词汇学chapter 4.1.pptVIP

Chapter 4 Word Meaning 1. Word Meaning (Reference, Concept and Sense) 2. Motivation 3. Types of Meaning 4. Sense Relations 5. Changes in Word Meaning 6. Meaning and Context 1. Word Meaning a. Reference Only when a connection has been established between the linguistic sign and a referent, i.e. An object, a phenomenon, a person, etc. Does the sign become meaningful. The reference of a word refers to is arbitrary and conventional. Although reference is a kind of abstraction, yet with the help of context, it can refer to something definite. The same thing can have different referring. B. Concept and sense (meaning) Symbol 符号 referent客观物 concept 概念 thought 思维（act of imagery) singifie 内容 signifiant 表达形式 sign 标记 sense 意义（meaning) name thing Triangle by Walpole: Triangle of Significance Sign Symbol Word The speaker / writer uses symbols in order to communicate; the listener interprets the words as symbols. Symbol is more abstract than sign, demanding more distinction. The change of words involves: the change of referent, thought / the act of thinking, and the change of symbol. eg. girl, sun, omnibus / bus; cock/rooster Levels of the changes in word 1.感知层次: 一词多类,一词多义 eg. She saw him saw a saw with a saw. There should be more space between King and “and” and “and” and Queen. He can can three cans in a minute. 2. 过程与结果: eg. ruin---ruins, oil---oils, build---buildings 3. 某类人及其活动: government, committee 4. 象征: a flower of child, a man of woman 5. 隐喻: He swam bravely against the tide of popular applause. Gaps between word and meaning If we want your two cents, we’ll ask for it. John can be relied on; he eats no fish and plays the game. When he was talking about the affair, we smelled a rat. False symbol and complex referentsoxymoron The sun is bright. Mary is bright. So, Mary is the sun. Monday came before the day which followed it. Does your mother have any sons or daughter? Do you know the man who killed his widow was punished? Colorless gr