Word Study

PPT prepared for Ph D Course workIn English, RDVV Jabalpur

Dr. Abha PandeyJan. 2015

WordIn language, a word is the smallest element that may be uttered in isolation with semantic or pragmatic  content

Words are merely Symbols that represent the intended meaning.

 Spoken words are made up of units of sound called phonemes, written words of symbols called graphemes: the letters of the English alphabet.

Word Study: ElementsWord is a linguistic unit.Word may be studied from various

view points.Elements of word study: phonic,

graphic, grammatical and lexicalIdentity of a word: phonic shape and

graphic representation.Interesting situations arise when

words are uttered - an aim and a name are phonologically one but graphologically and grammatically two words

Elements of Word StudyWord and Lexeme are synonyms, but

technically distinct.Word is a grammatical unit: identified on the

basis of morphological and syntactic criteria.Different words derived from the same

lexeme.Examples: Strong, strength strongly, forms of be

Lexeme is an identifiable semantic unit.Idioms: combination of words semantically

behaves like one lexeme.While discussing meaning we term the word

as a lexical item

Lexical CategoriesNature of the lexical item: Simple,

compound, complex and Idioms. Scatter: Different grammatical forms

(words): [GO]: go, went, gone, goingSet: the items that it exists with as

part of a specific semantic field: Diwan, sofa, chair, table. Words share with the other items of the set an area of meaning.

Collocation is its cooccurence power.

MeaningMeaning: Content- the relationship

between the lexical item and their referents.

Significance: Contrastive gives phonological and graphological significance: qu and ɧ

Value: sum total of paradigmatic and syntagmatic possibilities.◦Catch has paradigmatic relationship with hold and syntagmatic relation with object in motion.

Meaning and Information

Meaning and information:“Encoder” Code “decoder” Sender message receiver

“Sense”, “message”, “reference” and “denotation”

Sense refers to links that exists between related lexical items.

Meaning and InformationDenotation refers to the links between the

lexical category and the outside world.Reference is also relation between an

expression and an outside phenomenon, but here the reference is context bound.

Message is the totality of information that gets conveyed from one person to another.

Study of Code based aspect of message is semantic (meaning) and study of coder based aspect of message is pragmatics. (information)

Componential analysisDifference in conception and

perception leads to yet another topic

The components of our conception of a word can be represented as a set of generally recognisable labels.

Husband: HUMAN MALE MARRIEDGirl: HUMAN FEMALE NON ADULTDaughter: HUMAN OFFSPRING

FEMALE

Sub lexical semantics/ Selectional restrictionsSon, nephew: HUMAN MALE

◦pronoun he used, Daughter, niece: HUMAN FEMALE

pronoun she used◦Pammi: ???

Semantic component decides certain grammatical choices also

Lexicogrammatical consequence of a semantic component

Die, kill, murder, assasinate can not be compatible with window, building, cat and maid servant

◦

ReviewIntroductionElements of Word Study

◦ Identity of a word: Phonic shape and Graphic representation

◦Word and Lexeme◦Lexical Categories

Meaning ◦Meaning and information◦Componential analysis◦Sub lexical semantics◦Selectional restrictions

Recommended ReadingPalmer, F. R. Semantics.

Cambridge:Cambridge University Press.1976.

Prakasham, V. And A. Abbi. Semantic Theories of Language Teaching. Delhi: Allied Publishers. 1986.

13

Thank YouDr. Abha Pandey

Professor and HeadDepartment of UG, PG and Research in English

Govt. Mahakoshal Arts and Commerce Autonomous College , Jabalpur

english_dept1@yahoo.co.in