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Chapter 18 Lexical Functions: Description of Lexical Relations in a ...

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—<strong>Chapter</strong> <strong>18</strong>. <strong>Lexical</strong> <strong>Functions</strong>— 28<br />

• They are, <strong>in</strong> a sense, meta-LFs: they can apply not only to ‘normal’ LUs, but also to LFs (<strong>in</strong><br />

sharp contrast to other LFs that apply only to ‘normal’ LUs). For <strong>in</strong>stance, we have such equiva-<br />

lences as the follow<strong>in</strong>g ones:<br />

Degrad ≡ Syn(IncepPredPejor)<br />

Liqu ≡ Anti(Caus)<br />

Oper 1<br />

≡ Conv 21(Func 1)<br />

• They can be semantically exact or approximate: the elements <strong>of</strong> their values can have a richer<br />

( ⊃ ), poorer ( ⊂ ), or <strong>in</strong>tersect<strong>in</strong>g ( ∩ ) mean<strong>in</strong>g with respect to the mean<strong>in</strong>g (L). In this case, they are<br />

quasi-synonyms, quasi-antonyms, and quasi-conversives <strong>of</strong> L.<br />

NB: The same set-theoretical subscripts are also used for other LFs <strong>in</strong> order to show their semantic approximateness,<br />

when appropriate.<br />

• They do not have a part <strong>of</strong> speech <strong>of</strong> their own: they are <strong>of</strong> the same part <strong>of</strong> speech as their<br />

keyword L. (Aga<strong>in</strong>, all other LFs have their own part <strong>of</strong> speech.)<br />

• <strong>Lexical</strong> relations underly<strong>in</strong>g them are symmetrical; roughly:<br />

if X = Syn(Y), then Y = Syn(X);<br />

if X = Anti(Y), then Y = Anti(X); and<br />

if X = Conv(Y), then Y = Conv(X);<br />

1. Syn [Lat. synonymum]: synonym<br />

This LF corresponds to the basic relation <strong>of</strong> synonymy, or identity <strong>of</strong> mean<strong>in</strong>g, which is<br />

so important <strong>in</strong> MTT. Syn(L) has the same or approximately the same mean<strong>in</strong>g as L: (Syn(L)) =<br />

(L) or (Syn(L)) ≈ (L), and the same Deep Part <strong>of</strong> speech; the LF Syn is applicable to LUs <strong>of</strong> any<br />

mean<strong>in</strong>g and any part <strong>of</strong> speech—to lexemes as well as to phrasemes.<br />

NB: (Be<strong>in</strong>g synonyms) is a particular case <strong>of</strong> (be<strong>in</strong>g synonymous). Two l<strong>in</strong>guistic expressions <strong>of</strong> any type can be<br />

synonymous, but only two LUs, which have a part <strong>of</strong> speech, can be synonyms.<br />

Two major type <strong>of</strong> synonyms are dist<strong>in</strong>guished: full, or absolute, synonyms ((Syn(L))<br />

= (L)) and approximate, or quasi-, synonyms ((Syn(L)) ≈ (L)). Quasi-synonyms, <strong>in</strong> their turn,<br />

are<br />

• richer, or more specific: Syn ⊃<br />

• poorer, or less specific: Syn ⊂<br />

• <strong>in</strong>tersect<strong>in</strong>g: Syn ∩

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