Semantic Features vs. Prototypes

Semantic Features vs. Prototypes PDF Author: Thomas Glöckner
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
ISBN: 3638104028
Category : Literary Collections
Languages : de
Pages : 22

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Book Description
Studienarbeit aus dem Jahr 1997 im Fachbereich Anglistik - Linguistik, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (Institut für englische Philologie), Veranstaltung: Proseminar: Language and Psychology, Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: 1 Introduction According to Aristotle, every word is to be defined by naming its genus proximum and differentia specifica. The linguistic debate concerning the issue of word-meaning and its adequate description has split researchers into two opposing parties. Traditional linguists whose position is relatively close to Aristotle ́s idea favour a theory called Feature Semantics (hereafter FS) whereas many scientists rather support a more modern approach which can be labelled Prototype Theory (hereafter PT). The aim of this research paper is to describe and compare these two concepts. As a conclusion of the first (theoretical) part, it will try to show that the two approaches are not incompatible but that they even seem to function on a complementary basis. In the second (more practical) part, I will try to decompose the meaning elements of some verbs of selected English semantic fields and thus give an example for the use (and usefulness) of semantic features. [...]

Semantic Features vs. Prototypes

Semantic Features vs. Prototypes PDF Author: Thomas Glöckner
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
ISBN: 3638104028
Category : Literary Collections
Languages : de
Pages : 22

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Book Description
Studienarbeit aus dem Jahr 1997 im Fachbereich Anglistik - Linguistik, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (Institut für englische Philologie), Veranstaltung: Proseminar: Language and Psychology, Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: 1 Introduction According to Aristotle, every word is to be defined by naming its genus proximum and differentia specifica. The linguistic debate concerning the issue of word-meaning and its adequate description has split researchers into two opposing parties. Traditional linguists whose position is relatively close to Aristotle ́s idea favour a theory called Feature Semantics (hereafter FS) whereas many scientists rather support a more modern approach which can be labelled Prototype Theory (hereafter PT). The aim of this research paper is to describe and compare these two concepts. As a conclusion of the first (theoretical) part, it will try to show that the two approaches are not incompatible but that they even seem to function on a complementary basis. In the second (more practical) part, I will try to decompose the meaning elements of some verbs of selected English semantic fields and thus give an example for the use (and usefulness) of semantic features. [...]

Lie to me. Theory of semantic features vs. Prototype theory

Lie to me. Theory of semantic features vs. Prototype theory PDF Author: Cindy Härcher
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
ISBN: 3656538700
Category : Literary Collections
Languages : en
Pages : 20

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Book Description
Essay from the year 2012 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Linguistics, grade: 2,7, University of Bayreuth, course: Forensic Linguistics, language: English, abstract: “Parents lie to their children about sex to spare them knowledge they think their children are not ready for, just as their children when they become adolescents, will conceal sexual adventures because the parents won't understand. Lies occur between friends, witness and jury, lawyer and client, salesperson and customer. Lying is such a central characteristic of life that better understanding of it is relevant to almost all human affairs.” (Ekmann 2009:23) But what is a lie and which features make an utterance becoming a lie? Two possible theories for a semantic analysis of lie exist, one the one hand the theory of semantic features, and on the other other hand the semantic prototype theory. This paper will deal with a prototypical analysis of lie. At first both theories will be shortly explained and it will be explained why the prototype theory is more suitable for the analysis of, than the theory of semantic features. Then a prototype schema for lie, as well as a prototype analysis of lie will be given. To confirm the general prototype hypothesis, the prototype definition of lie, and other hypotheses that will be made, an experiment of Coleman and Kay will be explained and its results will be analyzed. To check and confirm the hypotheses of Coleman and Kay again, two fellow students and me did the same experiment within the context of our presentation about linguistic clues to lie detection. The expectations we had and the results will be presented and our results will be compared with that of Coleman and Kay.

Linguistic Categorization

Linguistic Categorization PDF Author: John R. Taylor
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199266646
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 325

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Book Description
This book provides a readable and clearly articulated introduction to an important area in the broader field of Cognitive Linguistics. Taking as its starting point the categorization of colour it explores the far reaching implications of Eleanor Rosch's seminal work on prototype categorization extending it's application of prototype theory from lexical semantics to the study of morphology, syntax, and phonology. First published in 1989 the third edition of this populat text has been fully revised and updated to include recent developments in Cognitive Linguistics. It introduces basic issues in the study of word meaning, and demonstrates the viability of the prototype approach to the study of phonology, syntax and acquistion. The new edition expands the treatment of polysemy, meaning relatedness, idioms and grammatical constructions The book presupposes no prior knowledge of linguistics and will therefore be particulary suited to undergraduate courses.

Linguistic Categorization

Linguistic Categorization PDF Author: John R. Taylor
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN:
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 336

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Book Description
BL With a new final chapter which brings the book up to date First published in 1989, this book explores the far-reaching implications of Eleanor Rosch's seminal work on categorization and prototype theory, extending the application of prototype theory from lexical semantics to morphology, syntax, and phonology. It provides a readable and clearly articulated introduction to the field of Cognitive Linguistics. For the second edition John Taylor has added a chapter which updates the book, particularly in its treatment of lexical semantics.

Ten Lectures on Cognitive Sociolinguistics

Ten Lectures on Cognitive Sociolinguistics PDF Author: Dirk Geeraerts
Publisher: BRILL
ISBN: 9004336842
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 342

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Book Description
Cognitive Sociolinguistics combines the interest in meaning of Cognitive Linguistics with the interest in social variation of sociolinguistics, converging on two domains of enquiry: variation of meaning, and the meaning of variation. These Ten Lectures, a transcribed version of talks given by professor Geeraerts in 2009 at Beihang University in Beijing, introduce and illustrate both dimensions. The ‘variation of meaning’ perspective involves looking at types of semantic and categorial variation, at the role of social and cultural factors in semantic variation and change, and at the interplay of stereotypes, prototypes and norms. The ‘meaning of variation’ perspective involves looking at the way in which categorization processes of the type studied by Cognitive Linguistics shape how scholars and laymen think about language variation.

Cognitive Reference Points

Cognitive Reference Points PDF Author: Elena Tribushinina
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 494

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Book Description


Meaning and Cognition - The Development of Categorisation, Concepts and Prototypes

Meaning and Cognition - The Development of Categorisation, Concepts and Prototypes PDF Author: Nadine Richters
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
ISBN: 3640140168
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 38

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Book Description
Seminar paper from the year 2008 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Linguistics, grade: 2,3, University of Hamburg (IAA), course: Seminar Linguistik: Semantics: Understanding the meaning of words and their combinations, 18 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: This term paper deals with the development of categorisation, concepts and prototypes in terms of cognitive psychology. In recent decades, prototype semantics has begun to gain an important role in linguistics and led to a pardigm shift. This is proved by research in cognitive psychology. People have a command of categorising, all times. Without the process of categorisation, our brain would be overstrained because the flood of information, the brain receives, has to be memorised and, thus, categorised, in a certain way. First of all, I will explain the importance of categorisation and concepts in everyday life, then I will introduce some forms of categorisations (Artistotle's traditional view and the prototype theory), explain them by giving examples, analyse and criticise them, insofar as I consider them critisisable. In section three I will describe the development of categorisation, concepts and prototypes with regard to childhood. One important question in this context will be whether prototypes are changeable in the course of life? The process of categorisation by having some concepts in mind, is an important factor in human existence. Human beings categorise what they perceive by comparing the perceived object with their mentally represented concept. All people think categorically because it helps them to establish a certainty and order. People need certainty and order, for not drowning in chaos. Without categorising, human beings would have to store the information of each single element which encounters him. Categories and concepts help us to understand the world, its elements and we establish a form of cohesive network by building up concepts and categori

Linguistics across Historical and Geographical Boundaries

Linguistics across Historical and Geographical Boundaries PDF Author: Dieter Kastovsky
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter
ISBN: 3110856131
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 1596

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Book Description
TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS is a series of books that open new perspectives in our understanding of language. The series publishes state-of-the-art work on core areas of linguistics across theoretical frameworks as well as studies that provide new insights by building bridges to neighbouring fields such as neuroscience and cognitive science. TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS considers itself a forum for cutting-edge research based on solid empirical data on language in its various manifestations, including sign languages. It regards linguistic variation in its synchronic and diachronic dimensions as well as in its social contexts as important sources of insight for a better understanding of the design of linguistic systems and the ecology and evolution of language. TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS publishes monographs and outstanding dissertations as well as edited volumes, which provide the opportunity to address controversial topics from different empirical and theoretical viewpoints. High quality standards are ensured through anonymous reviewing.

Cognitive Modeling and Verbal Semantics

Cognitive Modeling and Verbal Semantics PDF Author: Andrea C. Schalley
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter
ISBN: 9783110179514
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 472

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Book Description
This book presents a unique approach towards the study of verbal meaning. It develops a frame-work for capturing the semantics of verbs that is based on the Unified Modeling Language (UML), the lingua franca for the design and modeling of object-oriented systems in computer science. The new graphical framework combines formal precision with conceptual flexibility and allows the representation of very complicated details of verbal meaning, thereby offering a solution for different semantic problems such as polysemy and context-dependency. Besides the framework's development, the book contains a cognitive interpretation of important modeling elements, a discussion of general issues in connection with and well-elaborated applications of the framework. Since the framework is graphical in nature, the book contains many annotated figures, and the framework's modeling elements are illustrated by example diagrams. Not only scholars working in the field of linguistics, in particular in semantics, will find this book illuminating because of its new graphical approach, but also researchers of cognitive science, computational linguistics and computer science in general will surely appreciate it.

Semantics

Semantics PDF Author: James R. Hurford
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521289498
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 308

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Book Description
Introduces the major elements of semantics in a simple, step-by-step fashion. Sections of explanation and examples are followed by practice exercises with answers and comment provided.