Semantic characteristic

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Semantic characteristics are the smallest units (components) of the meaning of a lexeme / word or morpheme . This is based on the idea that the meaning of a word can be broken down into components of meaning that can also be used to describe the meaning of other words. The words “queen” and “lioness” have the semantic attribute [female] in common.

The term semantic characteristic is a technical term used in linguistics , more precisely its sub-discipline of semantics, and was initially developed in structural semantics.

As Seme semantic features are a component analysis obtained.

General characteristics ( classemes ) that cross paradigms can also be obtained through abstraction.

Synonyms are “content component”, “semantic component”, “semantic constituent”; "Content figure" (Hjelmslev) or "figurae" (Hjelmslev), " Noem " and "conceptual feature". In English one speaks of semantic marker ; marker or semantic feature ; in French from trait sémantique or trait sémantiquement pertinent .

Justification of the term

The expression semantic feature was obtained analogously to the expression of the phonetic feature in structuralistic phonology . "In phonology the characteristic has its origin in the concept of privative (exclusive) opposition, ...". The phonological-structuralist origin means that semantic features are interpreted as binary, which is criticized.

Use of semantic characteristics

Semantic characteristics are used for semantic structure analysis :

  1. a single lexeme , its meaning being understood as a hierarchically ordered set of semantic features (feature bundles);
  2. several lexemes whose semantic relations are examined. The feature analysis serves, among other things, to uncover and avoid conceptual ambiguities ( disambiguation ).

On the status of the semantic characteristics

The dispute over the ontological status of semantic features is ultimately a universal dispute .

This dispute has its parallels in the dispute about whether and to what extent there is a link to a single-language lexic or semantic features "from an onomasiological perspective as non- single-language elements of a conceptual system, as interlingual noems, or conceptual components of interculturally comparable classifications".

In the latter case, a so-called universalism thesis is represented - among other things - which (in its extreme form) is summarized as follows. The following should apply:

“A) that there is a fixed set of semantic features that are lexicalized in all languages;

b) that the formal combination principles on the basis of which meanings are constituted from characteristics are universal;

c) that all lexical units of all languages ​​can be completely resolved into such features. "

criticism

The criticism of the theory of semantic features is directed against a (for it not mandatory) idea that semantic features are "static, context and variation-free". If this criticism is observed, however, the theory of semantic characteristics is considered “indispensable” for semantics.

Features in philosophy of science

Features are in the scientific theory in essential or unessential features divided, wherein said scheduling base generally out logical nature, d. H. is justified by special term analyzes. An essential characteristic is sometimes also called a necessary characteristic , an insignificant characteristic an accidental or accidental one . A feature is called distinctive or characteristic if it necessarily defines its term (e.g. “wetness” for “water”).

A distinctive feature ( differentia specifica ) distinguishes one term from others (see also: definition ).

Objects fall under a term because they have its characteristic (s) as characteristic (s).

See also

Web links

Wiktionary: semantic characteristic  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Hadumod Bußmann (Ed.): Lexicon of Linguistics. 3rd, updated and expanded edition. Kröner, Stuttgart 2002, ISBN 3-520-45203-0 .
  2. ^ Rehbock, Helmut: Semantic feature. In: Glück, Helmut (ed.): Metzler Lexikon Sprache. 4th edition. Metzler, Stuttgart / Weimar 2010.
  3. ^ Rehbock, Helmut: Semantic feature. In: Glück, Helmut (ed.): Metzler Lexikon Sprache. 4th edition. Metzler, Stuttgart / Weimar 2010.
  4. ^ Kühn: Lexicology. 1994, p. 47.
  5. ↑ Tscheu, Attribute, in: Martinet, André, (Ed.), Linguistik (1973), p. 176.
  6. ^ Rehbock, Helmut: Semantic feature. In: Glück, Helmut (ed.): Metzler Lexikon Sprache. 4th edition. Metzler, Stuttgart / Weimar 2010.
  7. ^ Homberger: Subject dictionary for linguistics. (2000) / Semantic characteristic: "Description of semantic relations of linguistic expressions"
  8. ^ Rehbock, Helmut: Semantic feature. In: Glück, Helmut (ed.): Metzler Lexikon Sprache. 4th edition. Metzler, Stuttgart / Weimar 2010.
  9. ↑ Lyons, reproduced by Lüdi, Zur Zerlegbarkeit von Wortscheutungen, in: Schwarze / Wunderlich, Handbuch der Lexikologie (1985), p. 64 (88)
  10. ^ Rehbock, Helmut: Semantic feature. In: Glück, Helmut (ed.): Metzler Lexikon Sprache. 4th edition. Metzler, Stuttgart / Weimar 2010.
  11. ^ Rehbock, Helmut: Semantic feature. In: Glück, Helmut (ed.): Metzler Lexikon Sprache. 4th edition. Metzler, Stuttgart / Weimar 2010.
  12. ^ Josef Speck: Manual of epistemological terms. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1980, ISBN 3-525-03314-1 .