1.Theory of Componential Analysis The method of componential analysis is to reduce a word's meaning to its ultimate contrastive elements. Semantic features are established on the basis of binary opposition,e.g.between [Male]and [Female],[Animate]and [Inanimate],[Adult]and [Non-adult]. For the sake of economy,we use pluses "+as positive and minuses "_as negative. Thus,[Male]and [Female]are written as [+Male] and [-Male]and so on
The method of componential analysis is to reduce a word's meaning to its ultimate contrastive elements. Semantic features are established on the basis of binary opposition, e.g. between [Male] and [Female], [Animate] and [Inanimate], [Adult] and [Non-adult]. For the sake of economy, we use pluses "+" as positive and minuses "-" as negative. “ Thus, [Male] and [Female] are written as [+Male] and [-Male] and so on. 1. Theory of Componential Analysis
1.Theory of Componential Analysis Examples: woman:[+Human +Adult -Male]; boar:[+Porcine +Adult +Male]; girl:[+Human -Adult -Male]; ewe:[+Ovine +Adult -Male]. The sense components in square brackets are called“semantic formula”or"Componential Definitions
Examples: woman: [+Human +Adult -Male]; boar: [+Porcine +Adult +Male]; girl: [+Human -Adult -Male]; ewe: [+Ovine +Adult -Male]. The sense components in square brackets are called “semantic formula” or "Componential Definitions“. 1. Theory of Componential Analysis
1.Theory of Componential Analysis The purpose of componential analysis: to study the conceptual-lexical relations. Through analyzing the semantic elements of word-meanings,we can fully grasp the denotative meaning,i.e.the conceptual meaning or cognitive meaning of words
The purpose of componential analysis: to study the conceptual-lexical relations. Through analyzing the semantic elements of word-meanings, we can fully grasp the denotative meaning, i.e. the conceptual meaning or cognitive meaning of words. 1. Theory of Componential Analysis
2.Criticisms of componential analysis Firstly,it is often said that CA accounts for only some parts of a language's vocabulary, especially that range of vocabulary with semantic oppositions,such as "man,woman; prince,princess;bull,cow,etc.". Secondly,it is often objected that CA suffers from a "vicious circle"in that it merely explains one set of symbols (e.g.English words)by another set of symbols (which turn out to be English words)
2. Criticisms of componential analysis • Firstly, it is often said that CA accounts for only some parts of a language's vocabulary, especially that range of vocabulary with semantic oppositions, such as "man, woman; prince, princess; bull, cow, etc.". • Secondly, it is often objected that CA suffers from a "vicious circle" in that it merely explains one set of symbols (e.g. English words) by another set of symbols (which turn out to be English words)