Meaning

The branch of lexicology, devoted to the study of meaning is known as semasiology.

Meaning is one of the most difficult problems in the theory of language all linguists agree that word-meaning is made up from various components. There are 2 types of meaning-grammatical and lexical.

Grammatical meanings of nouns are the meaning of plurality, case, the grammatical meanings of verbs are the ones of different tenses, voice (active and passive).

Lexical meaningof words consist of some components:

1) denotational meaning, the basis of which is some notion. The denotational meaning consists of semis, the smallest elements of meaning,

2) connotational meaning:

- emotive charge - the amount of emotion which a word has; it is an objective semantic feature proper to the words as linguistic units,

- stylistic reference.

Not all English words have emotive charge. It is present in

1) emotional words (denoting different emotions and feelings): love, like, girlie, hatred, etc.

2) in some synonyms: large, big, tremendous, huge.

The emotive charge varies in different parts of speech. In interjections it prevails (they don't name anything but only express feelings of a speaker),

alas! - уныние, увы

gosh – удивление

 

oh, ah, dear me - a general feeling

Some nouns, Prepositions, conjunctions don't have emotive charge: table, pen, window, liver, hand etc.; into, out, but, etc.

Emotive charge should not be confused with emotive implication.It is subjective and devoid of any emotional element. It is what an individual feels pronouncing words without emotive charge. Eg.: exam, hospital, football.

All Words have stylistic reference. Stylistics distinguishes 3 stylistic layers: neutral, colloquial and bookish (literary).

Neutral wordscomprise the majority of the English vocabulary, they are used in both literary and colloquial language. Eg.: to begin, to open, to come, doctor, teacher, etc.

Literary wordsare mainly used in writing and in polished speech: Eg. to proceed (n. to continue), to participate (n. to take part), endeavour (n. a try), all term of different branches of science (medicine included) are literary words: hepatitis, cyctitis, etc.

The colloquial wordsinclude:

1) common colloquial words: to get, go ahead, come on, kid,

2) slang-words that are regarded as violation of the norms of standard English. Eg. dirt (money), dotty (mad), sleeper (a course of lectures), blade (surgeon), ax(e) (surgeon), to box (to die), etc.

3) jargonisms, i.e. words used within a particular social group and having a secret character. Jargonism are usually old words with entirely new meanings imposed on them: bread (money), acid (drug), horse (heroin), bin (a mad house), charley (лопух), heavy cream (толстушка), etc.