Slide semantic meeting 3

Semantics 1
Meeting 3


Section 2: Word Meaning-Review
1/ semantic features – componential analysis
Ex1.: boy

+ human

Ex2.: girl

+ male

+ human
+ female
- adult

- adult

2/ semantic fields
+ teacher

Ex4.

Ex3. + living room
+ dining room
+ bedroom

+ student
+ table

rooms in house

+ chair

+ bathroom

+ board

+ restroom

+ chalk

classroom


Section 2: Word Meaning- Review
3. Lexical gaps
Ex8:

Ex7:

grandparents

father
mother
children

nuclear family

parents
aunt/uncle
children
cousin

extended family


Section 2: Word Meaning- Review
4. Referent (1), reference (2) and sense (3)
Ex9:

doctor
(1)

book
ice-cream

Ex11:

Ex10:

autumn = fall
purchase = buy (3)
toilet =
restroom

Ha Noi ↔ the capital of Viet Nam
Ao Dai ↔ vietnamese traditional clothes (2)
Uncle Ho ↔ the leader of Vietnam

Section 2: Word Meaning
2.6 Denotation & Connotation
Ex1: child

+ human

+ innocent

+ noisy

- mature

+ affectionate

+ irritating

± male

Ex2: woman

+ human

+ devoted

+ wicked

+ mature

+ patient

+ talkative

+ female
positive
dictionary  denotation

emotions/attitude

negative

 connotation


Section 2: Word Meaning
2.6 Denotation & Connotation

- The denotation of a word is the core, central or referential
meaning of the word found in a dictionary

- The connotation of a word is the additional meaning that the
word has beyond its denotative meaning. It shows people’s
emotions and/or attitudes towards what the word refers to.


Section 2: Word Meaning
2.6 Denotation & Connotation
Ex3: fox + cunning
+ deceitful negative

Ex5: slender =

Ex4: mother

+ mom

positive

Ø woman

neutral

- witch

negative

skinny

 positive  negative

almost always have negative connotations
Notes: - Some English words have positive, negative & neutral connotations
- Some synonyms are not really synonyms at all


Exercise 7
+ image of Christ trees

 Christmas + family gatherings

+ presents and carols


Section 2: Word Meaning
2.7 Multiple senses of lexical items
2.7.1 Primary meaning vs. secondary meaning
Ex6. pilot:- one who flies an aircraft ; navigator.
The first meaning in dictionary

 primary meaning

- guide, leader.
- something produced as an experiment before broader
introduction.

Ex7. My father is a pilot in my family
= My father is a person who leads and instructs every member in my family.

the derived meaning from the context

 secondary meaning


Section 2: Word Meaning
2.7 Multiple senses of lexical items
2.7.1 Primary meaning vs. secondary meaning
The primary meaning of a word is the first meaning or usage that the
word will suggest to most people when it is said in isolation.

The secondary meanings of a word are

the meanings besides its primary meaning.
context-bound


Section 2: Word Meaning
2.7 Multiple senses of lexical items
2.7.2 Literal meaning vs. figurative meaning
Ex8. two wings of an airplane = part that projects from the side of an aircraft
and supports it in the air
the east/west wing of a house

= part of a building that projects from the main
part

the left wing of his car was = projecting part of the body of a motor vehicle
damaged in the collisionabove the wheel

the radical wing of the Labour = part of a political party that holds certain views
ty
or has a particular function

identified through the context  literal meanings
 “The basic or usual meaning of a word” is usually referred to as its literal
meaning.


Section 2: Word Meaning
2.7 Multiple senses of lexical items
2.7.2 Literal meaning vs. figurative meaning
Ex9. We hope college life will help him to spread his wings a bit

= to extend his activities and interests
Having a new baby to look after has clipped her wings a bit
= has prevented her from achieving her
ambition
she immediately took the new arrivals under her wing
= looked after the new arrivals
He retires as chairman next year; his successor is waiting in the wings.
= is ready to replace him
different from literal meaning Vivid mental images  figurative meanings


Section 2: Word Meaning
2.7 Multiple senses of lexical items
2.7.2 Literal meaning vs. figurative meaning
 The figurative meaning of a word is one
which is different from its usual/literal meaning
which creates vivid mental images to readers or listeners


Section 2: Word Meaning
* Which statement is Denotation/Connotation/Primary Meaning/
Secondary Meaning/ Literal Meaning/Figurative Meaning?
1/ The meaning of a word is different from its usual/literal meaning and

FM

creates vivid mental images to readers or listeners
2/ The meaning of a word is the core, central or referential
meaning of the word found in a dictionary.
3/ The meaning of a word is the first meaning or usage that the

word will suggest to most people when it is said in isolation.
4/ The meaning of a word is the additional meaning that the word
has beyond its denotative meaning.

D
PM
C

5/ The meaning of a word is the basic or usual
meaning of a word.

LM

6 / The meaning of a word is the meaning
besides its primary meaning.

SM


Section 2: Word Meaning
2.8 Figures of speech
2.8.1 Simile and metaphor
Ex.10: My hands are as cold as ice.

Ex.12: He was a lion in the fight.

What is compared with what?

“lion” indicates ……?

 hand  ice

 lion ~ he

Ex.11: Tom eats like a horse.
 Tom  a horse

Ex.13: She has a heart of stone.
“a heart of stone” indicates?

 her heart of stone ~ her nature
 “The use of comparison of one thing
with another” is simile.
 “The use of a word or phrase to
indicate something different from the
literal meaning” is metaphor
* Notes: implicit / indirect comparison
* Notes: explicit / direct comparison
function words: as . . . as, like

no function words


Section 2: Word Meaning
2.8 Figures of speech
Dead and live metaphor
Ex.14: the leg/face of the table
the back of the chair
the mouth of the river

Ex.15: Tom is a pig.
Is there any implicit comparisons in these?
 Tom is short and fat.

 Tom is slow and lazy.
Is there any implicit comparisons in these?
 Tom is greedy.
 Tom is not intelligent.

 Dead metaphor

 Live metaphor


Section 2: Word Meaning
2.8 Figures of speech
Dead and live metaphor
 Dead metaphors are in fact

 Live metaphors are implied or

idioms or fixed expressions that

indirect comparisons which have

native speakers of a language

a variety of figurative meanings

give special meanings and use

through their endless use.

naturally and unconsciously.


Exercise 8
1. When he gets going, Jack is a streak of lighting. metaphor
 Jack is a streak of lighting.. = Jack is very fast
3. The man is a demon for work.

 metaphor

 The man is a demon for work.
= the man is an energetic person who works very
hard
7. My dormitory room is like a cave.

 simile

 Dormitory  cave. = my dormitory room is small and uncomfortable.
 explicitly compared


Exercise 8
8. Come to see the dormitory and see what a

 metaphor

cave I live in.

 Cave  dormitory

My dormitory is a small and

 implicitly compared

uncomfortable room

13. Albert was as sharp as a tack this
morning. He answered every question as
soon as it was asked.
 Albert a tack
 Albert was quick-minded.

 simile


Exercise 8
16. After she heard the good news, she

 simile

grinned like a mule eating briars.
 She

 a mule

20. Life is a dream.
 life  dream

 smiled broadly

 metaphor

 Life is as beautiful as a dream.
 Life is short or Life passes quickly.


Exercise 8
25. Alice came in gently, like a May breeze.

 simile

 Alice  a May breeze
 Alice is as young, fresh, sweet and warm as a breeze signaling the
beginning of a summer

26. Susie is a picture of loveliness in her new dress.
 Susie  picture of loveliness

 metaphor

 Susie is very lovely.


Exercise 8
31. There was a storm in Parliament last

 metaphor

night.

 A storm  a heated argument, a bitter disagreement or terrible
conflict

34. We’ll just have to go our separate ways.
 Go our separate ways

 Life is a journey.

35. They were vital, unforgettable matches that gave
us a new window on the game.
 new window on the game

 metaphor

 metaphor

 new understanding of the game


Exercise 8
 simile

37. He is as mute as a fish.
 He rarely speaks

38. We stopped to drink in the beautiful scenery.
 drink in

 metaphor

 enjoy or admire

40. The police team has cemented close ties with the
hospital staff.
 cemented = joined
 cemented = firmly
established

 metaphor

 close connections have been
established b/w the police team &
the hospital staff


Exercise 8
 metaphor

41. the boss gave her a hot look.
 a hot look = an angry look

42. He could not bridle his anger.
 bridle = control, restrain

 metaphor
 He failed to control his anger.

43. He attacked every weak point in my argument.

 attacked = criticized
severely

 metaphor

 He severely criticized every weak
point in my argument.


Exercise 8
 metaphor

46 . The organization is keeping the brake on pay
rises.
 Keep the brake on pay rises = control pay rises

47. Her father is a captain of industry.

 dead metaphor

 a captain of industry – an idiom One who manages a large industrial company

49.To fall out of a tree in one’s early childhood is not

 metaphor

a particularly reassuring experience.
 It is terrible to be exposed to real life
 To fall out of a tree = to be

in one’s early childhood without any
exposed to real life
parental protection.