1. Session 8 Lexical Semantic
Matakuliah : G0922/Introduction to Linguistics
Tahun : 2008
Session 8 Lexical Semantic

2. LEARNING OUTCOMES
Students are able to give their own examples on semantics relation among words
Bina Nusantara University

3. OUTLINE Definition of Semantics Semantics properties
Semantics relation among words
synonymy, antonymy, hyponymy, homonymy, polysemy
Bina Nusantara University

4. Semantics
Definition
The study of the linguistics meaning of morphemes, words, phrases and sentences
Lexical semantics: the meaning of words and the meaning relationships among words
Phrasal/Sentential semantics: concerned with the meaning of syntactic units larger than words
Pragmatics: the study of how context affects meaning
Bina Nusantara University

5. Semantic Properties Words and morphemes have meanings.
Semantic properties are pieces of information of the words on which speakers of the language agree.
- For example: the semantic property of ‘female’ is found in the words: tigress, hen, aunt, maiden, woman
Words that share a semantic property are said to be in a semantic class.
Semantic properties can be represented using semantic features, which are a formal or notational device that indicates the presence or absence of semantic properties by pluses or minuses
Bina Nusantara University

6. Semantics relation among words
Synonymy
Antonymy
Hyponymy
Homonymy
Polysemy
Bina Nusantara University

7. Semantics relation among words
Synonyms
Words or expressions that have the same meaning in some or all contexts
E.g remember = recall
Purchase = buy
Big = large
Antonyms
Words or phrases that are opposites in their meaning
E.g. dark x light
Boy x girl
Dead x alive
Bina Nusantara University

8. Semantics relation among words
Homonymy
A single form of word that has two or more meanings which do not relate one another
E.g. bank : place for saving money
sides of the river
bark : sound of a dog
: the outer part of a tree trunk
2. Polysemy
A word that has two or more related meaning
E.g. Fork : instrument for eating
: instrument for taking hays
(the shape is similar)
bright : shining; intelligent
Bina Nusantara University

9. Semantics relation among words
3. Hyponymy
A relationship between two words in which the meaning of the words includes the meaning of the other word
Red is hyponym of color – meaning that the meaning of red includes the meaning of color
Cat is a hyponym of animal – meaning that the meaning cat includes the meaning of animal.
Metonyms
Substitutes for the object that is meant, the name of an attribute or concept associated with that object.
The use of crown for king, the use of ice for hockey, Washington for government
Bina Nusantara University