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Questions and Answers
What are polysemous words?
What are polysemous words?
Words that possess two or more related senses.
What are homonyms?
What are homonyms?
Words that possess two or more unrelated meanings.
How are polysemous words distinguished from homonyms in dictionaries?
How are polysemous words distinguished from homonyms in dictionaries?
Polysemous words are given one single entry based on their etymology and core meaning, while each homonym receives a separate entry.
What is the difference between homographs and homophones?
What is the difference between homographs and homophones?
What are prototypical homonyms?
What are prototypical homonyms?
What is the definition of polysemy?
What is the definition of polysemy?
Can a word be both polysemous and a homonym?
Can a word be both polysemous and a homonym?
What is the difference between homonymy and polysemy, and why is it sometimes arbitrary?
What is the difference between homonymy and polysemy, and why is it sometimes arbitrary?
What are the two meanings of the word 'gay'?
What are the two meanings of the word 'gay'?
Which of the two meanings of 'gay' came first?
Which of the two meanings of 'gay' came first?
Are the two meanings of 'gay' considered distinct by all English speakers?
Are the two meanings of 'gay' considered distinct by all English speakers?
What is the definition of homonymy?
What is the definition of homonymy?
What is the definition of polysemy?
What is the definition of polysemy?
Why is the distinction between homonymy and polysemy important?
Why is the distinction between homonymy and polysemy important?
Polysemous words possess two or more ______ senses
Polysemous words possess two or more ______ senses
Homonyms possess two or more ______ meanings
Homonyms possess two or more ______ meanings
Homonyms receive a separate entry in dictionaries because they have arisen from different ______ sources
Homonyms receive a separate entry in dictionaries because they have arisen from different ______ sources
Homographs are associated with the same ______ form but different spoken form
Homographs are associated with the same ______ form but different spoken form
Homophones are pronounced the same, but have different ______ form
Homophones are pronounced the same, but have different ______ form
When a word has multiple meanings that are related ______ or historically, it is said to be polysemous
When a word has multiple meanings that are related ______ or historically, it is said to be polysemous
Prototypical homonyms are identical in both ______ and written forms
Prototypical homonyms are identical in both ______ and written forms
The distinction between homonymy and polysemy is in many cases rather arbitrarily drawn and may differ in speakers’ ______.
The distinction between homonymy and polysemy is in many cases rather arbitrarily drawn and may differ in speakers’ ______.
For many speakers, the two senses of the word 'gay' are quite distinct, and they may seem like ______ to some English speakers.
For many speakers, the two senses of the word 'gay' are quite distinct, and they may seem like ______ to some English speakers.
The adjective 'gay' has two meanings: 'lively, light-hearted, bright' and ______.
The adjective 'gay' has two meanings: 'lively, light-hearted, bright' and ______.
The latter meaning of the word 'gay' was derived from the former ______ in recent history.
The latter meaning of the word 'gay' was derived from the former ______ in recent history.
The distinction between homonymy and polysemy can be ______ at times.
The distinction between homonymy and polysemy can be ______ at times.
The two senses of the word 'gay' may differ in some speakers’ intuition, but they are considered ______ by all English speakers.
The two senses of the word 'gay' may differ in some speakers’ intuition, but they are considered ______ by all English speakers.
Polysemous words always have a shared core meaning.
Polysemous words always have a shared core meaning.
The adjective 'gay' is an example of a word that is both ______ and polysemous.
The adjective 'gay' is an example of a word that is both ______ and polysemous.
Homonyms always have unrelated meanings.
Homonyms always have unrelated meanings.
Homographs are pronounced the same but have different written forms.
Homographs are pronounced the same but have different written forms.
Homophones are associated with the same written form but different spoken forms.
Homophones are associated with the same written form but different spoken forms.
The word 'lead' is an example of a homograph.
The word 'lead' is an example of a homograph.
A word cannot be both polysemous and a homonym.
A word cannot be both polysemous and a homonym.
The word 'diamond' is an example of a polysemous word.
The word 'diamond' is an example of a polysemous word.
Is the distinction between homonymy and polysemy always clear and consistent in speakers' intuition?
Is the distinction between homonymy and polysemy always clear and consistent in speakers' intuition?
Can the two meanings of 'gay' be considered homonyms by some English speakers?
Can the two meanings of 'gay' be considered homonyms by some English speakers?
Did the meaning 'homosexual' derive from the meaning 'lively, light-hearted, bright' in recent history?
Did the meaning 'homosexual' derive from the meaning 'lively, light-hearted, bright' in recent history?
Do all English speakers consider the two senses of 'gay' to be distinct?
Do all English speakers consider the two senses of 'gay' to be distinct?
Are homonyms and polysemous words always mutually exclusive?
Are homonyms and polysemous words always mutually exclusive?
Is the arbitrary distinction between homonymy and polysemy drawn differently by different speakers?
Is the arbitrary distinction between homonymy and polysemy drawn differently by different speakers?
Is the adjective 'gay' an example of a word that is only homonymous, but not polysemous?
Is the adjective 'gay' an example of a word that is only homonymous, but not polysemous?
What is the main difference between homonymy and polysemy?
What is the main difference between homonymy and polysemy?
What is an example of a homonymous word?
What is an example of a homonymous word?
What is an example of a polysemous word?
What is an example of a polysemous word?
What is the derived meaning of the word 'gay'?
What is the derived meaning of the word 'gay'?
Why do homonyms receive a separate entry in dictionaries?
Why do homonyms receive a separate entry in dictionaries?
Why might the two meanings of 'gay' seem like homonyms to some English speakers?
Why might the two meanings of 'gay' seem like homonyms to some English speakers?
What is the difference between homonymy and polysemy according to speakers' intuition?
What is the difference between homonymy and polysemy according to speakers' intuition?
What is the main difference between polysemous words and homonyms?
What is the main difference between polysemous words and homonyms?
What is the difference between homographs and homophones?
What is the difference between homographs and homophones?
What is a prototypical homonym?
What is a prototypical homonym?
What is the criteria used by dictionaries to distinguish between polysemous words and homonyms?
What is the criteria used by dictionaries to distinguish between polysemous words and homonyms?
What is an example of a homonym?
What is an example of a homonym?
What is the difference between homonyms and polysemous words in terms of entries in dictionaries?
What is the difference between homonyms and polysemous words in terms of entries in dictionaries?
What is an example of a polysemous word?
What is an example of a polysemous word?
Flashcards
Polysemous words
Polysemous words
Words that possess two or more related senses.
Homonyms
Homonyms
Words that possess two or more unrelated meanings.
How are polysemous words distinguished from homonyms?
How are polysemous words distinguished from homonyms?
Polysemous words are given one single entry based on their etymology and core meaning, while each homonym receives a separate entry.
Difference between homographs and homophones?
Difference between homographs and homophones?
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Prototypical homonyms
Prototypical homonyms
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Define polysemy.
Define polysemy.
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Can a word be both polysemous and a homonym?
Can a word be both polysemous and a homonym?
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Difference between homonymy and polysemy?
Difference between homonymy and polysemy?
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Why is the distinction between homonymy and polysemy sometimes arbitrary?
Why is the distinction between homonymy and polysemy sometimes arbitrary?
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Two meanings of the word 'gay'?
Two meanings of the word 'gay'?
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Which meaning of 'gay' came first?
Which meaning of 'gay' came first?
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Study Notes
Polysemy and Homonymy
- Polysemous words are words that have multiple related senses or meanings that are historically or conceptually connected.
- Homonyms are words that have two or more unrelated meanings, often with different origins or sources.
- Polysemous words possess two or more related senses, while homonyms possess two or more unrelated meanings.
- In dictionaries, polysemous words are listed under a single entry, while homonyms receive separate entries because they have arisen from different sources.
Homographs and Homophones
- Homographs are words that are associated with the same written form but have different spoken forms and meanings.
- Homophones are words that are pronounced the same but have different written forms and meanings.
Examples and Distinctions
- The adjective 'gay' is an example of a word that is both polysemous and a homonym, with two meanings: 'lively, light-hearted, bright' and 'homosexual'.
- The two meanings of 'gay' may differ in some speakers' intuition, but they are considered distinct by all English speakers.
- The distinction between homonymy and polysemy can be arbitrary and may differ in speakers' intuition.
- Polysemous words always have a shared core meaning, while homonyms always have unrelated meanings.
Key Concepts
- Prototypical homonyms are identical in both spoken and written forms.
- The criteria used by dictionaries to distinguish between polysemous words and homonyms is whether the word has multiple related senses or unrelated meanings.
- The main difference between homonymy and polysemy is that homonyms have unrelated meanings, while polysemous words have related senses.
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Description
Test your knowledge of polysemy and homonymy with this quiz! Learn about the differences between these two semantic phenomena and how they are distinguished in dictionaries. Keywords: language, semantics, polysemy, homonymy, dictionaries.
