Lexicon is a system that exists in the mind of the speaker. The Ws divide the semantic space between themselves.
Thesaurus: Ws are grouped according to some common concepts.
Types of relations:
- Inclusion
Ü implies that the meaning of 1 word contains the semantic features of another word
- proximity (a kind of similarity – closest mngs, partially similar)
Ü similarity of meaning. Always partial. It leads to synonymy. Synonymic dominant is the central, most neutral & general term of a synonymic set.
- Opposition
Ü leads to antonymy.
- equivalence (strictly speaking doesn’t exist)
Ü implies full similarity of meaning.
Degree of proximity:
Proximity is always a matter of degree. There are cases when Ws share only 1 semantic feature (ex: red, green, father, son). The higher the degree is the more possible becomes synonymy.
- Denotations are the same, connotations are different
(ex: foe-enemy – dif.style; father-daddy – dif. emotive connotation).
- Denotations are close, but different, connotations are the same. The degree of proximity is lower.
(clever – intelligent)
