Embedded Files
Importance of Definitions: The TSA agent’s refusal to classify quince preserves accurately shows the importance of clear definitions in regulatory contexts.
Example: Asking the agent whether quince preserves are gel, liquid, or aerosol highlights the confusion that can arise from semantic misunderstandings.
Shared Linguistic Meaning: Semantics seeks to clarify the commonly accepted meanings of words rather than individual interpretations.
Example: In semantic analysis, the goal is to understand that all users of a language share a general understanding of what a word signifies.
Conflict in Interpretation: The interaction illustrates a potential conflict between regulatory language and ordinary language understanding.
Example: The TSA agent's dismissive response about "arguing semantics" reflects a common tension between technical definitions and everyday meanings.
Comparison Between English and Vietnamese
Concept of Semantics: Both languages recognize semantics as the study of meaning, though the individual cultural context may influence how regulations are interpreted.
Regulatory Language: English often employs technical jargon in regulatory contexts, whereas Vietnamese might incorporate plain language to better communicate with the public.
Legal Interpretation: In both cultures, there may be disputes arising from semantic interpretations, but the approach to resolution can differ based on legal frameworks and cultural norms about authority and discourse.
MEANING
MEANING
Semantics: The study of meaning in language, focusing on the interpretation and understanding of words and sentences.
Referential Meaning: The objective or factual meaning of a word, often described in dictionaries. It refers to the basic, essential components conveyed by the literal use of a word.
Associative/Emotive Meaning: The personal or subjective meanings and associations that individuals or groups may attach to words, which differ widely among people.
Connotation: The emotional or cultural associations related to a word that extend beyond its literal meaning.
Syntactic Structure: The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences, which can be syntactically correct but semantically odd.
E.g: ‘needle’ in Eng might include ‘thin, sharp, steel instrument’
However, different people might have different associations or connotations attached to a word like needle.
needle –> “pain,” or “illness,” or “blood,” or “drugs,” or “thread,” or “knitting,” or “hard to find”
A means of accounting for the “oddness” we experience when we read sentences such as the following:
The hamburger ate the boy.
The table listens to the radio.
The horse is reading the newspaper.
Comparison Between English and Vietnamese
Both English and Vietnamese emphasize the distinction between referential and associative meanings in semantics. The structure of sentences can be syntactically correct in both languages while maintaining semantic oddness. This highlights a universal principle in language where the literal meaning does not always align with the expected or logical action attributed to the subjects of sentences. The examples provided in both languages parallel each other in illustrating this concept.
SEMANTIC FEATURES
SEMANTIC FEATURES
Animate Being: Refers to living entities that have life, such as humans and animals. In contrast, inanimate beings are non-living entities.
Semantic Features: Basic elements (like +animate or -animate) used to analyze and differentiate the meanings of words in a language.
Distinguishing Features: Specific attributes (e.g., +human, +female, -adult) that help classify and differentiate words based on their meanings.
e.g:
The sentence completion for "[+animate] ate all the food" would logically fit nouns like "boy," "man," or "girl," which are animate beings.
The completion for "[+human] is reading the newspaper" would fit nouns like "man," "woman," "boy," or "girl," which are human beings.
Comparison Between English and Vietnamese
Common Framework: Both English and Vietnamese utilize the concept of semantic features to differentiate nouns, emphasizing attributes like animate/inanimate or human/non-human.
Cultural Context: While both languages have a similar method for classification, cultural nuances may affect which features are emphasized. For instance, the distinction between gender categories (like "girl" and "boy") carries different social implications in Vietnamese culture compared to English-speaking contexts.
WORDS AS CONTAINERS OF MEANING
Components of Meaning: The individual features or attributes that make up the definition of a word. In this context, it refers to how one might break down words into simpler elements to understand their meanings better.
Neat Components: A term suggesting the clear, organized, and easily categorized elements of meaning that may not always apply to every word in a language.
Containers of Meaning: The metaphorical idea that words hold or contain specific meanings, which may present limitations in understanding the full range of a word's implications.
e.g:
The nouns advice, threat and warning -> difficult to differentiate using only a set of fixed features
This approach seems to be too restrictive and very limited in terms of practical use.
In a sentence like The boy kicked the ball, the verb describes the action, and the noun phrases (e.g: the boy and the ball) describe the roles of the entities involved.
=> Known as semantic or thematic roles, help define the function of each noun in relation to the action.
This approach focuses on how words function within the context of a described event.
Comparison Between English and Vietnamese
Categorization of Meaning: Both English and Vietnamese face challenges in categorizing words like "advice," "threat," and "warning." These words have nuanced meanings in both languages that are difficult to concisely define.
Contextual Dependence: Just as in English, the meanings of Vietnamese words can vary greatly based on context. For instance, "lời khuyên" (advice) may imply a suggestion in a friendly conversation but could carry a more authoritative tone in a different context.
Limitations of Word Analysis: Both languages have rich vocabularies that cannot be fully captured by breaking down into basic components. Understanding phrases and idioms often requires a broader contextual understanding, indicating that both languages share similar limitations in the analysis of meaning.
=> In conclusion, while both English and Vietnamese experience challenges in defining word meanings clearly and simply, the richness of context and usage plays a vital role in understanding language that transcends basic component analysis.
SEMANTIC ROLES
SEMANTIC ROLES
Semantic Roles: Also known as thematic roles or case roles, these are the defined functions that entities (such as nouns) fulfill within the context of a sentence. They help us understand who is doing what in a given situation.
Entities: These refer to the people, animals, or things described in a sentence. In the example "The boy kicked the ball," "the boy" and "the ball" are the entities involved in the action.
Verb: A word that describes an action, occurrence, or state of being. In the provided example, "kicked" is the verb that indicates the action performed by the subject ("the boy").
Comparison Between English and Vietnamese
Semantics: Both English and Vietnamese focus on semantic roles to explain sentence structures and relationships between words.
In English, understanding arises from identifying who is performing the action and what is affected by it.
Similarly, in Vietnamese, the arrangement of nouns and verbs conveys the same roles. The verb "đá" (kick) indicates action just as "kicked" does in English.
Sentence Structure: While both languages utilize a subject-verb-object structure in the given examples, the roles are still identifiable regardless of language specifics.
English: Subject (the boy) + Verb (kicked) + Object (the ball).
=> Overall, both languages exhibit commonalities in semantic roles, demonstrating that understanding the action and the involved entities contributes significantly to overall meaning.
AGENT AND THEME
Agent: The entity that performs the action in a sentence. Typically human but can be nonhuman (e.g. animals, natural forces).
Ex:"The dog" in "The dog chased the cat."
Theme: The entity that is involved in or affected by the action. It can be a noun that is described without performing any action.
Ex: "The mouse" in "The cat chased the mouse."
Comparison Between English and Vietnamese
In both languages, the distinction between agents and themes is maintained, with agents performing actions and themes being affected.
In both English and Vietnamese, common examples include human agents and nonhuman agents, showcasing versatility in roles.
The structure of the sentence remains consistent across both languages, where the agent usually comes before the theme. This similarity simplifies the understanding of semantic roles in sentence construction for learners of both languages.
INSTRUMENT AND EXPERIENCER
Instrument: An entity used by an agent to perform an action. In English, these often follow the preposition "with".
Ex: "A pen" in "She wrote the letter with a pen." ("a pen" is the instrument used to write the letter.)
Experiencer: A noun phrase that refers to an entity experiencing a feeling, perception, or state, but not performing an action.
Ex: "John heard the music." ("John" is the experiencer because he is perceiving the music.)
Comparison Between English and Vietnamese
Instrument Role: In both languages, the instrument typically follows a preposition (English: "with"; Vietnamese: "bằng"). The structure remains similar in both languages, indicating the means by which an action is performed.
Experiencer Role: Both languages clearly mark the experiencer role, though the grammatical structure and word order may differ. In English, the experiencer directly follows the verb, while in Vietnamese, it may also adhere to a subject-verb structure but can sometimes involve auxiliary words for clarity.
=> Overall, both languages effectively communicate the roles of instrument and experiencer, with slight variations in grammatical structure and prepositional use.
LOCATION, SOURCE AND GOAL
Location: Refers to the place where an entity is situated during an event (e.g., "on the table" or "in the room").
Ex: "They met in the park."
Source: The starting point from which an entity moves (e.g., "from Chicago").
Ex: "The letter was sent from Paris."
Goal: The destination to which an entity moves (e.g., "to New Orleans").
Ex: "She sent the package to London."
Comparison Between English and Vietnamese
Both English and Vietnamese express the concepts of source and goal similarly through prepositions:
Source in English: "from" (Từ in Vietnamese).
Goal in English: "to" (đến in Vietnamese).
The sentence structure is also similar, maintaining a clear flow from source to goal in both languages, showcasing parallel semantic roles with similar linguistic expressions.
LEXICAL RELATIONS
LEXICAL RELATIONS
Word Relationships: Words can be understood not only by their definitions but also by their connections with other words.
Synonymy: A relationship where two words have similar meanings (e.g., "conceal" and "hide").
Antonymy: A relationship where two words have opposite meanings (e.g., "shallow" and "deep").
Hyponymy: A relationship where one word is a specific instance of a broader category (e.g., "pine" is a type of "tree").
Comparison Between English and Vietnamese
Synonymy: Similar structures exist in both languages, allowing straightforward translation of synonymous terms (e.g., "conceal" and "che giấu").
Antonymy: Both English and Vietnamese utilize opposites for clarity in meaning. The concept of antonyms is reflected similarly, illustrating the importance of context in defining terms (e.g., "shallow" vs. "nông" and "deep" vs. "sâu").
Hyponymy: The hierarchical structure of hyponymy is also present in both languages, allowing for clear categorization (e.g., "pine" under "tree" translates effectively to Vietnamese, maintaining the specificity of the relationship).
=> Overall, both English and Vietnamese express relationships between words through synonymy, antonymy, and hyponymy, facilitating a rich understanding of meanings in the context of their usage.
SYNONYM
Close Synonyms: The idea of similarity in meaning is not absolute; synonyms can have nuanced differences in their usage.
Examples
Answer and reply
Buy and purchase
Big and large
Comparison Between English and Vietnamese
Use of Synonyms: Both languages recognize the existence of synonyms, but their usage can carry different connotations in different contexts.
Formal vs. Informal: English distinguishes between casual and formal synonyms more explicitly than Vietnamese. In Vietnamese, the same word may carry different tones or context-driven meaning rather than formal/informal distinctions, relying more on context.
Regional Variations: English has clearly defined regional variations (e.g., American vs. British), while Vietnamese may also have regional dialects, but these differences are often less emphasized in standard expressions.
=> Overall, while the concept of synonyms exists in both languages, the subtleties of their usage, including formality and regional variations, provide interesting differences to explore.
ANTONYM
Gradable Antonyms: Opposites that exist along a scale, allowing for varying degrees.
Non-Gradable Antonyms: Direct opposites that do not allow for comparative forms.
Reversives: One action is the reverse of the other, not simply opposite in meaning.
Examples
Gradable: Fast/slow
Non-gradable: True/false
Reversives: Enter/exit
Comparison Between English and Vietnamese
Antonyms are understood similarly in both languages, identifying words with opposite meanings.
Both languages differentiate between gradable and non-gradable antonyms with similar examples reflecting contrasts in meanings (e.g., "happy/sad" in English and "vui/buồn" in Vietnamese).
The concept of reversives is also present in both languages; however, the vocabulary may differ in contextual usage (e.g., "nâng/hạ" in Vietnamese directly relates to raise/lower actions).
HYPONYMY
Superordinate: A higher-level term that encompasses several hyponyms. Example: "Animal" is the superordinate of "horse."
Cohyponyms: Words that share the same superordinate term. Example: "Dog" and "horse" are co-hyponyms under the superordinate term "animal."
Hierarchical Relationship: The structure that shows the connections and levels of meanings among words based on hyponymy.
“Is a kind of” Concept: This phrase illustrates the hyponym relationship, e.g., "A schnauzer is a kind of dog."
Examples
Rose is a hyponym of flower.
Ant is a hyponym of insect.
Comparison between English and Vietnamese
The concept of hyponymy exists in both English and Vietnamese, with similar structures where specific terms (hyponyms) are included under more general terms (superordinates).
However, while the examples may differ in language, the underlying relationship remains the same; the way words are categorized and how they relate hierarchically is a universal linguistic concept.
Both languages utilize similar phrases to express relationships, such as "is a kind of" in English, which has a direct counterpart in Vietnamese constructions like "là một loại."
PROTOTYPES
Prototype: The most characteristic instance of a category, which serves as a mental benchmark for how we identify members of that category. For example, a 'robin' is often seen as the prototype for 'bird.'
Categorization Process: The mental process where items are sorted into categories, often influenced by prototypes, individual experiences, and context.
Examples: The robin is considered a prototype of bird, while ostrich or penguin are less typical.
Comparison Between English and Vietnamese
Both English and Vietnamese recognize certain items as better examples of their categories (e.g., 'robin' and 'chim sẻ' for 'bird').
The categorization process and the concept of prototypes apply similarly in both languages, as furniture and clothing items are identified quickly.
Individual variations in interpretation are inherent in both languages, showing that cultural context can influence how some items are categorized (e.g., 'avocado' in English and 'bơ' in Vietnamese).
=> Overall, while the foundational concepts of categorization and prototypes are consistent across both languages, cultural and contextual differences can lead to variations in categorization practices.
HOMOPHONES AND HOMONYMS
Homophones: Words that share the same pronunciation but have different meanings and spellings.
Example in English: bare/bear, flour/flower
Example in Vietnamese: *khỏa thân* (bare) / *gấu* (bear) - homophones do not directly translate to Vietnamese, but similar pairs like *bòng* (bar) and *bong* (flower) exist.
Homonyms: Words that have the same spelling or pronunciation but have different, unrelated meanings.
Example in English: bat (flying creature) and bat (sports equipment)
Example in Vietnamese: *tắc kè* (gecko) and *tắc* (stop) - similar to English, they have separate meanings despite being represented by the same form.
Homophones: when two or more words have:
Similar: pronunciation.
Different: spellings (written form), meanings.
Homonyms: when words have:
Similar: spelling and/or pronunciation. (homo: same, nym: word)
Different: meanings. (these meanings are completely unrelated to each other)
As can be seen, the meanings in each pair of homonyms are vastly different from each other, and there is way to find any association between them.
Comparison Between English and Vietnamese
Homophones: The concept exists in both languages, though some exact pairs may differ. For instance, Vietnamese can have word pairs like *mỏ* (mouth) and *mờ* (blur) with different meanings and similar pronunciations.
Homonyms: Both languages can exhibit homonyms, where a single word form has multiple meanings. However, the contexts and specific usages can vary. For example, in Vietnamese, the word *só* can mean "to be strong" or refer to "having no reservation," while in English, "bat" has entirely unrelated meanings as well.
=> In conclusion, both English and Vietnamese have structural similarities and differences in terms of homophones and homonyms, showcasing the complexity and richness of language. Understanding these concepts aids in language learning and comprehension, as it highlights how words can be both related and unrelated in meaning despite their forms.
POLYSEMY
Polysemy: The phenomenon where a single word form has multiple meanings that are related. Derived from Greek "poly" (many) and "semy" (meanings).
Examples of Polysemy: Words like "head," "foot," "mouth," and "run," which have various related meanings.
Examples of Homonymy: Words like "bat," "mail," and "sole," which have different meanings and are listed separately in dictionaries.
Comparison between English and Vietnamese
Polysemy: Both languages exhibit polysemy, where words can take on multiple related meanings. For example, "head" in English and "đầu" in Vietnamese can have various interpretations stemming from a primary concept.
Homonymy: English tends to have more homonyms due to its borrowing from multiple languages, which contributes to distinct meanings that are written the same, such as "bat" (the animal) versus "bat" (used in sports). Vietnamese may have fewer instances of such homonyms, as word forms are more often contextually distinct and can be clarified through tonal variations (e.g., "ngày" versus other similar-sounding words).
=> Overall, both English and Vietnamese utilize polysemy and homonymy, but the prevalence and recognition of these linguistic phenomena can differ based on the structure and properties of each language.
WORD PLAY
Word Play and Humor: The use of polysemy and homonymy creates humor in language.
Example: Mary had a little lamb (small animal) vs. Mary had a little lamb, some rice and vegetables (small amount of meat).
Riddles and Puns: Recognizing different meanings of words is essential for solving riddles.
Example: "What has four legs, but only one foot?" (Answer: a bed) due to the polysemous nature of "leg" and "foot."
Shakespeare and Word Play: The use of homophones in literature illustrates the depth of word play.
Example: "Now is the winter of our discontent, Made glorious summer by this sun of York" (playing on "sun" and "son").
Comparison Between English and Vietnamese
Polysemy and Humor: Both English and Vietnamese utilize polysemy for humor, though cultural references may differ (e.g., lamb vs. local ingredients).
Riddles: Both languages have riddles that depend on understanding word meanings, but the specific words and context may vary.
Literary Word Play: Similar strategies in both languages, but English may have a wider variety of homophones (e.g., through historical layering of language), while Vietnamese relies more on tonal variations and contextual meaning.
METONYMY
Metonymy: A figure of speech where one word or phrase is substituted with another that is closely related, based on everyday experiences.
Example: Referring to the "bottle" when you mean the "liquid" inside it; saying "The White House" to mean the U.S. President or administration.
Container-Contents, Whole-Part, Representative-Symbol Relationships: Types of relationships underlying metonymy that explain how certain words can evoke associated ideas.
Example: A "bottle" (container) holds "water" (contents), "car" (whole) has "wheels" (part), and "king" (representative) can be depicted with a "crown" (symbol).
Examples
Using bottle to refer to the liquid inside (container-contents).
Referring to the White House to mean the President or the administration (representative-symbol relationship).
Comparison Between English and Vietnamese
The underlying mechanisms of polysemy and metonymy are present in both English and Vietnamese. In both languages, context helps convey meaning, and familiar relationships play a significant role in understanding what is being communicated.
Polysemy in English and Vietnamese: Both languages demonstrate polysemy (e.g., "head" vs. "cái đầu") where meanings extend from the original word based on resemblance or association.
Metonymy usage: Both languages employ metonymy frequently, making references that may initially seem illogical but are understood due to cultural and contextual familiarity (e.g., referring to "the White House" as a political entity in English and "Nhà Trắng" in Vietnamese).
=> Overall, both English and Vietnamese exhibit the cognitive connections and everyday realities that shape language, highlighting that these relationships are universal linguistic phenomena.
COLLOCATION
COLLOCATION
Collocation: Refers to the tendency of certain words to frequently occur together based on common usage. For example, "hammer" is often associated with "nail."
Corpus Linguistics: A field of study focused on collecting large datasets of spoken or written texts (corpora) to analyze word usage and frequency.
Corpus: A large database that contains collections of texts used for linguistic research.
Types of collocations:
There are several different types of collocation made from combinations of verb, noun, adjective etc. Some of the most common types are:
- Adverb + Adjective: completely satisfied (NOT downright satisfied)
- Adjective + Noun: excruciating pain (NOT excruciating joy)
- Noun + Noun: a surge of anger (NOT a rush of anger)
- Noun + Verb: lions roar (NOT lions shout)
- Verb + Noun: commit suicide (NOT undertake suicide)
- Verb + Expression With Preposition: burst into tears (NOT blow up in tears)
- Verb + Adverb: wave frantically (NOT wave feverishly)
Comparison Between English and Vietnamese
Collocation Patterns: Both English and Vietnamese demonstrate similar collocation patterns—common pairings such as “salt and pepper” in English match up with “muối và tiêu” in Vietnamese.
Phrase Construction: English examples provided consist of several words forming a coherent idea, which is also found in Vietnamese. The similarity in structure reflects the universality of certain expressions, although the specific words differ based on language.
Context Importance: Just as English words derive meaning from how they are used in context, Vietnamese does as well, emphasizing the role of usage and situation in understanding language.
STUDY QUESTIONS
STUDY QUESTIONS
1 What semantic feature must a noun have in order to be used in this sentence? The ___________ were discussing what to do.
- The noun must have the semantic feature of **animacy** (it must refer to something animate, usually human, capable of discussing or making decisions). For example: *people, members, teachers, etc.*
2 Using semantic features, how would you explain the oddness of these sentences?
(a) The television drank my water.
(b) His dog writes poetry.
- (a) *The television drank my water*
Odd because *television* lacks the semantic feature of **animacy** and **agency** (it cannot perform actions like drinking).
- (b) *His dog writes poetry*
Odd because *dog* has **animacy** but lacks the feature of **agency** to perform a complex human activity like writing poetry.
3 What phrase is used more often instead of “thematic roles” and what other term is used instead of “theme” in the semantic analysis of noun phrases?
- The phrase *“semantic roles”* is more commonly used. Instead of *“theme”*, the term *“patient”* is often used.
4 What kind of opposites can be identified via the “negative test”?
- **Non-gradable antonyms** (also called complementary pairs) can be identified via the “negative test”. For example, *dead/alive*. If something is "not dead," it must be alive.
5 How is the term “prototype” used in semantics?
- In semantics, a **prototype** refers to the most typical or representative example of a category. For example, a *sparrow* may be a prototypical bird compared to a *penguin*, which is less typical but still a bird.
6 Identify the roles of the seven noun phrases in this sentence: With her new golf club, Anne Marshall whacked the ball from the woods to the grassy area near the hole and she suddenly felt invincible.
- *her new golf club*: **Instrument**
- *Anne Marshall*: **Agent**
- *the ball*: **Theme**
- *the woods*: **Source**
- *the grassy area near the hole*: **Goal**
- *she*: **Experiencer**
- *invincible*: **Result or Attribute**
7 Which of the following words are co-hyponyms?
ant, cabbage, insect, plant, turnip, vegetable
- *cabbage, turnip, vegetable* (co-hyponyms under *vegetable* category)
- *ant, insect* (co-hyponyms under *insect* category)
8 What is the basic lexical relation between each pair of words listed here?
(a) assemble/disassemble
(d) dog/schnauzer
(g) move/run
(b) damp/moist
(e) furniture/table
(h) peace/piece
(c) deep/shallow
(f) married/single
(i) pen/pen
- (a) *assemble/disassemble*: **Antonymy (reversive)**
- (b) *damp/moist*: **Synonymy**
- (c) *deep/shallow*: **Antonymy (gradable)**
- (d) *dog/schnauzer*: **Hyponymy** (schnauzer is a type of dog)
- (e) *furniture/table*: **Hyponymy** (table is a type of furniture)
- (f) *married/single*: **Antonymy (non-gradable)**
- (g) *move/run*: **Hyponymy** (run is a type of movement)
- (h) *peace/piece*: **Homophony**
- (i) *pen/pen*: **Polysemy** (writing instrument vs. enclosed area)
9 Which of the following opposites are gradable, non-gradable, or reversive?
(a) absent/present
(c) fail/pass
(e) fill it/empty it
(b) appear/disappear
(d) fair/unfair
(f) high/low
- (a) *absent/present*: **Non-gradable**
- (b) *appear/disappear*: **Reversive**
- (c) *fail/pass*: **Non-gradable**
- (d) *fair/unfair*: **Gradable**
- (e) *fill it/empty it*: **Reversive**
- (f) *high/low*: **Gradable**
10 Are the underlined words in these sentences best described as examples of polysemy or metonymy?
(a) The pen is mightier than the sword.
(b) I had to park on the shoulder of the road.
(c) Yes, I love those. I ate a whole box on Sunday!
(d) The bookstore has some new titles in linguistics.
(e) Computer chips created an important new technology
(f) I’m going to sue your ass!
(g) I think that kind of music was called new wave.
- (a) *The pen is mightier than the sword*: **Metonymy** (pen refers to writing, sword refers to military power)
- (b) *I had to park on the shoulder of the road*: **Metonymy** (shoulder refers to part of the road)
- (c) *Yes, I love those. I ate a whole box on Sunday!*: **Metonymy** (box refers to the contents of the box)
- (d) *The bookstore has some new titles in linguistics*: **Metonymy** (titles refer to books)
- (e) *Computer chips created an important new technology*: **Polysemy** (chip refers to a small piece of material and a part of a computer)
- (f) *I’m going to sue your ass!*: **Metonymy** (ass refers to the person)
- (g) *I think that kind of music was called new wave*: **Polysemy** (wave refers both to a movement and a genre of music)
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse