Polysemous Forms, Antonyms, Synonyms, Homographs, and how they affect speech performance in Tiv language
Polysemous Forms, Antonyms, Synonyms, Homographs, and how they affect speech performance in Tiv language.
Introduction:
Semantics play an important role in any given language, by assisting in the description of meaning in human language. Speech situations are laden with ambiguities, which occur either as antonyms, synonyms, homographs or polysemy. According to Varshney (1973:273) “polysemies are words with several, often quite different meaning, all derived from the basic idea or concept”. The Dictionary of Linguistics (1954) gives an example of the word ‘head’ being used in different ways as: ‘Human head’ ‘Head of department’ ‘Bridge head’ etc.
George Yule (2000:121) defines polysemy as “relatedness of meaning accompanying identical forms which can be defined as one form (written or spoken), having multiple meaning which are all related by extension. For example, an English word foot could mean different things: Foot of a person Foot of bed Foot of a mountain
Likewise run another English word can also be used in different ways. For instance; Persons run Water run and Colours run etc.
Edward (1994:302) consider polysemy as a term in linguistics for words or other items of language, with two or more sentences, such as ‘walk’ - in the child started to walk, and they live at 23 charge walk. It also refers to the fact of having several meanings; the possession of multiple meaning. Going by these definitions above, we come to realise multiple meanings, and as such polysemous words bring about ambiguity; even in Tiv language.
According to McArthur (1996:36) ambiguity (from 14th century Latin) refers to acting both ways, shifting, from ambi – both ways, agree; actum – to drive, act. Actual or potential uncertainty of meaning, especially of a word, phrase, or sentence can be understood in two ways.
Types of ambiguities lexical:
Most words are polysemous; for instance, dictionary meaning lists so many
Introduction:
Semantics play an important role in any given language, by assisting in the description of meaning in human language. Speech situations are laden with ambiguities, which occur either as antonyms, synonyms, homographs or polysemy. According to Varshney (1973:273) “polysemies are words with several, often quite different meaning, all derived from the basic idea or concept”. The Dictionary of Linguistics (1954) gives an example of the word ‘head’ being used in different ways as: ‘Human head’ ‘Head of department’ ‘Bridge head’ etc.
George Yule (2000:121) defines polysemy as “relatedness of meaning accompanying identical forms which can be defined as one form (written or spoken), having multiple meaning which are all related by extension. For example, an English word foot could mean different things: Foot of a person Foot of bed Foot of a mountain
Likewise run another English word can also be used in different ways. For instance; Persons run Water run and Colours run etc.
Edward (1994:302) consider polysemy as a term in linguistics for words or other items of language, with two or more sentences, such as ‘walk’ - in the child started to walk, and they live at 23 charge walk. It also refers to the fact of having several meanings; the possession of multiple meaning. Going by these definitions above, we come to realise multiple meanings, and as such polysemous words bring about ambiguity; even in Tiv language.
According to McArthur (1996:36) ambiguity (from 14th century Latin) refers to acting both ways, shifting, from ambi – both ways, agree; actum – to drive, act. Actual or potential uncertainty of meaning, especially of a word, phrase, or sentence can be understood in two ways.
Types of ambiguities lexical:
Most words are polysemous; for instance, dictionary meaning lists so many
References: India: Prentice Hall of India Private Ltd. 2003. Anyanwu, R. Juliet. Fundamentals of Phonetics, Phonology and Tonology. Germany: Peter Lang Publishers, 2008. Cruttenden, A. Intonation. Cambridge; Cambridge University Press, 1986. Dictionary of Linguistics, 1954. Minority Languages and Language Policy in Nigeria. Agbor: central book Ltd., 2004. Palmer, F.R. Semantics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1976. Radhey, Varshney. The Introduction to Linguistics and Phonetics. Bariley, 1973. Yule, George. The Study of Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002.