Group 6 Semantics

WHAT IS SENSE RELATIONS?
ONE POSSIBLE DEFINITION

OF SENSE RELATIONS IS: “ANY RELATION BETWEEN
LEXICAL UNITS WITHIN THE SEMANTIC SYSTEM OF
A LANGUAGE”, (MATTHEWS 1997:337). THIS
MEANS THAT THERE HAS TO BE A RELATION IN
MEANING BETWEEN LEXICAL UNITS OF A
LANGUAGE.
WHAT IS LEXICAL RELATION?
LEXICAL
RELATIONS DESCRIBE RELATIONSHIP AMONG
WORD MEANINGS. IT IS THE STUDY OF HOW
LEXICON IS MANAGED AND HOW THE LEXICAL
MEANINGS OF LEXICAL ITEMS ARE RELATED EACH
OTHER. THERE ARE SEVERAL TYPES OF LEXICAL
RELATIONS, SUCH AS; HOMONYM, POLYSEMY,
SYNONYMY, ANTONYM, HYPONYMY, AND
METONYMY (PALMER, 1976).
hyponym
A hyponym is a word that is more specific than a given
word. It is a term used in linguistics to describe a word
whose meaning is included in the meaning of another
word. For example, "rose" is a hyponym of "flower“
because a rose is a type of flower. here are some
examples:
1. Fruits are hyponyms of food.
2. Car is a hyponym of vehicle.
3. Rose is a hyponym of flower.
4. Oak is a hyponym of tree.
5. Lion is a hyponym of mammal
2
HYPONYMY IS A RELATION TO A MORE GENERIC WORD. A HYPONYM
CAN BE PART OF A GROUP OF WORDS ON A SIMILAR LEVEL THAT CAN
ALL BE REPLACED BY THE SAME HYPERNYM.
FOR EXAMPLE, PIGEON, CROW, EAGLE AND SEAGULL ARE ALL
HYPONYMS (CO-HYPONYMS) OF BIRD (THEIR HYPERNYM).
IN TURN, BIRD IS A HYPONYM OF ANIMAL. HYPONYMY ORIGINALLY
DERIVES FROM THE GREEK WORDS HYPO AND ONOMA WHICH MEAN
'BELOW' AND 'NAME’.
HYPONYMY REFERS TO THE SENSE RELATION BETWEEN A MORE
GENERAL, MORE INCLUSIVE WORD
AND A MORE SPECIFIC WORD”
SIGNIFICANCE OF HYPONYMY
THE SENSE RELATION OF HYPONYMY IS VERY HELPFUL IN THE
PROCESS OF LANGUAGE INPUT
AND OUTPUT, SUCH AS IN READING COMPREHENSION, WRITING,
TRANSLATION AND CROSS-CULTURAL
COMMUNICATION
HYPONYMY REFERS TO THE
SENSE RELATION BETWEEN A MORE GENERAL, MORE INCLUSIVE
WORD
AND A MORE SPECIFIC WORD”
THE WORD WHICH IS BIGGER, BROADER OR MORE GENERAL
IN MEANING IS CALLED THE SUPERORDINATE OR HYPERNYM, WHILE
THE MORE SPECIFIC WORDS ARE
NAMED ITS HYPONYMS, WHICH MEANS THE SUPERORDINATE
INCLUDES ALL ITS HYPONYMS AND
ALL THE HYPONYMS ARE INCLUDED IN THE SAME SUPERORDINATE.
HYPONYMS WHICH BELONG
TO THE SAME SUPERORDINATE ARE CO-HYPONYMS TO EACH OTHER.
FOR EXAMPLE, FLOWER IS MORE
GENERAL IN MEANING,
THUS IS THE SUPERORDINATE TO ALL ITS HYPONYMS SUCH ASROSE,
CARNATION,
TULIP, VIOLET, SUNFLOWER, MORNING GLORY, LILY AND SO ON, AND
ROSE, CARNATION, TULIP, VIOLET,
SUNFLOWER, MORNING GLORY, LILY ARE CO-HYPONYMS TO EACH
OTHER.
Hypernym refers to a general term
(superordination).Hyponym refers to a more specific term
(subordination). The word meaning of a hyponym is included in
its hypernym.Co-hyponym refers to the hyponyms on the same
hierarchical level.Hyponyms, hypernyms, and co-hyponyms
have a multiple-layers relationship. The classification is based
on how many levels there are and what perspective you are
looking from, so to speak.
From Example we can say that:
From the perspective of the word robin, robin is the hyponym of

bird and bird is the hypernym of robin.However, if seen from the
perspective of the word bird, bird is now the hyponym of animal
and animal is the hypernym of bird.The same notion applies to
co-hyponyms. Bird & dog are co-hyponyms on their level; and
robin & parrot are co-hyponyms on their level.
5
What is an antonym?
Antonyms are words that have
opposite meanings. For example,
an antonym of day is night, and an
antonym of on is off. The term
antonym comes from antonymy,
which is the technical grammar
term for words that have
contradictory meanings—but you
can think of antonyms as
opposites. What’s the purpose of
antonyms?
Antonyms play an important role
in writing by making your words
more effective. Placing opposites
together highlights their
differences and makes the
individual words stronge
TYPES OF ANTONYMS
Complementary antonyms
Also known as binary antonyms or Relational antonyms
contradictory antonyms, complementary
Also known as converse antonyms,
antonyms are word pairs where the
relational antonyms play opposite roles in a
positive use of one means the negative
mutual relationship.
use of the other. examples:on — offreal —
fake For example, teacher and student are
relational antonyms: Neither can exist
Gradable antonyms
without the otherbuy — sellleft — right
Also known as polar antonyms, gradable
antonyms are opposite amounts of the
same quality. For example, far and near
are gradable antonyms because they are
opposite amounts of distance.new — old
hot — cold
7
HOMONYM
•The condition of being homonym is called

homonymy.Homonym are the words that have same
pronunciation but different spellings and meanings.
•Example:To,Too,TwoQuail(the bird), quail( to cringe).
Homonym sometimes lead to confusion,but they add
richness and diversity to language.There are different types
of homonyms based on their spelling and pronunciation.
Let's look at a few examples:1. Homographs: These are
words that are spelled the same but have different meanings
and may or may not be pronounced the same.
• For example:"Bow" can refer to a knot or to bend forward.
"Tear" can mean to rip or a drop of water from the eye.
8
HOMOPHONES
Homophones: These are words that sound

the same but have different meanings and
may or may not be spelled the same. For
example: “Flour” is a powdery substance
used for baking, while “flower” refers to a
plant. “Hear” means to perceive sound, while
“here” refers to a specific location.
9
EXAMPLE 2.
•Homophones: These are words that sound the same but

have different meanings and may or may not be spelled
the same. For example: "Flour" is a powdery substance
used for baking, while "flower" refers to a plant. "Hear"
means to perceive sound, while "here" refers to a specific
location.
•Polysemy is a linguistic term referring to the
phenomenon where a single word or phrase has multiple
related meanings. It derives from the Greek words poly
(meaning 'many') and sēma (meaning 'sign').The opposite
of polysemy is monosemy, which is when one word has
only one meaning.Polysemy is related to homonymy (one
word that has multiple meanings but is pronounced and/or
spelt the same). Head" can mean the upper part of the
human body, the top or front of something, a person in
charge, or the froth on top of a glass of beer. Bank" can
signify a financial institution, the land alongside a body of
water, or a set in a row (as in a "bank of lights").
10
CHARACTERISTICS
•Polysemy, a common phenomenon in language, has several key characteristics:
• Multiple Meanings:A polysemous word has more than one related meaning,
often connected by a common theme or concept.
• Semantic Relatedness: The different meanings of a polysemous word are
usually related to each other in some way, either through generalization,
specialization, metonymy, metaphor, or shifts in register or style
• Context Dependency: The intended meaning of a polysemous word often
depends on the context in which it is used. Contextual clues help disambiguate
between the various meanings.
• Ambiguity: Polysemy can create ambiguity in language, as a single word can
have multiple interpretations. Resolving this ambiguity often requires additional
context or k5.
• Productivity Polysemy allows language users to creatively use words in

various contexts and to express nuanced meanings. New meanings can
sometimes emerge over time through semantic shifts
• Cognitive Aspect: Polysemy reflects the cognitive flexibility of language users,
who can effortlessly navigate and understand multiple meanings of a word
based on contextual cues and their knowledge of language and culture.
• These characteristics make polysemy a fascinating aspect of language,
contributing to its richness and versatility in communication.
11
SYNONYMS
• Synonymy in lexical relations refers to the relationship
between words that have similar meanings. Essentially,
synonyms are words that can be substituted for each
other in a particular context without changing the
overall meaning of the sentence. For example, "big"
and "large" are synonyms because they convey a
similar idea of size.
•An example of synonymy in lexical relations is the
words "happy" and "joyful." Both words convey a similar
meaning of experiencing pleasure or contentment. You
can use either "happy" or "joyful" in sentences such as
"She felt happy after receiving good news" and "She felt
joyful after receiving good news," without significantly
altering the meaning of the sentence.
12
Synonymy in lexical relations is important for several reasons:
• 1. Variety and Precision in Language: Synonyms allow speakers and writers to choose from a
range of words to express their ideas more precisely or creatively. This variety adds depth and nuance
to language.
• 2. Avoiding Repetition: Synonyms help avoid monotony and repetition in language. Instead of using
the same word multiple times in a text, writers can use synonyms to maintain reader interest
• 3. Clarification and Understanding: Synonyms can aid in understanding unfamiliar words or
concepts by providing alternative words with similar meanings. They offer different perspectives or
shades of meaning, making it easier to grasp the intended message
• 4. Enhancing Communication: Synonyms facilitate effective communication by offering flexibility in
word choice. They allow speakers to tailor their language to different audiences, contexts, or stylistic
preferences
• 5. Enriching Vocabulary: Learning synonyms expands one's vocabulary and language proficiency. It
enables individuals to articulate their thoughts more precisely and elegantly, both in spoken and
written communication.Overall, synonymy enhances the richness, flexibility, and effectiveness of
language use in various communicative contexts.
13
Synonymy in lexical relations is commonly used in
various aspects of language, including:
1. Writing and Literature

2. Translatiom
3. Lexicography
4. Language learning
5. Academic and technical writing
14
THANK
YOU

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WHAT IS SENSE RELATIONS?

ONE POSSIBLE DEFINITION

From Example we can say that:

From the perspective of the word robin, robin is the hyponym of

•The condition of being homonym is called

Homophones: These are words that sound

•Homophones: These are words that sound the same but

• Productivity Polysemy allows language users to creatively use words in

1. Writing and Literature

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