What is Semantic Structure in Linguistics?

WHAT IS SEMANTIC STRUCTURE IN LINGUISTICS?

SEMANTIC STRUCTURE

The study of meaning and its manifestation in language is normally referred to as semantics. Shorter Oxford Dictionary explains the term relating to signification or meaning. Martin Gray defines, “The study of the meanings of words: How words express their meanings and how their meanings have changed in time”. David Crystal states,” Semantic is the major branch of Linguistics devoted to the study of the meanings in language”. The vocabulary of a language contains a number of “Lexical Systems” in semantic structure of which can be described in terms of paradigmatic and syntagmatic sense – relations, or name sense relationships which can be divided into six categories:

1): Synonymy

2): Antonymy

3): Hyponymy

4): Polysemy

5): Homonomy

6): Collocation

1): Synonymy

The simplest definition of this term is that a word with a meaning identical to that of another word. One sense in several names is Synonymy that is two items are Synonymous they have the same sense. Lexical items can be regarded as the Synonymous it they can be interchange without altering the meanings of an utterance. Example The study of meaning and its manifestation in language is normally referred to as semantics. Shorter Oxford Dictionary explains the term relating to signification or meaning. Martin Gray defines, “The study of the meanings of words: How words express their meanings and how their meanings have changed in time”. David Crystal states,” Semantic is the major branch of Linguistics devoted to the study of the meanings in language”. The vocabulary of a language contains a number of “Lexical Systems” in semantic structure of which can be described in terms of paradigmatic and syntagmatic sense – relations, or name sense relationships which can be divided into six categories:

The simplest definition of this term is that a word with a meaning identical to that of another word. One sense in several names is Synonymy that is two items are Synonymous they have the same sense. Lexical items can be regarded as the Synonymous it they can be interchange without altering the meanings of utterance.

i): I saw a madman.

ii): I saw a lunatic.

iii): I saw a maddy.

iv): I saw a insane.

2): Antonymy

Antonymy is the oppositeness in pairs of lexical items where the  assertion of one implies the denial of the other. For example, big and small, little and much, few and many etc. Oppositeness of meaning has one of the most important semantic relations. In many languages there are dictionaries of synonyms and antonyms.

3): Hyponomy

Hyponomy is frequently referred to as inclusion or classification. For example, a cat is a hyponym of animal, flute of instrument, chair of furniture and so on. In each case there is a super ordinate term with reference to which the subordinate term can be defined, as is the usual practice in dictionary definitions.

4): Polysemy

A term used in semantic analysis to, refer to a lexical item which has a range different meanings. E.g. plain= clear, unadorned, obvious. Opposed to Monosemy. A large proportion of language is vocabulary Polysemic. The theoretical problem for the linguist is how to distinguish Polysemy or polysemic. Another type of Polysemy is that created by metaphor e.g. “body, human body, heavenly body, body politic. Another example “head” human head, head of the department, bridgehead, head office etc.

5):Homonymy

A term used in semantic analysis to refer to lexical items, which have the same form but differ in meaning. For example, “bark meaning the noise, a dog make or skin of a tree.

6): Collocation

While we study the collocation the structure of the vocabulary can be defined as the association of a lexical item with other lexical items. For example ink collocates with words pen, paper, letter and note book. Another example climb collocates with mountain, hill, tree and park.

Conclusion:

Summing up, we can say that the vocabulary of a language contains a number of lexical items, which are used in divergent situation. This structure is also called Sense Relation. They are divided into six sole categories such as Synonymy, Antonymy, Hyponymy, Polysemy, Homonomy and Collocation.

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