Saussure's Theory of Sign
What is a Signe made up of?
A signe consists of a signifiant (sound/image) and a signifié (concept).
Define synonym:
It refers to words with similar meanings
Define Hyponymy and provide an example:
It is the case that shows the relationship between more general terms and the more specific instances of it, i.e.: meaning inclusion.
rose is a hyponym of flower
Metaphor is a cognitive process where one concept is understood in terms of another based on similarity.
What is Parole?
In contrast, parole refers to the concrete, individual instances of language use. It is the spoken or written expression of language, influenced by personal factors and context. Parole is the realization of langue in everyday communication.
Explain what an antonym is and provide a basic example:
It refers to words with opposite meanings.
Define Homophony and give an example:
They are words which have the same pronunciation but different spelling, and of course the meaning is different.
Example:
no / know, but / bat, whether / weather, etc.
Define Metonymy:
Metonymy is a cognitive process where one entity refers to another based on association or contiguity.
Difference between Signifiant and Signifie:
The signifiant is the sound-image or mental representation of a word.
The signifié is the concept or meaning associated with the signifiant.
Explain what a complementary antonym is and provide a basic example:
Complementary antonyms are mutually exclusive (e.g., alive/dead)
Define Homography and give an example:
They are words which have the same pronunciation and same spelling, but here different meanings.
Example:
left / left, tear / tear.
What are the parts of a Metaphor?
• Tenor (Topic)
• Vehicle (Comparison)
• Ground (Shared attributes)
Difference between Syntagmatic and Associative relations:
Syntagmatic relations are linear relationships between words in speech or text.
Associative relations are mental connections between words based on similarity in sound, meaning, or structure.
Explain what a graded antonym is and provide a basic example:
gradable antonyms exist on a spectrum (e.g., hot/cold).
Provide two more examples of homophony and their definitions:
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What is the difference between metaphor and metonymy?
•• Metaphor: Based on similarity; cross-domain mapping.
•• Metonymy: Based on association; within the same domain.
How does Language structure thought?
by organizing and categorizing amorphous ideas into distinct concepts.
Explain what a complementary antonym is and provide a basic example:
Refers to the pair of words that display symmetry in their meaning.
If X gives Y to Z, then Z receives Y from X
Thus, we can say that conversness allow the description of a single event from 2 different angles.
e. g. buy/sell
Provide two more examples of Homographs and their definitions:
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Define Synecdoche:
Synecdoche is a specific type of metonymy. In synecdoche, a part of something is used to represent the whole.
"Hands" = workers ("They are taking on hands at the factory.")