The semantic structure of the word.

The levels of the analysis of the word:

· Sememic (on the level of the sememe – a separate meaning of a polysemantic word to depend);

· Semic (on the level of semes – separate components of meaning).

The field principle of the description of word meaning:

· The meaning is a system of components (semes), constituting a structure (sememe);

· All components of meaning are arranged into one functional language unit – sememe;

· The structure of meaning includes semantic components, belonging both to the same and different types;

· In the structure of the meaning macrocomponents can be singled out (denotative, connotative, grammatical, functional stylistic, phonosemantic, empirical, etc.);

· Macrocomponents are organized horizontally, microcomponents are organized vertically);

· There are semantic components belonging to nucleus and periphery;

· The nucleus is constituted by constant, essential, bright, and frequent semantic components;

· The semes of periphery add to nucleus and stipulate the semantic development of the word;

· The border between the semes of nucleus and periphery is indistinct;

· The semes that constitute one meaning can be repeated in other meaning, the semes of nucleus in one meaning can be those of periphery in a different one;

· Meaning can differ in some semes and coincide in others (synonyms, antonyms, hypo- and hyperonyms).

The term “seme” as a microcomponent was introduced by V. Scalicka. The seme reflects specific signs of the phenomenon, named by the word. Each seme consists of two main parts:

· semantic sign – the part of the seme, common with several other semes (round, oval, rectangular: shape; brown, white, red: colour);

· semic specifier – the part of the seme, specifying the corresponding semantic sign (red: colour+colour of blood; sound+intensity);

Semic specifier can be identical with the seme (brave: character+brave, young: age+young).

Semantic signs are closed (with antonymic semic specifiers age: young, old; physical strength: weak, strong; size: big, small. Two extremes: age: young, adult, elderly, old) and open (character: brave, tender, open, reserved).

Semi specifier can be

· of rational character (green –the colour of grass) or belong to the empirical component of meaning (golden hair);

· distinct ( big or small, animate or inanimate) and indistinct (beautiful or ugly, light or heavy);

· Absolute (girl – age, young) and relative (girl: younger than an old woman, older than a small baby girl).

Another component – the aspect of meaning – the total combination of semes, characterizing the object from one side: material, biological, temporal, spatial, constructive, social and psychological, functional, utilitarian, cultural, etc. (table, man, flower, theatre). Aspects are very important for understanding the combinability of words (green table – singing man – singing table). Due to the context a certain aspect with corresponding semes is actualized; several aspects can be actualized at the same time (The teacher distributed the books among students: material, spatial, social, utilitarian, functional).

The classification of semes:

· According to the system of language:

1) Usual – entering the systemic meaning of the word (statistics);

2) Occasional – do not belong to the systemic meaning of the word but are evoked in the context (lies and statistics);

3) Systemic – generally known to the whole collective of speakers (football);

4) Personal – existing in the individual language competence (fan).

· According to the capacity of differentiation:

1) Integral – common for the meaning of a group of words;

2) Differential – differentiate between the meanings of compared words.

· According to the degree of abstraction:

Within the integral semes it is possible to single out the archseme – the most common seme of an individual lexical meaning; it is autonomous; several archsemes can be singled out for each meaning (tie: a piece of clothes, a decoration, a piece of material).

· According to the degree of brightness:

1) Bright and weak (student: bright – study; weak – young).

Sometimes peripheral semes are bright (January – cold, gold – precious, mother – caring);

· According to the degree of explication:

1) Explicit – represented in the meaning directly;

2) Implicit – included in other semes.

· According to the character of meaning:

1) Assertive – rendering objectively the constant signs of the denotate (man: male, adult) an dispositional – assigned to the “perfect” denotate (man – strong; student – intelligent);

2) Distinct (white, black) and indistinct (age: young, old);

3) Positive (reflecting the sign existing in the denotate) and negative (the absence of a certain sign); a book/ a notebook.

· According to the relation to the act of speech:

1) Actualized and not actualized. The floor was painted brown. He was sleeping on the floor.Put the books on the floor