Lexical Relations

Presented by
Asst. Inst. Safaa A. Mohammed
Lexical Relations

The meaning of words can be studied in terms of their relationships with 

other words.
In every day talk, we often explain the meaning of words in terms of their 
relationship. For example, if we are asked the meaning of the word
''conceal'', we might simply say, ''it is the same as hide'', or meaning of
''shallow'', we say it is the opposite of ''deep''.
In this way, we characterize the meaning of each word, not in terms of it 
is component features, but in terms of it is relationship to other words.

This approach is used in the semantic description of language 

 1. Synonymy

Two or more words with very closely related meanings are called 
synonyms.
They can often, though not always, be substituted for each other in 
sentences.
In appropriate circumstances we can say : 
What was his answer? Or What was his reply?
Examples: 
Almost= nearly big/ large buy= purchase
Doctor= physician hard = difficult sweat= perspire
Sameness of meaning

The sameness of meaning is not necessarily ‘ total sameness’ 

There are many occasions when one word is appropriate in a sentence, 
but its synonymy would be odd. For example, answer and reply

Sandy had only one answer correct on the test.

Sandy had only one reply correct on the test. (odd)

Broad agreement ( not wide)

Wide world ( not broad)
2.Antonymy

Two forms with opposite meaning are called antonyms. some examples 
are:
alive/ dead
Big/ small
True/ false
Slow/ fast
Happy/ sad
Antonyms are usually divided into three types: 
2.1 Gradable Antonyms

Opposites along a scale 

They can be used in comparative constructions involving adjectives: 

I am smaller than you and slower, sadder, colder, shorter and older, but
luckily quite a bit richer.

The negative of one member of a gradable pair does not necessarily 

imply the other.
‘ My car is not old’ doesn’t have to mean ‘My car is new’
2.2 Non-gradable Antonyms
complementary pairs , binary pairs

They can no be used in comparative constructions. We can not describe 

someone as deader or more dead than another

The negative of one member on non gradable pair does imply the other 
member
My grandparents are not alive’ does imply ‘ My grandparents are dead’ 
Examples are: 

Male/ female
Married/single
True/false
2.3 Reversive Antonyms

One is the reverse action of the other 

Undress’ can be treated as the opposite of dress, it does not mean ‘’ not 
dress’’ .it actually means ‘ do the reverse of dress
An example is rise and fall if the temperature rises, this does not mean that 

something else falls!

Enter/ exit
Raise/ lower
Pack/ unpack
Up/ down
 3.Hyponymy

Hyponymy is a relation of inclusion. 

A hyponym includes the meaning of a more general word, for example, the 
meaning of 'dog' and 'cat' include in the meaning of 'animal',
and the meaning of sister and 'mother' include in the meaning of ' woman'. 
Thus, dog and cat are hyponyms of 'animal' and 'sister and mother' are
hyponyms of ' woman'.
Superordinate= higher level 
Two or more words that share the same superordinate term are co-hyponyms 
dog and horse are co-hyponyms and the superordinate term is animal