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Lecturer(s)
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Bennett Ľudmila, Mgr. Ph.D.
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Holan Marek, Mgr.
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Benešová Martina, Mgr. Ph.D.
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Kořenský Jan, prof. PhDr. DrSc.
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Vaculíková Petra, Mgr.
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Faltýnek Dan, doc. Mgr. Ph.D.
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Zámečník Hadwiger Lukáš, Mgr. Ph.D.
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Course content
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1. What is lexical semantics: investigation of the general situation and basic terminology definition of the term lexicology and lexical semantics, presentation of various possible classifications of theories and models, an overview of topoi in lexical-semantic research from the standpoint of theory of lexical meaning, the question of units of description 2. Oppositions, relations and lexical fields: structural semantics ? structuralism in lexical semantics ? content and method, relational approach to meaning, the question of delimitation and discreteness, reductionism 3. Component analysis of meaning: generativist and structuralist variant model of component analysis and its background in two types of approaches, the problem of defining language information and its various solutions, static and dynamic component model, the concept of system 4. Meanings, concepts and semantic primitives: anthropological and cognitive psychological approach cognitive-cultural and cognitive-formal approach to analysis of meaning, the topic of universality of units of meaning and their cultural transformation and specification, interactions between various domains of cognition from the standpoint of lexicon semantics 5. Metonymy and the possibilities of its formal processing the problem of (non)literality-figurativeness, the question of rules and system in generative description of meaning, possibilities of formalization, the problem of metalanguage 6. Syntagmatics of lexicon and the issue of meaning: corpus lexicology the concept of syntagmatics of lexical unit in relation to description of meaning the search for units, possibilities of automatic processing in usage-based approach, dynamics of meaning 7. Conceptual metaphor the concept of prototype/stereotype in cognitive semantics ? cognitive semantics as an example of encyclopaedic approach, the concept of fuzzy categories and prototype principles of categorization, radial categories, the question of metalanguage, the problem of polysemy 8. Semantics of frames and FrameNet case grammar and semantics of frames, representation of knowledge and the problem of unit of representation, frame model and its processing in corpus, the question of criteria and limits of semantic categories 9. Constructive approaches to description of meaning dynamic, iconically motivated, network models of meaning, theory of R. Langacker, construction of meaning in communication, the problem of sharing semantic representations and the subjectivity of meaning 10. The concept of text and the possibilities of its use in lexical semantics theory ? analysis of lexical-semantic representation from the standpoint of text theory, R. de Beaugrande and U. Eco, the problem of representation by means of scenarios 11. Relation between dictionary and encyclopaedia ? summary and expansion of the problem of the borderline between dictionary and encyclopaedia, general implications for construction of semantic models, the question of limits of linguistic description and its purpose 12. The relation between lexicological theory and lexicographic practice ? introduction to various applications of the aforementioned approaches in the practices of lexicography, limitations of lexicographic practice and possibilities of new media in creation of dictionaries, the question of thesaurus
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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Lecture, Dialogic Lecture (Discussion, Dialog, Brainstorming), Work with Text (with Book, Textbook)
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Learning outcomes
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The aim of the course is to acquaint students with several basic approaches to the issue of lexical meaning as it was formulated by several currents of research starting from mid-20th century until the present day. Based on lectures and commented reading of primary sources the manifold ways of understanding the collocation lexical meaning will be shown. The term "meaning" will be demonstrated as dependent on individual theories, whereas for each of them its basic assumptions, advantages and limitations will be shown and the most problematic places of conceptual clashes and controversies will be pointed out. It will be also demonstrated how structural semantics proceeded from simple oppositions to literary texts, giving thought to whether some meaning universals might actually exist, or asking which parts can be subsumed together under a certain theory and which have (so far?) proven elusive. The aforementioned comparison will serve not only as an illustration of development of a partial linguistic discipline, but rather also as a reflection of changes of form and goals of modern linguistics as such.
Students will have grasp of the basic and current themes of lexicology and lexical semantics They will be able to navigate the terminology and related theories They will master various techniques of analysing meaning and understand their theoretical background The will be able to perform basic operations on language corpus data
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Prerequisites
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Elementary reading knowledge of English.
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Assessment methods and criteria
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Mark, Oral exam, Student performance, Seminar Work
- regular attendance (80 %) - active participation in class and completing of assignments (required reading) - written essay - oral examination
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Recommended literature
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Cruse, A. (2000). Meaning in Language: an introduction to semantics and pragmatics. Oxford.
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Čermák, F. (2010). Lexikon a sémantika. Praha.
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Filipec, J. - Čermák, F. Česká lexikologie. Praha 1985..
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Geeraerts, J. (2010). Theories of lexical semantics. Oxford.
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Lyons, John. (1996). Linguistic Semantics: an introduction. Cambrdige.
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