词汇学9.pptVIP

Meaning and Context Discourse (Latin: discursus, “running to and fro”) is the term that describes written and spoken communications; its denotations include: In semantics and discourse analysis: A generalization of the concept of conversation within all modalities and contexts. The totality of codified language (vocabulary) used in a given field of intellectual enquiry and of social practice, such as legal discourse, medical discourse, religious discourse, et cetera. In the work of Michel Foucault, and that of the social theoreticians he inspired: discourse describes “an entity of sequences, of signs, in that they are enouncements (énoncés)”. Context: linguistic environment Types of context Linguistic context: words, clauses, sentences, paragraph, chapter, entire book. Extra-linguistic context: physical situation, participants, time, place, and even the whole cultural background. The Importance of Context The importance of context in vocabulary learning is evident from two common-sense observations what a word means on any given occasion is mediated by the many contexts in which it is used, and such contexts provide considerable input from which language user clearly pick up huge amounts of vocabulary knowledge,apart from any explicit vocabulary instruction they may receive. Extra-linguistic context The actual speech situation in which a word occurs The entire cultural background against which a word, or an utterance or a speech event has to be set Quick; look out; trade union; landlord Linguistic Context Lexical context: refers to the lexemes that co-occur with the word in question. Grammatical context: the meaning of a polysemant may be influenced by the structure in which it occurs. Less common For example Role of Context 1. elimination of ambiguity Ambiguity: polysemy and homonymy 2. indication of referents Deictic words: now/then; here/there; I/you; this/that This is a good book. You may want to know how this is produced. 3. provision for c