6. Lexical semantics

 

In the previous chapter, we discussed  the meaningful components that words are made of, but we have not yet discussed the meaning of words as a whole. This chapter will delve into the topic of word meaning, how it can be represented, how it relates to the world and the speakers‘ view of the world, and how it is influenced by context.

When you’ve completed this chapter, you will be able to:

  • describe a word’s meaning in terms of extension and intension
  • distinguish between the denotation and the connotation of a given word
  • analyze lexical relations
  • write definitions
  • distinguish between different kinds of ambiguity
  • analyze what participants there are in a given semantic frame

Contents

6.1 The study of word meaning

6.2 A closer look at reference: extension

6.3 From extension to intension

6.4. How to represent meaning

6.5 World knowledge and word meaning

6.6 Denotation and connotation

6.7 Word senses

6.8 Lexical relations

6.9 Semantic fields and frames