Routledge Dictionary of Language and Linguistics.pdf

Dictionary of language and linguistics 678lexical insertion (rule) (also lexicon rule)In the Extended Standard Theory of transformational grammar, the substitution of thepreterminal symbols (N, Adj, V, etc.) in the deep structure with lexical formatives (i.e.words) from the lexicon 3 . The final chain of derivation over which the semanticallyneutral transformations operate, is attained through lexical insertion rules. In contrast toChomsky’s lexical insertion rules in the basic part of the grammar, the adherents ofgenerative se mantics advocate substituting the semantic primitives with lexical unitsbefore and after the application of transformations.ReferencesChomsky, N. 1965. Aspects of the theory of syntax. Cambridge, MA.McCawley, J.D. 1968. Lexical insertion in a transformational grammar without deep structure. CLS4. 71–80.lexical meaning vs grammatical meaning(also word meaning vs formal/functional/structural meaning)Lexical meaning is that aspect of meaning which is codified in a lexicon or a dictionary,can be semantically analyzed, and, together with the grammatical elements of meaning(such as mood, tense, comparison ( degree)) yields the whole meaning of a linguisticexpression. Normally lexical meaning consists of an open class of elements, whereasgrammatical meaning is restricted to a closed class of elements. Thus, the lexicalmeaning of rich might be indicated in the dictionary as ‘having wealth,’ while thegrammatical semantic feature [+comparison] would yield the lexeme richer, meaningroughly ‘having more wealth.’ The distinction between the two types is not always clear.ReferenceTesten, D., V.Mishra, and J.Drogo (eds) 1984. Papers from the parasession on lexical semantics.Chicago. IL.