40 Questions
What is the primary task of linguistic semantics according to the view mentioned in the text?
Specifying the stored meaning representation associated with each lexeme in the mental lexicon
What is the approach to meaning that starts with a particular meaning and lists the various forms available in the language for its expression?
Onomasiological approach
What is the mental lexicon?
A collection of words and their associated meanings
What is the process of mapping ideas onto stored meaning representations in the mental lexicon called?
Accessing words
What is the approach to definition that starts with a language's individual lexemes and tries to specify the meaning of each one?
Semasiological approach
What is the primary objective of dictionary-writing or lexicography?
To put together a book that people can understand
What is the view of language that has been influenced by the dictionary model?
Language exists independently of individual will
What is the main difference between linguistic semantics and dictionary-writing?
One is theoretical, while the other is practical
What is the purpose of a dictionary, according to Landau?
To put together a book that people can understand
What is the view of language that is implied by the idea that language exists in the form of a sum of impressions deposited in the brain of each member of a community?
Language is a shared resource
What is the main difference between a dictionary and a thesaurus?
A dictionary lists words, while a thesaurus lists concepts
What is the main challenge in associating meanings with forms in language?
Determining the minimal meaning-bearing units of language
How are words typically defined in European languages with a well-established tradition of literacy?
By the spaces that surround them in standard orthography
Why is the definition of 'word' limited in languages that have only recently been written down?
Because they have a fluid practice of word division
What is the importance of understanding the principles of wordhood in language?
To decide what units to ascribe meanings to
What is the concept of semi-systematic correspondences between certain sounds and certain meanings referred to?
Semantic relations
What is the defining characteristic of idioms?
Their meanings are non-compositional
According to Aristotle, what are the two main interpretations of a definition?
It is a description of the word's meaning or the object's essence
What is the main difficulty with defining words by ostension?
It is limited to concrete objects
What is the term for defining a word by pointing out the objects it denotes?
Defining by ostension
What is the relationship between knowing a concept and its definition?
Knowing a concept is only possible through its definition.
What is the primary function of a definition?
To correspond with the way a word is used.
What is the implied relationship between a word's meaning and its definition?
A word's meaning is equivalent to its definition.
What is implied about the process of defining a concept?
It is a complex and difficult task.
What is the relationship between a definition and a concept?
A definition is a description of a concept.
What is the main issue with ostensive definition, especially when it comes to objects?
It is extremely problematic
What is the problem with defining words by providing synonyms?
It is always possible to challenge the identity between the definiens and the definiendum
Why can't verbs, adjectives, and prepositions be defined using ostensive definition?
Because they are not pointing at a specific object
What is the term for the metalanguage word proposed as the definition?
Definiens
What is the term for the object language word for which a definition is required?
Definiendum
What type of definition involves identifying a concept by providing a specific example?
Ostensive definition
What is the term for the process of defining a concept by identifying its genus and differentia?
Definition by genus and differentia
What type of definition involves defining a concept by providing a similar concept or word?
Definition by synonymy
What is the term for the process of defining a concept by identifying its relationship to other concepts in a particular context?
Definition by context
What is the primary question that needs to be addressed before defining the meaning of a concept?
What units need to receive definition?
What is the term for the process of defining a concept by identifying its essential characteristics and the category it belongs to?
Definition by genus and differentia
What type of definition focuses on the meaning of a concept rather than its reference in the real world?
Nominal definition
What is the term for the process of defining a concept by providing an example of it in a particular context?
Definition by typical exemplar
What is the main distinction between real definition and nominal definition?
Real definition focuses on the reference of a concept in the real world, while nominal definition focuses on its meaning
What are the four main questions that are addressed in the chapter on meaning and definition?
What units need to receive definition, what forms should the definitions take, can definitions be grounded in a set of semantic primitives, and what is the place of definition in semantics generally?
Explore the concept of mental lexicon and its role in linguistic semantics. Learn how it relates to word meanings and grammar construction. Quiz yourself on the theories of Saussure and Jackendoff.
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