Structural and Prototype Semantics

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers core concepts of structural and prototype semantics, including lexical fields, componential analysis, Aristotelian categorization, and prototype theory.

Structural Semantics

A language-internal approach that attempts to discover semantic properties of lexical units without taking psychological or extra-linguistic factors into account.

Lexical fields

A set of lexical units that belong to the same word class and have at least one specific semantic component in common.

Hyperonym

A lexical unit that represents a common semantic component shared by all members of a lexical field (e.g., 'building' for house, cottage, and palace).

Componential Analysis

The method of analysing meaning in terms of semantic components which are gained through contrasting meanings of lexical units within a lexical field.

Atomic (Semantic Component)

A semantic feature that is impossible to split up into further semantic components.

Recurrent (Semantic Component)

A semantic feature designed to cover the meaning of more than just one lexical unit.

Binary (Semantic Component)

A semantic feature that is describable in terms of $\text{+}$ or $\text{-}$ values.

Universal (Semantic Component)

A semantic feature that is applicable to all languages.

Synonymy (in Componential Analysis)

A total identity of semantic components and their $\text{+}$ or $\text{-}$ values.

Classical categories

Categories defined by necessary and sufficient features, resulting in clear-cut boundaries and equal rank among members; also called Aristotelian categories.

Necessary features

Features that all entities must possess in order to belong to a specific category.

Sufficient features

A set of features that, if possessed by an unknown entity, is enough to categorize it as a category member.

Prototype Theory

A theory of categorization where membership is a matter of degree and the meaning of a concept centers around its most representative or prototypical member.

Goodness-of-example ratings

A scale developed by Rosch (1975) from $1$ (very good example) to $7$ (very bad example) used to measure how prototypical an item is within a category.

Basic colour term

A morphologically simple word of native origin (e.g., 'blue') that is frequent, familiar to all speakers, and not restricted to specific objects.

Focal colours

The best, most typical examples of a colour (e.g., 'the reddest red') that speakers agree upon even when they disagree on category boundaries.

Family resemblance structure

A category structure defined by overlapping features among members rather than a single set of necessary features, characteristic of prototype categories.

Fuzzy boundaries

The blurred or unclear edges found in prototypical categories where membership is not strictly binary.