A presentation about word meaning in syntagmatic and paradigmatic contexts

1. Word Meaning in
Syntagmatics &
Paradigmatics
Intralinguistic Relations of Words

2. Contents
Polysemy &
Context
Lexical
Context
Grammatical
Context
Extra-
linguistic
Context
Common
Contextual
Associations
Thematic
Groups
Semantic
(Conceptual)
Fields
Hierarchical
(Hyponemic)
Structures
Semantic
Equivalence
& Synonymy
Criteria of
Synonymy
Semantic
Contrast &
Antonymy

3. Intralinguistic Relations of Words
 Syntagmatics
He got a letter.
He got to London.
He couldn’t get the piano through the door.
 Paradigmatics
He got a letter.
He received a letter.
He obtained a letter.

4. Syntagmatic vs. Paradigmatic
Relations
Syntagmatic relations can consist of open
or closed lexical sets.
Close systems are traditionally
considered to be the subject matter of
grammar.
Open systems such as lexico-semantic
fields, hyponymic, synonymic sets etc.
are studied by lexicology.

5. Polysemy & Context
• Polysemantic words could bear
different meaning in isolation
and certain contexts.
e.g. ‘a yellow look’, ‘the yellow press’
Yellow
Isolated
Meaning
A certain
color
Contextual
Meaning
Suspicious,
Envious,
Sensational

6. Denominative
Meaning
The word meaning least
dependent to the context is
called denominative meaning
or free meaning of a word.
‘table’  a piece of furniture
‘make’  construct, produce

7. Lexical Context
In lexical context of primary importance are polysemantic word under
consideration. This can be illustrated by analyzing different lexical contexts
in which polysemantic words are used.
• ‘heavy’ great weight, weighty (in isolation)
heavy load / heavy table
• ‘heavy + lexical groups of words denoting natural phenomena’  striking,
falling with force, abundant
heavy rain / heavy snow
• ‘heavy + lexical of words related to industry’  the larger kind of smth.
heavy industry / heavy artillery

8. Grammatical Context
In grammatical contexts it is the syntactics structure of the
context that serves to determine various individual meanings of a
polysemantic word.
• ‘make’ + make smb do smth  to force, endure
The police made him tell the truth.
• ‘make’ + noun/adjective  to become, to turn out to be
He will make a very good teacher.

9. Lexical & Grammatical Context
Both lexical & grammatical contexts should be taken into consideration.
The grammatical structure of the context may be insufficient to indicate in which
of its individual meanings the word is used.
In modern linguistics, pattern or structure words are used to denote grammatical
contexts.
Patterns can be represented in conventional symbols: make smb. do smth. / make
+ adjective + noun
The sameness of distributional pattern does not imply sameness of meaning.

10. Extra-linguistic
Context
There are cases when the meaning of the word is
ultimately determined not by these linguistic factors,
but by the actual speech situation in which the word is
used.
 ‘to give smb. a ring’
A circlet of Precious Metal or A Call on the Phone
 ‘I’ve got it.’
Possess or Understand smth.

11. Connotational Component of Word
Meaning
Emotive Implications: Any word which is
emotively neutral may acquire emotive
implications in certain contexts.
fire
to insure one’s property against fire  A call
for help
 wall
O wall, O sweet and lovely wall!  Tangible
emotive implication

12. Thematic Groups
‘common
contextual
associations’
Commonly used in
practical classroom
teaching.
Thematic grouping
is based on the co-
occurence of words
in certain,
repeatedly used
contexts.
Question + Noun
raise a question /
put forward a
question / discuss a
question
Adjective +
Question
urgent question /
vital question /
disputable question

13. Common Contextual
Associations
TREE  GROW 
GREEN
JOURNEY  TRAIN 
TAXI  BAGS  TICKET
SUNSHINE  BRIGHTLY
 BLUE  SKY

14. Semantic Classification of Words
• Modern English has a very extensive vocabulary.
There is an ongoing discussion if:
This enormous word-stock is composed of separate independent lexical
units.
OR
It should be regarded as a certain structured system made up of
numerous independent and interrelated sub-systems or group of
words.
Word-stock can be analyzed into numerous sub-systems.
The members of each sub-system have some features in common.

15. Semantic Fields
• All members of the field are
semantically interdependent.
• Each member helps to delimit and
determine the meaning of its
neighbors.
• They are not synonymous though being
closely related.
Semantic field of
pleasurable
emotions
Semantic
field of
kinship
Happiness Mother
Joy Cousin
Fun Brother
Theory of Semantic Field: Words may be classified
according to the concepts underlying their meaning.

16. Semantic Fields
• We cannot know the exact meaning of the words if we do not
know the structure of the semantic field to which the word
belongs.
Captain: the army? the navy? the merchant service?
• This is severely criticized by Russian Linguists mainly on
philosophical grounds.
• Language is a kind of self-contained entity, standing between
man and the World of reality.
• Human experience is analyzed and elaborated in a unique way,
differing from one language to another.

17. Lexico-semantic Groups
• Lexical groups may be very extensive and may cover big
conceptual areas such as space, matter, intellect etc.
• Words making up such semantic fields may belong to
different parts of speech.
Semantic field of space
• Nouns: expanse, extent, surface
• Verbs: extend, spread, span
• Adjectives: spacious, roomy, vast, broad

18. Lexico-semantic Groups
Any of the semantic components may be chosen to represent the group.
Saleswoman: ‘human’, ‘female’, ‘professional’
Human: ‘man’, ‘woman’, ‘boy’, ‘girl’, ‘saleswoman’.
Female: ‘woman’, ‘wife’, ‘saleswoman’,‘girl’
Professionals: ‘teacher’, ‘butcher’, pilot, ‘saleswoman’

19. Hierarchical Structures
• Also known as ‘hyponymic structure’
• Hyponymy: A semantic relationship of inclusion.
• Words at the highest level of the structure is the general
term or classifier.
• The individual terms entails the meaning of the general
term.
• Certain words may be both classifier and the member of the
group.

20. Hierarchical
Structures
PLANT
grass bush tree shrub flower
pine oak maple ash
white
pine
yellow
pine

21. Semantic Equivalence
• Lexical units may also be classified by the criterion of semantic
similarity or semantic contrast.
• The terms for similarity and contrast are synonymy and antonymy.
Semantic equivalence includes synonymy.
John is taller than Bill = Bill is shorter than John.
John sold the book to Bill = Bill bought the book from John.
win a victory = gain a victory (word groups)
albeit = though (words)

22. Why synonymy does not exist
This definition has been severely criticized
on many points.
•It is impossible to speak of identical
similar meaning of words for
polysemantic words. (look)
•It seems impossible to speak of identity
or similarity of lexical meaning as a
whole as it is only denotational
component that may be described as
identical. (to die/ to pass away / to
commence)
•Identity of meaning is very rare among
even among monosemantic words.
(handsome vs. beautiful)
Synonyms are traditionally
described as words different
in sound forms, but identical
or similar in meaning and
interchangeable at least in
some contexts.

23. Differences in Denotational Meaning
• Synonymous words are different in sound-form, but similar in
their denotational meaning.
The situation of LOOK / SEEM / APPEAR
He looks/seems/appears tired.
Seem: suggests a personal opinion based on evidence
Nothing seems right when one is out of sorts.
Look: implies a personal opinion based on a visual impression
The city looks its worst in March.
Appear: suggests a distorted impression
The setting sun made the spires appear ablaze.

24. Differences in Stylistic Reference
• Buy vs. Purchase
• We say Purchase Department not Buying Department
• A wife, however, asks her husband to buy a pound of
butter.
• Abnormal vs. Exceptional
• The rainfall in April was exceptional/abnormal.
• My son is exceptional/abnormal.

25. Semantic Contrast & Antonymy
Antonymy shares many features typical
of synonymy.
Like synonyms, perfect or complete
antonyms are fairly rare.
Antonymy is restricted to certain
contexts.
Thick / thin OR thin / fat
Definition of antonyms as words
characterized by semantic polarity or
opposite meaning is open to criticism.

26. Types of Antonymy
Contradictories:
represent the type
of semantic
relations that exists
between pairs like
dead & alive, single
& married, perfect
& imperfect
01
Contraries: differ
from contradictories
mainly because
contradictories admit
of no possibility
between them,
whereas contraries
admit such
possibilities, cold &
hot, cool & warm.
02
Incompatibles:
Semantic relations of
incompatibility exist
among the antonyms
with the common
component of meaning
and may be described as
the reverse of
hyponymy. Morning/not
afternoon /not evening /
not night
03

27. Summary &
Conclusions
Paradigmatic (selectional) or syntagmatic
(combinatory) axes of linguistic structure
represent the way vocabulary is organized.
Syntagmatic relations define the word-
meaning in the flow of speech in various
aspects.
Paradigmatic relations define the word
meaning through its interrelation with other
members within one sub-group of vocabulary
units.
On the syntagmatic axis the word meaning
is dependent on different types of contexts.

28. Summary &
Conclusions
The semantic structure of polysemantic
words is not homogeneous as far as the
status of individual meaning is concerned.
A certain meaning is representative of the
word taken in isolation, others are perceived
only in various contexts.
Classification of vocabulary is based on
common contextual associations. Contextual
associations are formed as a result of regular
co-occurence in similar, repeatedly used
contexts.
The main criterion underlying semantic
classification of vocabulary items is the type
of relationship between words.

29. Summary &
Conclusions
The criterion of common concept serves to
classify words into semantic fields and lexico-
semantic groups.
Semantic relationship of inclusion is the main
feature of hyponymic hierarchical structure.
Semantic similarity and semantic contrast is
the type of relationship which underlies the
classification of lexical items.
Synonymy and antonymy are correlative and
sometimes overlapping. Synonymous
relationship of the denotational meaning is in
many cases combined with the differences in
the connotational (mainly stylistic) component.

30. Thank you
ASLI TUĞÇE GÜLER