Lexical Gaps

By Nour Assi
Course: English Morphology and Syntax – ENG 405
Semester: Spring 2020 – 2021
Instructor: Dr. Silva Shakkour
Outline
• Defining Lexical Gaps
• Illustrating Different Types of Lexical Gaps
• Explaining Semantic Gaps through Examples
• Solving an Exercise
 Defining Lexical Gaps

What are Lexical Gaps?

• A Lexical Gap occurs when a word does not
exist in a language although it theoretically
could.
• Lexical Gaps exist in every language.
 Defining Lexical Gaps

Why Do They Exist?

• Lexical Gaps exist because some concepts are not important or familiar enough
to need words for them. Words that would not be used are not created.
• The word “patruel” meaning the child of a brother or paternal uncle existed in
the older days because this position was important for succession in a kingdom.
Today, this term is not used anymore because it is no longer needed.
• New terms are coined to reflect concepts that are important today but did not
exist before, such as “to google”.
 Illustrating Different Types of Lexical Gaps

1.Phonological Gaps 2.Morphological Gaps 3.Semantic Gaps ! REMARK

Words that would sound Words that could exist Words that do not exist Some words do not
phonologically correct if according to the although their concept exist because they
does, or words that are
existed, but hold no morphological grammar of could not exist (are not
simply missing from the
meaning (Henum, lail, a language, but don’t vocabulary of a language. acceptable neither
gade). (ungood, languagize, These kinds of gaps cause phonologically nor
rewalk). the most trouble with morphologically).
communicating ideas and These gaps are not
also translating a language Lexical Gaps, they are
into another. This will be Systematic Gaps (grde,
explained later on. tkrd, mnjik).

Types Of Lexical Gaps

These are the three types of lexical gaps.
 Explaining Semantic Gaps through Examples

Examples of Semantic Lexical Gaps within the English Language:

The word “orphan” represents a child that lost his/her parents. However, there is no word that represents
parents that lost their child.
The word “lying” can represent the phrase “telling a lie”. However, the phrase “telling the truth” is not
represented by “truthing”.
The word “horse” represents both stallions and mares (male and female horses, respectively). However,
there is no term that represents both genders of cows and bulls.
 Explaining Semantic Gaps through Examples

Examples of Semantic Lexical Gaps during Translation (English vs. Arabic):

English Term Arabic Term

Uncle (paternal) ‫عم‬
َ
Uncle (maternal) ‫خال‬

Aunt (paternal) ‫ع ّمة‬

Aunt (maternal) ‫خالة‬

Prayer ‫دُعاء‬

Prayer ‫صالة‬
 Solving an Exercise

Is there a word for it?

Read the following sets and determine the word that best fills each blank. If there is no
word that fills the blank, answer with “Lexical Gap”.

1. ******, brother, sister.

2. ******, husband, wife.
3. Parent, ******, mother.
4. Cousin, ******, ******.
5. Cat, ******, ******.
 Solving an Exercise

Is there a word for it?

Answer key:

1. Sibling, brother, sister.

2. Lexical Gap, husband, wife.
3. Parent, father, mother.
4. Cousin, lexical gap, lexical gap.
5. Cat, tom, queen.
Cited References
• "Lexical Gaps in the English Language." Global
Language Services. 08 Feb. 2021. Web. 20 May
2021.
• Sankaravelayuthan, R. "Lexical Gaps in the
Vocabulary Structure of a Language."
Academia.edu. Web. 20 May 2021.