Problems for Discussion

1. Different ways of classifying lexicon: formal vs semantic classifications of the English vocabulary.

2. Semantic features as the basis for semantic relations within the vocabulary: semantic markers vs semantic distinguishers.

3. Types of sense relations: paradigmatic, syntagmatic, hierarchical and the notion of a semantic field.

4. Variants of paradigmatic relations and their logical foundation:

a) synonymy: identity or near-identity of denotation. Types of synonyms: stylistic, ideographic and collocational. The dominant synonym.

b) antonymy: opposition – contrariness, contradictoriness and complementariness

c) hyponymy-hyperonymy: inclusion,

d) compatibility/incompatibility (disjunction)

e) part-whole relations,

5. Types of semantic structures:

a) hypero-hyponymic groups,

b) meronymic groups,

c) lexical paradigms,

d) cycles,

e) chains,

f) frames.

Questions and Tasks

1. Say what principles underlie the following groups of words:

a) ward n, award v, aware adj, awareness n, awash adj, away adv, awe n, awe v, etc.;

b) an album, a ball, a circus, a jacket, music, a teacher, a ward; to ask, to play, to look , to call, to dream, to treat, to abandon; funny, noisy, rainy, sunny, phlegmatic, logical, sensitive; slowly, mainly, shortly, occasionally, normally, seldom.

2. Define the semantic markers and semantic distinguishers in the following sets of words:

a man – a woman, a man – a boy, a boy – a girl, an actor – an actress, a lion – a ig, a wife – a spinster, a bachelor – a spinster, an artist – a plumber, a cat – a dog, a widow – a widower, a cow – a bull, a niece – a nephew, a bus – a car, an orange – a lemon, a sea – an ocean.

3. Arrange the following lexical units into LSGs and define the semantic features underlying these arrangements:

doctor, conductor, applause, verdict, flute, solo, blame, temperature, piano, cough, detective, innocent, drum, crutch, blood pressure, concerto, court, bandage, stroke, symphony, guilty, plaster, arrest, clarinet, theft, violinist, ward, music-stand, lawyer, investigation, jury, hemorrhage, , x-ray ,patient.

4. Find antonyms for the words given below:

good adj., deep adj., narrow adj., clever adj., young adj., to love v., to reject v., to give v., strong adj., joy n., evil n., up adv., slowly adv., black adj., sad adj., to die v., open v., clean adj., darkness n., big adj.

5. Applying J.Lyons` classification of antonyms into contraries, contradictories and complimentaries, comment on the subtype of antonymic relations within the following pairs of words:

buy / sell, big / small, husband / wife, front / back, single / married, east / west, young / old, come / go, true / false, left / right, teacher / pupil, up / down, dead / alive, arrive / depart, borrow / lend, wide / narrow, above / below, master / servant, beautiful / ugly.

6. Say whether the following synonymic groups represent stylistic, ideographic or collocational synonyms:

beautiful – handsome, see – behold, look – appear– seem, rancid – rotten – addled, look – stare, happen – befall, begin – commence – initiate, brotherly – fraternal, flat – apartment, tall – high, end – finish – complete, die – perish, moist – damp

7. In each group of synonyms find the dominant word and explain your choice:

to glare – to gaze – to peep – to look – to stare – to glance

to astound – to surprise – to amaze – to puzzle – to astonish

strange – quaint – odd – queer

to saunter – to stroll – to wander – to walk – to roam

scent – perfume – smell – odour – aroma

to brood – to reflect – to meditate – to think

to fabricate – to manufacture – to produce – to create – to make

furious – enraged – angry

to sob – to weep – to cry

8. Define the type of semantic relations within the following sets of words:

animal, dog, poodle

tree, flower, bush, grass, moss, fern

clever, intelligent, smart

winter, spring, summer, autumn

mother, father, aunt, uncle, grandmother, grandfather, daughter, son, sister, brother, niece, nephew, mother-in-law, father-in-law, sister-in-law, brother-in-law

beautiful, ugly

face, nose, mouth, eye, lip, chin, forehead

private, corporal, sergeant, warrant officer, lieutenant, captain, major, lieutenant colonel. brigadier, major general, lieutenant general, general. field marshal

Analyze each of the above mentioned sets of words from the point of view of hierarchical/ non hierarchical (linear) character of their structures.

9. Give your own examples of:

1. antonymic pairs,

2. synonymic sets,

3. hypero- hyponymic groups,

4. meronymic groups,

5. lexical paradigms,

6. cycles,

7. chains,

8. frames.