the twentieth century, and in 2006 the English public voted it an ‘Icon of England’, alongside Marmite, Buckingham Palace, and the bowler hat. But this book shows that the dictionary is not as ‘British’ as we all thought. The linguist and lexicographer, Sarah Ogilvie, combines her insider knowledge and experience with impeccable research to show that the OED is in fact an international product in both its content and its making. She examines the policies and practices of the various editors, applies qualitative and quantitative analysis, and finds new OED archival materials in the form of letters, reports, and proofs. She demonstrates that the OED,in its use of readers from all over the world and its coverage of World English, is in fact a global text. sarah ogilvie is Director of the Australian National Dictionary Centre, Reader in Linguistics at the Australian National University, and Chief Editor of Oxford Dictionaries, Australia. -
Approach to Analysing Phraseology and Collocation in ESP Texts
ASp la revue du GERAS 59 | 2011 Varia The ‘lexicogrammar’ approach to analysing phraseology and collocation in ESP texts Christopher Gledhill Electronic version URL: http://journals.openedition.org/asp/2169 DOI: 10.4000/asp.2169 ISBN: 978-2-8218-0416-6 ISSN: 2108-6354 Publisher Groupe d'étude et de recherche en anglais de spécialité Printed version Date of publication: 1 March 2011 Number of pages: 5-23 ISSN: 1246-8185 Electronic reference Christopher Gledhill, « The ‘lexicogrammar’ approach to analysing phraseology and collocation in ESP texts », ASp [Online], 59 | 2011, Online since 01 March 2014, connection on 10 December 2020. URL : http://journals.openedition.org/asp/2169 ; DOI : https://doi.org/10.4000/asp.2169 This text was automatically generated on 10 December 2020. Tous droits réservés The ‘lexicogrammar’ approach to analysing phraseology and collocation in ESP ... 1 The ‘lexicogrammar’ approach to analysing phraseology and collocation in ESP texts Christopher Gledhill 1. Introduction 1 The aim of this paper1 is to examine the notions of phraseology and collocation in the field of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and to recast these terms from the point of view of Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL). Broadly speaking, phraseology involves the study of formulaic sequences of words, including idiomatic phrases and proverbial expressions, which stand in contrast to other more prosaic constructions in the language in that they have a highly conventionalised form and frame of reference. For example, the rhetorical impact of the phrase (to) cut (one’s) losses (cited in sample text T1 in the Appendix) cannot quite be captured by paraphrases such as: accept what one has lost and move on, stop doing something in order not to make a bad situation worse, etc. -
Lexicology and Lexicography
LEXICOLOGY AND LEXICOGRAPHY 1. GENERAL INFORMATION 1.1.Study programme M.A. level (graduate) 1.6. Type of instruction (number of hours 15L + 15S (undergraduate, graduate, integrated) L + S + E + e-learning) 1.2. Year of the study programme 1st & 2nd 1.7. Expected enrollment in the course 30 Lexicology and lexicography Marijana Kresić, PhD, Associate 1.3. Name of the course 1.8. Course teacher professor 1.4. Credits (ECTS) 5 1.9. Associate teachers Mia Batinić, assistant elective Croatian, with possible individual 1.5. Status of the course 1.10. Language of instruction sessions in German and/or English 2. COURSE DESCRIPTION The aims of the course are to acquire the basic concepts of contemporary lexicology and lexicography, to become acquainted with its basic terminology as well as with the semantic and psycholinguistic foundations that are relevant for understanding problems this field. The following topics will be covered: lexicology and lexicography, the definition of 2.1. Course objectives and short words, word formation, semantic analysis, analysis of the lexicon, semantic relations between words (hyperonomy, contents hyponomy, synonymy, antonymy, homonymy, polysemy, and others), the structure of the mental lexicon, the micro- and macro structure of dictionaries, different types of dictionaries. Moreover, students will be required to conduct their own lexicographic analysis and suggest the lexicographic design of a selected lexical unit. 2.2. Course enrolment requirements No prerequisites. and entry competences required for the course -
The Analysis of Polysemy from the Perspective of Decategorization Lu
Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 319 5th International Conference on Humanities and Social Science Research (ICHSSR 2019) The Analysis of Polysemy from the Perspective of Decategorization Lu Hongyan Xiamen University Tan Kah Kee College, Zhangzhou, China [email protected] Key words: Prototype Category Theory, Polysemy, Decategorization Abstract: The cognitive semantics shows reasonable interpretation power as to the relations among the senses of each polysemous word by applying the prototype category theory, while it is far from enough as to the forming procedure of polysemy. Linguistic decategorization is a vital part of the linguistic categorization and shows that cognization is a gradually continual changing procedure, so it can help to analyze the dynamical forming mechanism and procedure of polysemy. This paper studies how decategorization functions in our cognization of the many senses of polysemous word. 1. Introduction According to Cognitive Linguistics, language is the representation of our conceptualization, so the language that we use and our concept are closely related. With the deepening of our cognition, there will be new things adding into our cognitive and conceptual system. In our linguistic system, many new concepts can be expressed by the already existing linguistic forms and constructs. The adding of new concepts into a concrete linguistic entity makes the entity multivocal, and the most common representative is polysemy. It arises from the fact that there are systematic relationships between different cognitive models and between elements of the same model. The same word is often used for elements standing in such cognitive relations to one another. Polysemy accounts for a large part of the whole vocabulary and it represents the economical principle of language.