Sense Relations I: Synonymy & Hyponymy
TASK 1
ODD MAN OUT
Is there an ‘odd man out’ in each of these sets? What is it? What makes it ‘odd’?
(a) boot shoe sock sandal slipper
(b) cat moon spoon owl boat
(c) whale turtle stingray barracuda shark
(d) lemon banana raspberry pear plum
(e) James John Robin Andrew Marvin
TASK 2
a. The grass is green.
b. The grass is emerald.
In what way do these two sentences have the same meaning?
N.B. Sense relations (hyponymy, synonymy, etc. are relations between predicates and not words. Words are ambiguous; predicates are not.
TASK 3
Write down a sentence for each meaning of the word box
Box1 _________________________________________________________________
Box2 _________________________________________________________________
Box3 _________________________________________________________________
I HYPONYMY inclusion; ‘X is a type of/ kind of Y’
(4) (i) tulip, daffodil, chrysanthemum, rhododendron [hyponyms]
flower [superordinate]
(5) cousin nephew niece uncle aunt brother-in-law (?)
relative
Hyponymy = one-way relationship (asymmetrical)
= one-way entailment {}
6. Elephants, tigers and chimpanzees are mammals.
7. Mammals are elephants, tigers and chimpanzees.
Þ
8. (a) Stab pain in the back!
(b) Kick pain in the teeth!
(c) Hit pain head on!
[(d) Knock pain on the head!]
These were a series of ad campaign slogans for ‘Nurofen’ painkillers.
- What superordinate term could you supply here?
II. SYNONYMY sameness/similarity of meaning: ‘X is (like) Y’
Synonymy can be seen as a special case of hyponomy; i.e. SYMMETRICAL HYPONOMY
(i) = sameness of meaning.
(ii) = two-way (symmetrical) entailment {”}
If x is a hyponym of y, and y is a hyponym of x, then x and y are synonymous.
(iii) = mutual entailment
9. puppy : baby dog
10: kid : child
11. (a) Jules resembles Jim. (b) Jim resembles Jules.
12. (a) Julian is a carpenter. (b) Julian is a joiner.
13. (a) John kicked Bill on purpose. (b) John kicked Bill deliberately.
14. (a) Joe Kennedy was Jack Kennedy’s father. (b) Jack Kennedy was Joe Kennedy’s son.
15. (a) There is a bull in that field. (b) There is a male adult bovine animal in that field.
TASK
Are these sentences synonymous? i.e. Are they equally true under all conditions (states of affairs)?
16. (a) John Smith is a bachelor. (b) John Smith is not married. Yes/No
17. (a) John Smith is unmarried. (b) John Smith is divorced. Yes/No
Synonymy:- partial, near- and absolute Lyons: (1995: 60-5)
(a) absolute synonymy: = “fully, totally and completely synonymous”
“Two (or more) expressions are absolutely synonymous if, and only if, they satisfy the following three conditions:
(i) all their meanings are identical; = “fully synonymous”
(ii) they are synonymous in all contexts; = “totally synonymous”
(iii) they are semantically equivalent (i.e. their meaning or meanings are identical) on all dimensions of meaning, descriptive and non-descriptive.”
“completely synonymous”
(Lyons 1995: 61)
(b) near-synonymy
18. mist : fog;
19. brook : stream : beck
20. dive: plunge (examples from Lyons 1995: 60)
(c) partial synonymy = “non-absolute” (Lyons)
(a) toilet lavatory WC (public) conveniences
(b) loo bog
(c) powder room the smallest room
21. Excuse me, where’s the _______________ ?
22.Please leave the _____________ in the state in which you found it.
23.Don’t stick your head down______________________________
24. (a) I must thank you for the flowers you sent.
(b) I have to thank you for the flowers you sent.
III MERONYMY a part/whole relationship; ‘An X is a part of a Y’
‘A Y has an X / Xs’
Look at the ‘CAR’ example in Saeed (#3.47 on p. 70).
25. (a) A car has an engine/wheels/doors/windows.
(b) Fingers /a palm / knuckles are parts of a hand.
26. AIRPLANE
WINGS FUSELAGE ENGINES TAILPLANE
/ / \ \
CABIN AISLE SEATS TOILETS
- (a) An airplane has a fuselage.
(b) A fuselage has passenger seats.
(c) An airplane has passenger seats.
Meronymy v. hyponymy
- (a) An eye is part of the face. / Faces have eyes.
(b) The retina is part of the eye. / The eye has a retina.
(c) * A retina is part of the face. / * The face has a retina.
Contrast with this example of hyponymy.
- (a) Chess is a game.
(b) A game is a leisure activity.
\ (c) Chess is a leisure activity.
TASK
(a) Complete these:
30. The parts of a book include __________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
31. A house has ______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
(b) Note which of the meronyms you have listed are (I) necessary; (ii) usual; (iii) optional.
Workshop
TASK 1 (Hyponymy)
Write out the relationship (hyponym; superordinate) in the following:
(iii) animal : dog
________________________ ____________________________
(iv) crimson : red
________________________ _____________________________
(v) get : buy
________________________ ______________________________
TASK 2 (Synonymy)
Is ‘absolute synonymy’ (Lyons) actually realized? (N.B. It is logically possible)
(a) big large great
Think of as many collocations with these three terms which will exclude at least one of the terms
Now, do the same with: (b) end / finish (c) start / begin (d) almost / nearly
TASK 3 (Meronymy)
- Which of these lexical items are meronyms of ‘a university’?
- Are the meronyms necessary or optional?
If Yes, Necessary or Optional?
- A medical school Y / N
- a museum Y / N
- faculties Y / N
- playing fields Y / N
- lecture theatres Y / N
- staircases Y / N
- computer labs Y / N
(b) Add a couple of necessary and optional meronyms to this