lexis and semantics

Denotation

The literal, dictionary definition of a word.

What is the connotative meaning of a word?

The associated or emotional meaning a word carries, beyond its literal definition.

What is a semantic field?

A group of words related by meaning or topic (e.g. “heart,” “pulse,” “surgery” – medicine field).

What is a synonym?

A word that has a similar meaning to another (e.g. “happy” and “joyful”).

What is an antonym?

A word with the opposite meaning to another (e.g. “hot” and “cold”).

What is a hypernym?

A general category word that includes other specific items (e.g. “animal” is a hypernym of “dog”).

What is a hyponym?

A specific word within a category (e.g. “banana” is a hyponym of “fruit”).

What is figurative language?

Non-literal language used to create imagery (e.g. simile, metaphor).

Name four ways new words are formed.

Blending, compounding, acronyms, and eponyms.

Name five types of semantic change.

Broadening, narrowing, amelioration, pejoration, semantic reclamation.

Occupational Register

Technical vocabulary used in a specific occupation or field.

Example: Medical register: “anaesthesia,” “diagnosis,” “scalpel”

Proper Noun

A specific name for a particular person, place, or thing.

Example: Emily, Paris, Microsoft

Abstract Noun

A noun denoting an idea, quality, or state.

Example: love, freedom, sadness

Concrete Noun

A noun denoting something tangible or physical.

Example: table, apple, car

Collective Noun

A noun referring to a group of people, animals, or things.

Example: team, flock, bunch

Dynamic Verb

A verb expressing an action that can be progressive or ongoing.

Example: run, jump, eat

stative verb

Stative Verb

Definition: A verb expressing a state or condition that is stable or unlikely to change.

Example: know, believe, own

Auxiliary Verb

A verb used alongside the main verb to express tense, mood, or voice.

Example: have, be, do (as in have eaten, is running)

Modal Verb

A verb expressing modality like ability, permission, or necessity.

Example: can, must, might

Epistemic Modal Verb

A modal verb expressing probability or certainty about a situation.

Example: might, could, must (e.g., She must be home by now.)

Deontic Modal Verb

A modal verb expressing obligation, permission, or necessity.

Example: must, should, may (e.g., You must finish your homework.)

Base Adjective

The simplest form of an adjective, used for comparison.

Example: big, small, fast

Superlative Adjective

An adjective showing the highest degree of a quality.

Example: biggest, smallest, fastest

Comparative Adjective

An adjective showing comparison between two things.

Example: bigger, smaller, faster

Pre-modifying Adjective

An adjective placed before a noun to describe it.

Example: a red car

Post-modifying Adjective

An adjective placed after a noun, often with a linking verb.

Example: The car red in colour is mine.

Adverb of Frequency

An adverb describing how often an action happens.

Example: always, often, rarely

Adverb of Time

An adverb describing when something happens.

Example: now, yesterday, soon

Adverb of Place

An adverb describing where something happens.

Example: here, there, outside

Adverb of Manner

An adverb describing how something is done.

Example: quickly, badly, carefully

Adverb of Degree

An adverb showing the intensity or extent of something.

Example: very, really, extremely

Adverb of Reason

An adverb explaining why something happens.

Example: therefore, because, hence

Preposition

A word that relates nouns/pronouns to other words, showing position, time, or direction.

Example: in, on, at, by

Determiner

A word placed before a noun to clarify reference or quantity.

Example: the, a, some, each

Correlative Conjunction

Paired conjunctions used together to join equal sentence elements.

Example: both…and, either…or

Coordinating Conjunction

A conjunction joining words, phrases, or clauses of equal importance.

Example: and, but, or (FAN BOYS)

Subordinating Conjunction

A conjunction joining a dependent clause to a main clause.

Example: because, although, if

Pronoun

A word that replaces a noun to avoid repetition.

Example: he, she, it, they

First Person Pronoun

A pronoun referring to the speaker/writer.

Example: I, we

Second Person Pronoun

A pronoun referring to the listener/reader.

Example: you

Third Person Pronoun

A pronoun referring to people or things being spoken about.

Example: he, she, they

Personal Pronoun

A pronoun referring to specific people or things.

Example: I, you, he, she, it, we, they

Possessive Pronoun

A pronoun showing ownership.

Example: mine, yours, his, hers

Relative Pronoun

A pronoun that introduces a relative clause.

Example: who, which, that

Definite Article

The article the, used to specify a particular noun.

Example: the book

Indefinite Article

Articles a and an, used for non-specific nouns.

Example: a dog, an apple

Colloquial Language

Informal language used in everyday conversation.

Example: gonna, wanna