Linguistic Concepts: Bilingualism, Semantics, and Lexical Relations

Theme 3: Linguistic Foundations

Bilingualism is the routine use of two languages in the same region or by the same person. Diglossia is a specific type of bilingualism where both languages exist in an unequal situation of social prestige.

Semantic Meaning

• Denotation: The set of basic semantic features of a word; its literal meaning.
• Connotation: The set of values that appear in discourse alongside the denotation of a term.

Lexical Structures

• Family Lexica: A set of words related to each other by their signifier, sharing the same lexeme.
• Semantic Field: A set of words related by meaning.

Synonymy and Its Types

Synonymy is the relationship between two words that have different signifiers but the same or similar meaning.

• Absolute Synonymy: Words that have the same meaning in all contexts and are interchangeable (e.g., indefatigable and tireless).
• Conceptual/Cognitive Synonymy: Words that share identity in a particular semantic meaning and refer to the same reality (e.g., panza and belly).
• Denotative Synonyms: Words that share the same denotation but possess different connotative values.
• Reference Synonymy: Words that are associated in a specific context despite having no inherent relation (e.g., Cervantes and the Cripple of Lepanto).
• False Synonymy: Words whose denotations bear some similarity but are not truly identical (e.g., fog and mist).

Antonymy and Lexical Opposition

Antonymy is a lexical relationship between two words that have contradictory meanings. There are three types:

• Complementarity: The affirmation of one lexical unit necessarily implies the negation of the other (e.g., alive/dead).
• Gradual Antonymy: The opposition of two concepts where degrees or levels can be differentiated (e.g., high/low).
• Reverse Antonymy: Occurs when two words represent the same reality from alternative viewpoints (e.g., buy/sell).

Polysemy and Homonymy

• Polysemy: The plurality of different meanings associated with the same word.
• Homonymy: The relationship between two words that have the same signifier but different meanings.

Relations of Inclusion

• Hyperonymy: The relationship of meaning between a general term and its specific sub-types (hyponyms).
• Hyponymy: The relationship of a specific term to its broader category (hyperonym).