X 4 lectures The meaning systems of English words x 4 lectures Morphosyntax Interdependence of word...

The meaning systems of English words

x 4 lecturesx 4 lectures

• Morphosyntax

• Interdependence of word meanings and context• Identification of semantic rules & their exceptions• Chinese-speaking learners’ approaches to

understanding English words

Lexis, Morphology & Semantics for English Language Teaching

The meaning systems of English words 1:

Grammatical meaning

The meaning systems of English words 1

• Word meaning– a word’s inflected forms grammatical “?meanings?”( “open” word classes: grammatical “?meaning?” of inflectional suffixes )– “closed” word classes: grammatical “?meanings?” of function words( function words & their grammatical forms: the functions that these “?meant?” )

• Morpho-syntactic markers of word meaning– number: singular, plural; count, mass– (natural) gender: male, female, neuter– person: first, second, third; animate, inanimate– tense: present, past, “?future?”– aspect: perfective, imperfective, prospective, progressive– voice: active, passive, middle

• Other “morpho-syntactic” characteristics of word meaning- adjective: attributive, predicative- the dative shift- selectional restrictions or preferences (semantic rules)

Colourless green ideas

sleep furiously.What does each of these words

above mean to you?

Picture this picture of pictures picturing pictures within a picture.

What does each of these words above mean to you?


Closed word classes

function words / grammatical words


Closed word classes

function words (also called grammatical words)

vs

( content wordsi.e. words that can be inflected, and

that are related to various word-formation processessuch as derivation & compounding)

Colourless green ideas

sleep furiously.function words OR content words

closed-class OR open-class

Picture this picture of pictures picturing

pictures within a picture.

function words OR content words

closed-class OR open-class


Closed word classes


? ? vs ? ? (?clear boundary?)

( content wordsi.e. words related to

inflection andvarious word formation processes)



? ? vs ??

( content wordsi.e. words related to

inflection and variousword formation processes)

express“grammatical” functions(esp. word order in the sentence)

““?”?”

express

word meanings / senses(also categorial &

other types of meaning)


The “meaning” of:

closed vs open classes

=??=

function vs content words

=??=

grammatical vs non-grammatical words


Closed word classes(function words / grammatical words):


Closed word classes(function words / grammatical words):– pronoun: I, you, he/she/it, we, you, they;

(me, you, him/her/it, us, you, them)(mine, yours, his/hers, ours, yours, theirs)

How many pronouns above?




II shot themthem.TheyThey were shot by meme.




( ?me shot they )

II shot themthem.TheyThey were shot by meme.

( ?them were shot by I )




– determiner:a/an, the;my, your, his/her/its, our, your,

their; this/these, that/those;one/two/three, first/second/third;some, several, few, many, etc;




– determiner:a / an, the;my, your, his/her/its, our, your,

their; this/these, that/those;one/two/three, first/second/ third;some, several, few, many, etc;

– preposition: to, from, on, in, below, under, etc– conjunction: and, or, but, that, so, if, though, etc




– determiner:a/an, the;my, your, his/her, its, our, your,

their; this/these, that/those;one/two/three, first/second/third;some, several, few, many, etc;

– ?preposition: ?preposition: to, from, on, in, below, under, etcto, from, on, in, below, under, etc– conjunction: and, or, but, that, so, if, though, etc


Open word classes(content words):

– noun– verb– adjective– adverb (a kind of adjectives? a not so open class?)



– noun– verb– adjective– adverb (a kind of adjectives? a not-so-open class?)

adjectives to modify the “thing-ness”of nouns





adverbs to modify the “descriptive-ness”

of adjectives






(adjectives for adjectives) of adjectives

adverbs to modify the “action-ness”(adjectives for verbs) of verbs


Colourless green ideas sleep furiously.



(adjectives for adjectives) of adjectives

adverbs to modify the “action-ness”(adjectives for verbs) of verbs


The number system in English (1):• singular = one• plural = more than one

( number marker: the suffix / morpheme -s )



( number marker: the suffix / morpheme -s )

(Number system in some languages other than English:–dual = two–trial = three–paucal = a few

In English, the conversation below would sound odd: Customer: How much does this radio cost? Salesman: ?? A few hundred dollars. )



(number marker: the suffix -s / morpheme {-s})__ /s/ e.g. flowers, turtles

__ /es/ e.g. bosses, dishes, foxes

( __/f/ ) __/v/ + /es/ e.g. calves, shelves, wolves

( __/y/) __/i/ + /es/ e.g. cities, societies

__ // e.g. deer, fish, sheep

(__/oo/__ ) __/ee/__ // e.g. feet, geese, teeth

(__/ous/__) __/ic/__ // e.g. lice, mice

__ /(r)en/ e.g. oxen, children, brethren


The number system in English (2):

• count noun:–The dog wears glasses.– Dogs wear glasses.– A few / Many dogs wear glasses.



• count noun:–The dog wears glasses.– Dogs wear glasses.– A few / Many dogs wear glasses.

• mass noun:–Sugar tastes sweet.–The sugars taste sweet.–a little / much sugar



• count:–The dog wears glasses. (??Dog wears glasses)– Dogs wear glasses.– A few / Many dogs wear glasses.



• count:–The dog wears glasses. (??Dog wears glasses)– Dogs wear glasses.– A few / Many dogs wear glasses.– (but:) a lot of / way too much / far too much dog for this flat




• mass:–Sugar tastes sweet.–The sugars taste sweet.–a little / much sugar




• mass:–Sugar tastes sweet.–The sugars taste sweet. (??Sugars taste sweet)–a little / much sugar




• mass:–Sugar tastes sweet.–The sugars taste sweet. (??Sugars taste sweet)–a little / much sugar (??a few / many sugars)




• mass:–Sugar tastes sweet.–The sugars taste sweet. (??Sugars taste sweet)–A little / Much sugar (??A few / Many sugars)– (but:) three and a half sugars for my tea



• Count nouns:– The dog wears glasses. – Dogs wear glasses.– A few / Many dogs wear glasses.

(Newspaper headline)Dog wears glasses

An alsatian is a lot of / way too much / far too much dog for this small flat.

For such a small amount of money, you get a lot of car.



• Count nouns:– The dog wears glasses. – Dogs wear glasses.– A few / Many dogs wear glasses.

(Newspaper headline)Dog wears glasses

An alsatian is a lot of / way too much / far too much dog for this small flat.

For such a small amount of money, you get a lot of car.

unmarked

markedmarked



• Mass noun:–Sugar tastes sweet.–The sugars taste sweet.–A little / Much sugar

(Science texts)

Sugars taste sweet.

A few / Many sugars …

three and a half sugars for my tea

unmarked

markedmarked



Subject-verb concord

The crowd is / are waving their flags.The crowd is / ??are voting with their feet.The crowd ??is / are waving their arms.





The committee was / ??were formed last week.The committee is / are divided on this issue.The committee is / are going home to study the issue.






A: Should I have a baby after 35?B:






A: Should I have a baby after 35?B: 35 babies is / are more than enough for anyone.


The gender system in English:

• (natural / biological) sex:– female / male: she / he, her / him

– neuter: it

• animacy and/or potency:– adult, human, god: she / he

– child, animal, ghost: she / he / it

– non-human, non-animal: it


The gender system in English:

• (natural / biological) sex:– female / male: she / he, her / him– neuter: it

• animacy / potency:– adult, human, god: she / he– child, animal, ghost: she / he / it– non-human, non-animal: it

? We’ll have a holiday in Japan. She has many sights to see. When we visit her, we’ll eat a lot of sushi. Her national flower is sakura.


The tense system in English (1):

• present vs not present• not present: past ( vs future )

past tense marker: suffix -ed (or -d) / morpheme {-d }

__/id/ e.g. dated, stated, traded__/d/ e.g. combed, married, saved__/t/ e.g. kissed, laughed, slept, wept

drink drank sink sank ring rang sing sangcatch caught teach taughtbuy bought fight foughtride rode write wrote

lead led read readeat ate sit satgo went do did



• present vs not present• not present: past ( vs future )

past distance/remoteness markers( note: a spatial perspective to time )

I used to go for a massage every Sunday.

I went for a massage last Sunday.

I’ve just been for a massage.(i.e. I went for a massage just now.)



• present vs not present• not present: past vs future

future ?tense? marker:the auxiliary verb “will” / morpheme {will}

I will go for a massage (every Sunday)I will go for a massage (next Sunday)I will go for a massage (after class)

I will go for a massage( compared with: I’m going for a massage )




future TIMETIME marker:the auxiliary verb “will” / morpheme {will}

I will go for a massage (every Sunday)

I will go for a massage (next Sunday)

I will go for a massage (after class)

I will go for a massage

( compared with: I’m going for a massage )




future PLANPLAN marker:the auxiliary verb “will” / morpheme {will}

I will go for a massage (every Sunday)




( I’m going for a massage )




( future “tense” marker: the auxiliary verb / morpheme will )

Is there a future tense in English?I will go for a massage (every Sunday)




( I’m going for a massage )

In terms of the concepts of “word-forms” & “word formation”,how MIGHT you comment on the items above?

1. The item “Eat” is a morph of the free morpheme {eat}.

2. The item “Drink” is a morph of the free morpheme {drink}.

3. The item “Be” is a morph of the free morpheme {be}.

4. The item “Merry” is a morph of the free morpheme {merry}.

5.5. ?? The 3 items “Eat”, “Drink” and “Be” are inflected for tenseinflected for tense.

6.6. ??The item “Eat” is the future-tensefuture-tense word-form of the word “eat”.

7.7. ??The item “Drink” is the future-tensefuture-tense word-form of the word “drink”.

8.8. ??The item “Be” is the future-tensefuture-tense word-form of the word “be”.

9. The 4 items are content words.

10.The 4 items are open-class words.

11.The 3 items “Eat”, “Drink” & “Merry” are roots, or root words. They can be used as bases for deriving new words.


Tenses in English

? tense time ?present tense the time now

past tense a time in the past

future ?tense? a future time


Tenses in English

? tense time ?present tense the time now

past tense a time in the past

future ?tense? a future time

perfect tenses?

perfect times?


The aspect system in English (1):• perfective vs imperfective ( complete-ness of action)• perfect vs prospective• progressive

perfective marker:

have -ed

I tried the new train service.I have tried the new train service.

He took the test.He has taken the test.


The aspect system in English (2):• perfective vs imperfective ( complete-ness of action)• perfect vs prospective• progressive

imperfective marker:-ing

I heard you sing in the classroom.I heard you singing in the classroom.

I saw her look at the man.I saw her looking at the man.


The aspect system in English (3):

• perfective vs imperfective ( complete-ness of action)• perfect vs prospective ( completeness-to-be of action)• progressive

prospective marker:be going to

I had cornflakes for dinner.

I have had cornflakes for dinner.

I will have cornflakes for dinner

I am going to have cornflakes for dinner


The aspect system in English (4):• perfective vs imperfective ( complete-ness of action)• perfect vs prospective ( completeness-to-be of action)• progressive ( about-to-complete-ness of action)

progressive marker:-ing

He is singing a song.He is screaming.

I know you????I am knowing you

( I am getting to know you )


The aspect system in English (4):• perfective vs imperfective• perfect vs prospective• progressive ( temporariness / tentativeness of action)


I live in Hong Kong.I am living in Hong Kong.

I see / hear something.I am seeing / hearing something.


The aspect system in English (4):• perfective vs imperfective• perfect vs prospective• progressive ( temporariness / tentativeness of action)


I hate you.I am hating you now.

I love it.I am loving it.


The voice system in English (1):• active vs passive• middle

passive voice marker:be -ed

She takes the boy to school every day.The boy is taken by her to school every day.

The boy is taken to school every day.

I know you.????You are known by me.

??You are known.


The voice system in English (1):

• active vs passive• middle

passive voice marker:be -ed

She broke the boy’s arm.

The boy’s arm was broken by her.

The boy’s arm was broken.




middle voice marker:




The boy’s arm broke.




( middle voice marker: )




The boy’s arm broke.

?The boy’s arm (was) waved.


The adjectival system in English (1):

– attributive: the green grass– predicative:the grass is green

This is a difficult concept.This concept is difficult.

This is a difficult concept to understand.This is a difficult-to-understand concept.This concept is difficult to understand.




This is a happy man.

This man is happy.

This is a happy man now.

This man is happy now.




??This is an afraid man.

This man is afraid.




??This is an afraid man.

This man is afraid.

This is a frightened / scared man.

This man is frightened / scared.

This man was frightened / scared by XXX.



– orders of adjectives (before nouns)

expensive large green tables

large expensive green tables

large green expensive tables

expensive green large tables

green expensive large tables

green large expensive tables



– orders of adjectives (before nouns)

Quantity > Value > Physical Property > Age > Colour

expensive large green tables large expensive green tables

large green expensive tables

expensive green large tables

green expensive large tables

green large expensive tables



– orders of adjectives (before nouns)– adverbial modifiers


expensively large green tableslargely expensive green tableslargely green expensive tablesexpensively green large tables

green-ish-ly expensive large tables

green-ish-ly large expensive tables



– orders of adjectives (before nouns)– adverbial modifiers


expensively large green tables largely expensive green tables

largely green expensive tables

expensively green large tables

green-ish-ly expensive large tables green-ish-ly large expensive tables


• Word meaning– a word’s inflected forms grammatical “?meanings?”( “open” word classes: grammatical “?meaning?” of inflectional suffixes )– “closed” word classes: grammatical “?meanings?” of function words( function words & their grammatical forms: the functions that these “?meant?” )

• Morpho-syntactic markers of word meaning– number: singular, plural; count, mass– (natural) gender: male, female, neuter– person: first, second, third; animate, inanimate– tense: present, past, “?future?”– aspect: perfective, imperfective, prospective, progressive– voice: active, passive, middle

• Other “morpho-syntactic” characteristics of word meaning- adjective: attributive, predicative- the dative shift- selectional restrictions or preferences (semantic rules)

X 4 lectures The meaning systems of English words x 4 lectures Morphosyntax Interdependence of word...

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