Lecture 10 Contrastive studies of the development of the semantic structure of English and Ukrainian words презентация

Ivan Franko National University in Lviv Lexicology Hryhoriy Kochur Department of translation studies and contrastive linguistics Nadiya Andreichuk, professor nadiyaan@gmail.com

Lecture 10 Contrast is the occurance of different elements to create interest

…..in every object there is inexhaustible meaning Thomas Carlyle

Plan 1. Systemic organization of lexicon. 2. Semantic change. 2.1.Metaphor. 2.2.Metonymy. 2.3.Other types of semantic change. 2.3.1. Hyperbole. 2.3.2. Litotes. 2.3.3. Irony. 2.3.4. Euphemisms.

systemic organization of lexicon conditioned in all languages by lingual as well as by extralingual factors which are of universal nature The most important extralingual factors, predetermining the systemic organization of lexicon are: a) physical and mental factors, b) environmental factors, c) social factors.

common notions the physical needs of human beings ………………………………………….. mental activity of man ………………………………………….. natural environment of human beings …………………………………………… social phenomena as well as relationships and activities of man ……………………………………………. …………………………………………..

culturally biased words the English farthing, shilling, haggis the Ukrainian кутя, думи, кобзар, січовики

typologically relevant groups universal lexicon nationally specific lexicon Trying to compare universal lexicon of the two languages we proceed from the idea that the basic lexicalization assumption should be explained within the framework of even more fundamental ideas of a language sign nature and its realization during its life.

word semantic development The assumptions about the most probable direction of any word semantic development in its history is the key point for understanding main lines of a possible mechanism for historical development of the entire language system. This assumption has to deal with fact that there are more senses than words, so a word, at least potentially, is polysemous, possesses some degree of semantic uncertainty.

polysemy is a semantic universal inherent in the fundamental structure of language. Both in English and in Ukrainian polysemy is widespread. But it is more characteristic of English or Ukrainian? The greater the relative frequency of the word, the greater the number of elements that constitute its semantic structure, i.e. the more polysemantic it is.

“principle of diversity of meaning” G.K.Zipf tried to find a mathematical formula for it: his calculations suggested that “different meanings of a word will tend to be equal to the square root of its relative frequency (with the possible exception of the few dozen most frequent words). Put in a different way m = F1/2 m stands for the number of meanings and F for relative frequency. E.g. the total number of meaning registered in NED for the first thousand of the most frequent English words is almost 25 000, i.e. the average number of meanings for each these most frequent words is 25.

metaphoric and metonymic transference of meaning Metaphor (from Greek μεταφορά – transposition ) is the result of the semantic process when a form of a linguistic unit or expressing of a linguistic category is transposed from one object of designation to another on the basis of a certain similarity between these objects as reflected in the speaker’s mind. Metaphor is actually based on comparison. It has been discussed by different linguists [ Shibles 1971, Тараненко 1980, Тараненко 1989, Арутюнова 1979, Телия 1988]

Semasiological approach lexical meanings are considered to be psychological entities, thoughts and ideas, and meaning changes are explained as resulting from psychological processes. It is considered to be one of the principal ways of the semantic change of linguistic units

Onomasiological approach is treated as the general principle of nomination, e.g. in the process of lingual reflection of the cognition of the surrounding world in the designation of: relief by names of dishes (котел, жолоб), sea flora and fauna by names of land and river creatures and plants (морські заяць, окунь, капуста), means of transport – from water to air (летючий корабель, повітряний флот) and from land to water (річковий трамвай, водні лижі).

Stylistic approach: metaphor is considered to be one of the tropes. Linguaphilosophic and ethnolinguistic approaches: metaphor is presented as the way of world perception, simulation of the world and creating of the lingual picture of the world.

Metaphorisation Metaphorisation is most vividly represented on the lexical level and we can discover a lot of common features while analyzing linguistic metaphors in English and Ukrainian. Thus, the character of similarity making the basis of metaphors is basically the same: 1) Similarity by physical features: form and sight, for example, Ukr.: стріла крана, гірський хребет, сонечко – комаха, Eng.:

position, for example, Ukr.: голова колони,Eng.: foot of the mountain, a page, back of the sofa sounding, for example, Ukr.: барабанити у двері, Eng.: drum fingers peculiarities of movement, for example, Ukr.: коник – комаха, супутник – небесне тіло, Eng.: peculiarities of functioning, for example, Ukr.: повітряний флот, English: leg of the chair, a bookworm

2) Similarity by physiological and psychological impressions from the perception of different objects: Synesthetic. Synesthesy (from Greek συναίσΰησις – simultaneous perception) is treated in linguistics as the reflection of the semantic structure of physiological associations between different types of senses. Synesthetic metaphors can be based on the perception of hearing, sight, touch, taste, for example, Ukr.: крикливий (одяг), високий/низький (звук), солодкий (запах, голос, обійми),Eng.: soft (voice)

Most often such metaphors reflect the feeling of touch, for example, Ukr.: гострий(запах, блиск), м’який (голос, світло, рух), Eng.: soft (voice, colour), least often – smell. Most productive directions of their development are spheres of sight and hearing.

metaphors Transference from the sphere of the physical world to psychological and social spheres, to some abstract relations, for example, Ukr.:горіти (завзяттям), гострий (розум), дрібний (урядовець), Eng.: , in particular, from space to time, for example, довгий(день) Transference through actualization of a relatively indistinctive semantic feature, often of emotional-evaluative character, for example, горить (взуття), прірва (безліч)

3) Similarity which exists only in the imagination of the speaker and is only desirable for him, for example, to give intimate colouring to communication one can address a person, who is not a good acquaintance or a relative, as друже, брате.

S.Ullmann suggests the following types of transference: a) anthropomorphic, b) zoomorphic, c) from concrete to abstract, d) synesthetic, e) from lexical units that attract a special attention of the society in that or other period. The last type reflects the position of some lexical units on the scale of the social values of the society.

E.g. “religious” and “agricultural” metaphors used to be quite popular in Ukrainian (чорт, ірод, бусурман; нива, галузь, сіяти добро), but now the accent is mostly on sports, technologies, space investigation, medical science (цейтнот, хід конем, орбіта інтересів, запрограмуватися на що-небудь, больові точки).

Classification of the models of the metaphoric evaluative lexical units is based on the opposition bad – good which reflects the transference of the experience acquired in the physical world to the moral and social sphere. For example, „світло – морок” (світло знань – морок неуцтва), „тепло – холод” (теплий - холодний погляд), „відлига – заморозки” (у суспільстві), „верх – низ” (верхи - низи суспільства, висока - низька посада, підноситися – падати духом), „рух – непорушність” ( суспільний рух – застій) and others.

metonymy (from Greek μετωνυμία – renaming ) is the result of the semantic process when a form of a linguistic unit or expressing of a linguistic category is transfered from one object of designation to another on the basis of a certain contiguity of these objects conditioned by spatial, temporal, causal, symbolic, instrumental, functional and other relations as reflected in the speaker’s mind.

approaches to metonymy treatment 1. Semasiological approach. It is considered to be one of the principal ways of the semantic change of linguistic units. 2. Onomasiological approach. It is treated as the general principle of nomination, for example naming of psychological phenomena on the basis of their external physiological expression, mimic, jests, for example, тремтіти – to be afraid, червоніти – to be ashamed, рвати на собі волосся – to be in despair

Stylistic approach. Metonymy is considered to be one of the tropes. Metonymy occurs quite regularly, in comparison to other types of semantic change, within some semantic groups.

for nouns: The container for the thing contained, for example, Ukr.: склянка (випив склянку), зал (аплодував), місто (зустрічає гостя), Eng.:a cup (drank a cup), a kettle (is boiling) The material for the thing made of it, for example, Ukr.: чай, салат (рослина – страва), золото (вироби з нього) Eng.: marble (the statue made of marble), silver (coin), glass(articles made of glass) The object for what is on it, for example, Ukr.:стіл (їжа), лікті (протерлися), Eng.: dish

The object for a certain activity, for example, Ukr.:гкорона, скіпетр, трон (влада монарха), булава(гетьманство), Eng.: The sign for the thing signified, for example, Ukr.:номер (окремий примірник газети, журналу, окрема кімната в готелі, окремий виступ артиста), трійка (гральна карта, трамвай №3), , Eng.: from the cradle to the grave (from childhood to death), arena (Lat. Sand – a reminder that sand was used to strew the floors of the ancient amphitheatres)

The feature (quality, action etc.) for its subject. Here metonymy can reflect the transference from abstract to concrete, from action to object etc. For example, Ukr.: магістр, граф (про носія титулу), талант (він талант),симпатія(про людину), весілля(святкування) Eng.: the authorities (were greeted) The action for its time, place, result, object or subject, for example, Ukr.: косовиця, прохід, набір, випуск, шиття, креслення, рада), Eng.: pass  

for verbs Process the object in a way and obtain, extract or liquidate something as the result, for example, Ukr.: копати (землю/яму), доїти (корову/молоко), полоти (город/бур’ян), штопати (одяг/дірку), Eng.: to milk The action of the subject and the state of the object, for example, Ukr.: протікає (вода/стеля), облазить (шкіра/спина)

Metonymy frequently occurs in phraseological units, for example, Ukr.: до сивого волосся (до старості), піднімати руки (здаватися в полон) English: to put one’s foot down

Hyperbole Hyperbole (from Greek ύπερβολή – overexaggeration) is based on intentional exaggeration of the quantity and size of objects, intensity of a feature or an act aimed at making the image of an object more distinct and thus, the utterance- more convincing. For example, Ukr.: півтора чоловіка (дуже мало людей), скажу два слова, море крові, черепашача швидкість; Eng.: haven’t seen you for ages, I hate troubling you, a thousand thanks.

Litotes Litotes (from Greek λιτότης – simplicity) is aimed at making the statement less categorical through the use of indirect designation of a certain notion, namely through the negation of the notion that is opposite to the given. Litotes can be based on negation, for example, Ukr.: не заперечую (погоджуюсь), неважко (легко); Eng.: no coward, not bad; double negation, for example, Ukr.: така подія не видається неможливою. Not characteristic of English.; without negation, for example, Eng.: I could do with a cup of coffee. Not characteristic of Ukrainian.

Irony Irony (from Greek είρωνεία – mockery) is the type of the semantic change which occurs when a word with a positive or assertive connotation (in a wide sense) is used to denote opposite characteristics. It is usually pronounced with a specific intonation, which in written form can be marked by inverted commas. For example, Ukr.: святий та божий, частувати (палицею), нагородити (стусаном), Eng.: a pretty mess.

Euphemism Euphemism (Greek εύφημισμός – mild expression, from εϋ – well and φημίζω – praise, glorify) is a word or phrase used for indirect, particularly, mild and polite designation of some objects, phenomena or actions to avoid using their already existing primary names which would be better logically motivated. The sources of euphemisms are the taboo phenomena and the desire to substitute some names by their neutral, “positive” or “negative” equivalents. For example, Ukr.: нерозумний (замість дурний), на заслужений відпочинок (на пенсію), пішов з життя (помер), знайтися (народитися); Eng.: queer (mad), deceased (dead),elevated (drunk).