Routledge Dictionary of Language and Linguistics.pdf

Dictionary of language and linguistics 674ReferencesCoseriu, E. 1967. Lexikalische Solidaritäten. Poetica 1.293–303. (Repr. in W.Kallmeyer et al.(eds), Lektürekolleg zur Textlinguistik, vol. II: Reader. 1974. Frankfurt a.M. 74–86.)Trier, J. 1931. Der deutsche Wortschatz im Sinnbezirk des Verstandes: die Geschichte einessprachlichen Feldes, vol. I: Von den Anfängen bis zum Beginn des 13. Jahrhunderts.Heidelberg.——1934. Das sprachliche Feld: eine Auseinandersetzung. Neue Jahrbücher für Wissenschaft undJugendbildung 10.248–49.lexical field theorylexical field theory (also semantic fieldtheory)A predominantly semantic theory of the German structuralist school ( structuralism)according to which a word does not exist in isolation in the consciousness of the speaker/hearer, but always forms a structured set of elements together with other conceptuallyrelated words that have a reciprocal influence on each other. Lexical field theory, firstassociated primarily with J. Trier, reflects the general linguistic tendency to move froman isolating, atomistic, discrete view to a holistic, systematic approach. Both deSaussure’s concept of ‘system’ and the influences of Gestalt psychology as well asCassirer’s theory of cognition have influenced the development of lexical field theory.The following premises are fundamental to Trier’s lexical field theory. (a) The meaningof an individual word is dependent upon the meaning of the rest of the words of the samelexical or conceptual field (cf. the musical scale). (b) An individual lexical field isconstructed like a mosaic with no gaps; the whole set of all lexical fields of a languagereflects a self-contained picture of reality. (c) If a single word undergoes a change inmeaning, then the whole structure of the lexical field changes. Consequently, the isolatedhistorical study of words can be superseded by the study of lexical fields. In addition tothis paradigmatic concept, a syntagmatic concept of field was developed very early on byPorzig ( inherent semantic relation). Multiple criticism (see Kandler 1959; Öhmann1959; Betz 1954) has led to differentiations and modifications of lexical field theory. Amore detailed formulation of the terminology and subject matter brought about thedevelopment of componential analysis (see Baumgärtner 1967), which on the one handmade the semantic analysis of individual lexemes more systematic and on the other handalso brought syntagmatic aspects into consideration. Both the troublesome problem ofselecting a criterion for determining whether or not a particular element belongs to alexical field and the problem of differentiation, i.e. whether a particular element occupiesits own position in the lexical field, have in the meantime been brought closer to asolution by introducing the concept of semantic relations for structuring the lexical field.