Chapter 7. Conceptual vs. inter-lexical polysemy

2018 ◽  
pp. 159-190
Author(s):  
Vyvyan Evans
Keyword(s):  
Lexical Polysemy

Metonymic inferencing and second language acquisition

AILA Review ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 23 ◽  
pp. 134-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Barcelona
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Language Comprehension ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Linguistic Research ◽  
Cognitive Linguistic ◽  
Lexical Polysemy

The article is a reflection on the various areas of cognitive linguistic research on metonymy that are of potential relevance for SLA. Three of them are particularly relevant: (1) research on metonymy-guided inferencing; (2) research on metonymy-based lexical polysemy, and (3) research on metonymy-based grammatical constructions. Of the three main areas with which the paper is mainly concerned, area (1) is particularly relevant for research on second language comprehension, especially in utterance and discourse types heavily relying on the inferential work of the comprehender; area (2) has already proved to be very useful for research on the inferencing strategies followed by second language learners in their comprehension of new lexical senses in context; and area (3) should be helpful for research on the acquisition of grammatical constructions by these learners.

scholarly journals Lexical polysemy and homonymy in the Middle High German language in light of the problematic of lexical synonymy and lexical-semantic analysis

Litera ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 51-62
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Andreevna Fomicheva
Keyword(s):  
Semantic Analysis ◽  
Epic Poetry ◽  
German Language ◽  
Middle High German ◽  
Structural Description ◽  
Lexical Semantic ◽  
Polysemous Word ◽  
Chivalric Romance ◽  
Lexical Polysemy ◽  
Dictionary Definitions

Based on the compositions of pre-courteous epic poetry and chivalric romance written in the Middle High German language, this article reviews the problem of lexical polysemy in relation to the phenomena of homonymy and synonymy, as well as the problem of structural description of lexis. The need for comprehensive examination of polysemous lexemes in the Middle High German language, which includes structural analysis of the meaning of polysemous word and the lexical-thematic group and/or synonymic row it belongs to, well as the study of contextual implementation of the meanings of polysemous word, is substantiated by the principle of diffusivity of meanings of polysemous word that complicates comprising dictionary definitions and creates difficulties for the researcher in distinguishing the meanings of a polysemous word and separating polysemy from homonymy. Based on the example of lexical-thematic group for denomination of edged weapon in the Middle High German Language, the author demonstrates the appropriateness of using lexical-semantic analysis for establishing systemic relations between the analyzed lexemes, as well as postulates the importance of the context in determination of the structure of polysemous word. Discussion of the given examples from the compositions of pre-courteous epic poetry and chivalric romance written in the Middle High German language is accompanied by the author’s clarifications to the dictionary definitions of the lexemes under review. The conclusion is made on feasibility of the authorial approach towards detection of the discrepancies between lexicographic data and use of the lexeme in the texts written in the Middle High German language. The author also believes that this research is valuable from the perspective of lexicographic practice.

scholarly journals A computational approach to lexical polysemy in Ancient Greek

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 893-907 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara McGillivray ◽  
Simon Hengchen ◽  
Viivi Lähteenoja ◽  
Marco Palma ◽  
Alessandro Vatri
Keyword(s):  
Bayesian Learning ◽  
Word Meaning ◽  
Computational Modelling ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Ancient Greek ◽  
Expert Annotation ◽  
Historical Semantics ◽  
The One ◽  
Lexical Polysemy ◽  
Computational Systems

Abstract Language is a complex and dynamic system. If we consider word meaning, which is the scope of lexical semantics, we observe that some words have several meanings, thus displaying lexical polysemy. In this article, we present the first phase of a project that aims at computationally modelling Ancient Greek semantics over time. Our system is based on Bayesian learning and on the Diorisis Ancient Greek corpus, which we have built for this purpose. We illustrate preliminary results in light of expert annotation, and take this opportunity to discuss the role of computational systems and human analysis in a complex research area like historical semantics. On the one hand, computational approaches allow us to model large corpora of texts. On the other hand, a long and rich scholarly tradition in Ancient Greek has provided us with valuable insights into the mechanisms of semantic change (cf. e.g. Leiwo, M. (2012). Introduction: variation with multiple faces. In Leiwo, M., Halla-aho, H., and Vierros, M. (eds), Variation and Change in Greek and Latin, Helsinki: Suomen Ateenan-instituutin säätiö, pp. 1–11.). In this article, we show that these qualitative analyses can be leveraged to support and complement the computational modelling.

A Multifaceted Approach to Semantic, Statistical, and Psycholinguistic Analysis of Lexical Polysemy

2019 ◽  
pp. 8-17
Author(s):  
V. Apresjan ◽  
◽  
Yu. Apresyan ◽  
O. Dragoy ◽  
B. Yomdin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multifaceted Approach ◽  
Lexical Polysemy

Be going to and will: talking about the future using embodied experience

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 412-445 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANDREA TYLER ◽  
HANA JAN
Keyword(s):  
Feature Analysis ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Embodied Experience ◽  
Binary Feature ◽  
Verb Forms ◽  
Modal Verb ◽  
Multiple Meanings ◽  
Binary Features ◽  
Lexical Polysemy ◽  
Lexical Concepts

abstractEnglish speakers expressing futurity have the choice of two primary verb forms, will or be going to (BGT). Previous studies establish that BGT has multiple meanings not associated with will. Langacker (1987) rejected a metaphoric analysis of BGT (time is motion) as inadequate and offered a binary feature analysis. Brisard (2001) expanded on this analysis and argued that manipulating the configurations of binary features explains the semantic differences between will and BGT. However, Brisard’s analysis overlooks the semantic overlap among will, BGT, and the simple present. Moreover, it does not provide a framework that treats will and BGT as part of the larger English modal verb system. Finally, it lacks a persuasive explanation of how the meanings associated with will versus BGT arose. We address these gaps by proposing a polysemy-based explanation that emphasizes invited inferences (e.g., Bybee, Perkins, & Pagliuca, 1994) and embodied experience; a particularly novel aspect of the analysis is that all the meanings of BGT are related straightforwardly to components of the human walk cycle. Further, we argue that the shared future meaning of will and BGT represent inter-lexical polysemy (Evans, 2015b), thus providing additional evidence for the Theory of Lexical Concepts and Cognitive Models (LCCM).

scholarly journals Linguocultural Specificity of Chinese Poetry and Ways to Compensate them in Translation

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Chinese Language ◽  
Proper Names ◽  
Chinese Poetry ◽  
Specific Nature ◽  
Language And Culture ◽  
English Translations ◽  
Lexical Polysemy ◽  
Linguistic Units ◽  
Language Influence ◽  
Intensive Development

The problem of language and culture correlation has long been the focus of considerable attention in Linguistics. It has recently acquired particular urgency due to the intensive development of linguistic culturology. The article deals with one of the aspects of the “language and culture” issue, namely the language influence on culture based on the linguo-cultural peculiarities of ancient Chinese poetry. The language-specific nature of this poetry is presupposed by the polytonic and isolating system of Chinese language, which results in impoverishing the rhyme and creating the certain monotony of rhythm. All this is also stipulated by hieroglyphic script which stimulates lexical polysemy and semantic integrity of linguistic units. Cultural peculiarity of Chinese poetry, in its turn, is caused by the presence of characteristic poetic genres unique to China, by the presence of cultural and relevant proper names and cultural realia as well as by the presence of special figurative (semiotic) codes in Chinese poetry. All these factors result in considerable difficulties while translating into other languages, especially into European ones. The article considers some ways of neutralizing these difficulties in Russian and English translations. It has been established, in particularly, that translators most often resort to the methods of substantiation, loan translation, and analogue translation. Most often, the external shape of poetry (rhythm, rhyme) has to be sacrifice (omission transformation).

What's in a dialogic construction? A constructional approach to polysemy and the grammar of challenge

2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 655-699 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiki Nikiforidou ◽  
Sophia Marmaridou ◽  
George K. Mikros
Keyword(s):  
Speech Act ◽  
Sentence Type ◽  
Initial Position ◽  
Common Features ◽  
Modern Greek ◽  
Contextual Features ◽  
Sentence Level ◽  
Textual Cues ◽  
Lexical Polysemy

AbstractIn this paper we address lexical polysemy in a constructional perspective, arguing that each of the conversational meanings we identify for Modern Greek ela (2nd person singular imperative of the verb erxome ‘come’) is appropriately modeled as a conceptual gestalt of formal (including prosodic) and semantic-pragmatic properties. In turn-initial position, ela is used to challenge a preceding utterance; we show that the variations in the kind of challenge expressed are systematically tied to the word that follows ela, the speech act force and the sentence type of the preceding utterance, and finally prosodic and textual cues. To the extent that these varieties of conversational challenge are conditioned by particular contextual features, we treat them as a family of related constructions whose common features can be captured in the form of a generalized ela construction abstracted from the different sub-patterns. Our analysis thus demonstrates the appropriateness of a constructional framework for dealing with the different kinds of parameters involved in dialogic meaning and strongly suggests that at least some of the variation inherent in discourse is amenable to a grammatical description, so that sentence-level and supra-clause patterns can be analyzed in a uniform way.

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