英语词汇学课件chapter8MeaningandContext.ppt

Chapter 8Meaning and Context2021/8/141lContext refers to the words around a word, phrase etc., often used for helping to explain the meaning of the word, phrase, etc.l Context is of great importance for the understanding of word-meaning because the meaning is influenced immediately by the whole speech situation as well. Meaning lives in context and the context throws light on meaning. This chapter will discuss the relationship between meaning and context and the ways in which context affects the meaning of words.2021/8/1428.1 Types of ContextlContext is used in different senses. In a narrow sense, it refers to the words, clauses, sentences in which a word appears. This is known as linguistic context or co-text, which may extend to embrace a paragraph, a whole chapter and even the entire book. In a broad sense, context includes the physical situation where a word is employed. This is called extra-linguistic or non-linguistic context, covering the participants (addresser and addressee), time, place, and even the whole cultural background.2021/8/143l8.1.1 Extra-linguistic Context The non-linguistic situation can often exercise greater influence on the meaning of words than we realize, e.g. look out; trade union; landlord.l8.1.2 Linguistic Context Linguistic context can be subdivided into lexical context and grammatical context.2021/8/144l1) Lexical Context This refers to the lexemes that co-occur with the word in question. The meaning of the word is often affected and defined by the neighboring lexemes. For instance, paper has a number of meanings in the dictionary, yet in each of the following context, it conveys only one concept.2021/8/145l1) a sheet of paper (thin flat sheets of substance for writing, printing, decorating walls, etc.)l2) a white paper (government document)l3) a term paper (essay written at the end of the term)l4) today’s paper (newspaper)l5) examination paper (a set of questions used as an examination)2021/8/146l2) Grammatical Context In some cases, the meanings of a polysemant may be influenced by the structure in which it occurs. This is what we call grammatical context. Let us consider the verb become for example.2021/8/147(1) become + adj. /n (used as predictive), meaning ‘begin to be’, e.g. l1) Daydreams have become realities.l2) She became increasingly anxious about her husband’s strange behavior.(2) become + pron. /n (used as object), meaning ‘suit, befit’, e.g.l1) This sort of behavior hardly becomes a person in your position.l2) Sarcasm doesn’t become you.(3) become + of, meaning ‘happen to, often in a bad way’, e.g.lI don’t know what will become of us if the company goes bankrupt.2021/8/1488.2 The Role of Contextl8.2.1 Elimination of Ambiguity Ambiguity often arises due to polysemy and homonymy. When a word with multiple meanings is used in inadequate context, it creates ambiguity, e.g. He is a hard businessman. Homonymy is another cause of ambiguity as two separate lexemes share the same form, e.g.2021/8/149l(1) They saw her duck.l(2) The ball was attractive. Grammatical structure can also lead to ambiguity, e.g.l(1) The fish is ready to eat.l(2) I like Mary better than Jean. 2021/8/1410l8.2.2 Indication of Referents English has a large number of deictic(指示的) words such as now/then, here/there, I/you, this/that, which are often used to refer directly to the personal, temporal or locational characteristics of the situation. Without clear context, the reference can be very confusing, e.g. now.2021/8/1411l8.2.3 Provision of Clues for Inference of Word-meaning Context may prove exceptionally valuable in guessing the meanings of new words. In many cases, when a new word appears for the first time, the author generally manages to give hints, which might help the readers to grasp the concept or comprehend the idea. Context clues vary a great deal but can be summed up as follows:2021/8/1412l1) Definition Often we may find that the author gives formal definition immediately after the new term, e.g. Perhaps the most startling theory to come out of kinesics(身势学), the study of body movement, was suggested by Professor Birdwhistell.2021/8/1413l2) Explanation Sometimes the author might explain the idea in simple words. That is, he might make a restatement in known words, e.g. It’s just one more incredible result of the development of microprocessors ([计]微处理器)― those tiny parts of a computer commonly known as ‘silicon chips’. 2021/8/1414l3) Exemplification In some cases, the author may cite an example which is sufficient to throw light on the meaning of the term, e.g. Many United Nations employees are polyglots(通晓数种语言的人). Ms Mary, for example, speaks five languages.2021/8/1415l4) Synonymy Synonyms or synonymous expressions are frequently employed by authors to explain new words, e.g. Their greatest fear was of a conflagration(大火), since fire would destroy their flimsy wooden settlement before help could arrive.2021/8/1416l5) Antonymy Contrasting words or statements are also commonly used to explain unknown words, e.g. As the fighting on all fronts reached its peak, the economy neared its nadir(最低点).l6) Hyponymy Superordinates and subordinates often define and explain each other, thus forming an important context clue, e.g The village had most of the usual amenities(福利设施): a pub, a library, a post office, a village hall, a medical centre, and a school.. 2021/8/1417l7) Relevant Details In some cases, the author provides details in context which are related to the unknown word, such as the functions, characteristics, nature, etc. of the referent, e.g. In spite of the fact that the fishermen were wearing sou’westers(防水帽), the storm was so heavy that they were wet through.2021/8/1418l8) Schematic Knowledge There are cases where the key words and structures provided in the context help activate the reader’s schematic knowledge of the word to make sense of the unknown word, e.g. The fortune-teller was unable to prognosticate(预言) the events of the following week.2021/8/1419l9) Finally, the morphemic structure of words, especially compounds and derived words offers clues for inferring the meanings of unknown words, e.g. Copernicus believed in a heliocentric(日心的) universe, rather than in the geocentric(地心的地心的) theory.2021/8/1420部分资料从网络收集整理而来，供大家参考，感谢您的关注！。