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Synchronic and diachronic semantics
With regard to the semantically-oriented linguistic investigation, it may be carried from two
different points of view, namely, synchronic and diachronic. The division between these two
dimensions of investigation in linguistics was introduced by de Saussure (1959) According to de
Saussure (1959), synchronic linguistics is a perspective in the study of language which is
concentrated on the investigation at a specific point in time. In synchronic linguistics language is
studied without regard to the history, moreover, the investigation is taken regardless of the changes
which might have taken place through time. For instance, one may carry out a synchronic
description of the fifteenth century English, or the language of Shakespeare. Synchronic linguistics
focuses on the investigation of all elements in a particular language which take place
simultaneously, as well as relations holding between these elements.
Saussure's (1959) synchronic linguistics is subdivided into several branches. One of them is
synchronic semantics according to which several different approaches to the semantic interpretation
can be distinguished. The system of linguistic relationships holding between words, i.e. sense
relations is, as it was previously stated, syntagmatic and paradigmatic types of sense relations are
distinguished. Syntagmatic sense relations are usually recognized as certain effects caused by
putting together specific meanings, for example the anomaly, as in The stone is sleeping. or plastic
anxiety. Another example of the sense relations of syntagmatic type is pleonasm in which some
feature of meaning is felt to be redundant. Also in dental toothache the adjective dental is felt to be
unnecessary. When it comes to paradigmatic sense relations, there are several examples, such as
homonymy. It is a case when more than two lexemes are apparently identical but have meanings
which are not related. In other words, they are pronounced the same but have distinct meanings, as
in various senses of the English word bear which means an animal or to carry. When a particular
word has more than one meaning it is the case named polysemy. Another example of paradigmatic
sense relation, i.e. synonymy is a case when two (or more) words have similar meanings but are
formally different, they are the same denotationally but have different connotations. In such case the
meanings of words have to be distinguished through the context which indicates their connotations.
For example, spinster means the same as old maid, but formerly it was adopted as a formal, legal
term. When a word has opposite meaning to another word, it is said to be its antonym. Three types
of antonyms have been distinguished: graded antonyms (small-big), ungraded antonyms (singlemarried), as well as converse antonyms which depend on each other (wife-husband). Although a few
more sense relations of paradigmatic type have been distinguished, the relationships presented above
are the most essential ones.
(…)
… dictionary: canine quadruped (the OED), while its connotation might be `friend' For a further
discussion see Fromkin, Rodman, Hyams (2003:179-185).
Terms: contrast analysis and feature analysis can be used instead of componential analysis.
…
Linguistic Structuralism-main issues-opracowanie
Approaches to the study in the field of semantics
Structural Linguistics-opracowanie
Approaches to word meaning-classification-opracowanie
Types of Semantic relations-opracowanie
Philosophy of Psychology and Cognitive Science - wykład
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