The description of word meaning 1 Some strategies used in

Structures and Varieties of Modern Spanish
The description of word meaning 1
The description of word meaning
1 Some strategies used in dictionaries to elucidate meaning
1.1 Using the same language
1.1.1 DEFINITION or PARAPHRASE
(1)
zampa: cada uno de las estacas que se clavan en un terreno para hacer el
firme sobre el cual se va a edificar
1.1.2 SYNONYMY (equivalence)
(2)
obscuro: sombrío
1.1.2.1 Do true synonyms exist?
Dictionaries can give the impression of synonymy through circular definitions, e.g.
(3)
odiar: aborrecer
aborrecer: odiar
But arguably no two words are exactly equivalent in meaning. Cf. Moliner, who uses a scale
(cf. 1.1.5) to compare aborrecer and odiar:
(4)
aborrecer:… Experimentar hacia algo o alguien un sentimiento que impulsa a apartarse de la
persona o cosa de que se trata y a desear su desaparición o que no exista. Es menos violento
que «odiar» y más apto para aplicarlo a cosas.
1.1.3 ANTONYMY (opposite)
(5)
malo: que no es bueno
1.1.3.1 Antonyms can be of various types:
Complementary terms (A implies NOT B): muerto / vivo
Gradable antonyms (A and B are on a scale which meets in the middle): lento / rápido
Reversives (A negates the effect of B): subir / bajar
Converse terms (involves reversal of roles): comprar / vender
1.1.4 HYPONYMY (inclusion in a set)
(6)
narciso: tipo de flor primaveral
1.1.5 Plotting on a scale
(7)
pardo: de color moreno más o menos obscuro
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Structures and Varieties of Modern Spanish
The description of word meaning 2
1.1.6 Context
The definition in (4) also makes use of contextual differences between the two verbs.
Sometimes the meaning of a word varies very obviously according to the context:
(8) ¡no toques!
touch
implied direct object
tocar el piano
play
tocar a la puerta
knock
toca en locura
border on
me toca jugar
be someone's turn
direct object which is a
musical instrument
prepositional object
(introduced by a)
prepositional object
(introduced by en)
infinitive subject; indirect
object
1.1.7 CONNOTATIVE meaning
Words which are apparently DENOTATIVELY synonymous may differ in CONNOTATIVE
meaning (which may often be construed as a function of linguistic context, REGISTER, or
other variable):
(9)
cara
rostro: (culto). «Faz. Fisonomía. Semblante». *Cara del hombre. Todas las frases hechas
formadas con «cara» pueden formarse también con «rostro»: ‘Echar en rostro, hacer
rostro, volver el rostro’. Pero van cayendo en desuso. Con verbos que denotan expresión,
como «alterarse, demudarse, desencajarse», es mucho más frecuente el uso de
«semblante» que el de «rostro». (Moliner)
jeta: (vulgar; en frases como «te voy a romper la jeta»). *Cara. (Moliner)
1.2 Using a different language
Sometimes, one language makes OVERT distinctions which in another language are COVERT
(10), or does not show the same kind of POLYSEMY (multiple meaning) (11).
(10)
Spanish
English
emisora
station
estación
season
(11)
Spanish
English
espalda
lomo
dorso
back
respaldo
revés
fondo
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Structures and Varieties of Modern Spanish
The description of word meaning 3
There may not be ISOMORPHY between the two languages (12):
(12)
Spanish
English
señora
lady
esposa
wife
mujer
woman
(13)
English
gleam
constant
intermittent
shine
Spanish
glow
relucir
sparkle flash twinkle glitter
refulgir
brillar lucir
resplandecer
relumbrar
centellear destellar
relampaguear titilar
(cf. the equivalences given in the Oxford Spanish Dictionary:
(14)
shine
brillar
gleam
lucir
glow
resplandecer
sparkle
relumbrar
flash
relucir
twinkle
refulgir
glitter
centellear
destellar
relampaguear
titilar
Sometimes meanings of words in one language can only be rendered periphrastically in
another:
(15)
Spanish
English
reír
laugh
(reírse tontamente)
giggle
(reírse por lo bajo)
snigger
(reírse con satisfacción)
chortle
carcajearse
(roar with laughter)
The description of meaning.doc
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Structures and Varieties of Modern Spanish
The description of word meaning 4
2 Other strategies
2.1 Using FEATURES of meaning
(16)
niño
niña
hombre
mujer
persona
anciano
anciana
sexo (m o f)
m
f
m
f
Ø
m
f
edad (j o v)
j
j
Ø
Ø
Ø
v
v
3 PARADIGMATIC and SYNTAGMATIC meaning relations
amable
(17)
simpático
(18)
torpe
un tío
los almendros
gracioso
florecen
en enero
aburrido
irónico
4 IDIOMS
(19)
lit. ‘cudgels’
lit. ‘ravines’?
a trancas y barrancas
‘with great difficulty’
5 ‘Grammatical’ meaning
(20)
Si:
Si estuviera aquí se lo preguntaríamos (conditional conjunction)
Si no vino fue porque no quiso (a kind of CLEFT construction?)
¡Si no lo sabía! (‘adversative’ clause marker)
No sé si vendrá (indirect question COMPLEMENTISER)
The description of meaning.doc
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Structures and Varieties of Modern Spanish
The description of word meaning 5
6 Is the word the basic unit of meaning?
(21)
a.
‘sing’
‘subjunctive’ ‘1st person plural’
cant + e + mos
b. ‘negative/privative’
‘stage’
‘past participle’
des + fas + ado
7 Form and meaning are not necessarily in a one-to-one relationship
(21)
Plural: Los dos niños españoles jugaban en la calle
Counterfactuality: Si hubiera venido se lo habríamos preguntado
Reading:
Batchelor, R.E., 1994. Using Spanish Synonyms (Cambridge UP)
Batchelor, R.E. & C.J. Pountain, 1992. Using Spanish: a Guide to Contemporary Usage (Cambridge UP)
Cruse, D.A., 1986. Lexical Semantics (Cambridge UP)
Leech, Geoffrey, 1981. Semantics: the study of meaning, 2nd ed. (Harmondsworth: Penguin)
Moliner, María, 1966-7. Diccionario del uso del español (Madrid: Gredos)
Moliner, María, 1998. Diccionario del uso del español, 2nd ed. (Madrid: Gredos).
Ullmann, S., 1957. The Principles of Semantics, 2nd ed. (Oxford: Blackwell)
The description of meaning.doc
Last printed 23/10/03