The Semantic Analysis of Lexical Ambiguity

2012年第25期SCTENCE & TECHNOLOGY INFORMATIONO外语论坛O科技信息The Semantic Analysis of Lexical Ambiguity(北京林业大学外语学院中国北京100083)[Abstract]Lexical ambiguity is a very common phenomenon in English and other language, which brings many troubles to people inambiguity from semantic perspective. The thesis talks about the three sources that contribute to lexical ambiguity: homonyms, polysemy and word classambiguity. Through the analysis of lexical ambiguity from semantic perspective, this thesis aims at helping pecople eliminate troubles in communication.(Key words]Lexical ambiguity ;The source of lexical ambiguity0 Introductionmouth of an animal. But what is the inside close relationehip between thetwo meanings? It is that they contain a same concept. Because “ mouth ofThere is a humorous conversation like the following::r” is a key point that conneets the river inland and the ocean;A: My wife doesn' t appreciale me. Does yours?B: I wouldn't know. I've never heard he mention your name.outside. That is to say, both of the meanings are concemed with ahecomwrsation is humorouslies in thatconcept that is something connecting inside and outside. However, themisunderstanding “Does yours" as "Does your wife appreciate me?"Thefunetion and the shape of mouth of a river and mouth of an animal areconversation originates from the phenomenon of ambiguity, which is verycompletely different. So, according to the definition, the word“'mouth' ”common in English language and other language.belongs to lexical ambiguity.This thesis mainly talks about lexical ambiguity from semantic 1.3 Word Class Ambiguityperspective. Chapter two talks about the definition of lexical ambiguityand the reasons that cause it, that is to say, the source of lexicalthird case that is word class ambiguity. It refers to that the fact that aambiguity. There are mainly three sources contibuting to it. The first oneword has more than one word classes causes the change of word meaningis homonyms.; the second one is polysemy; and the third one is wordand then ambiguity is produced. For example, the word‘ 'can" has twoclass ambiguity.word classes. When it is used as a verb, it means "be able"; when it is1 The Lexical Analysis of the Source of Lexical Ambiguityused a noun, it means "tin' .Although there are many words which have different word classes,.1 Homonymsnot of these words arembiguous words. For example, when the wordI exical ambiguity refers to the phenomenon that if the meaning ofaword or a phrase can be paraphrased rspecively by two or more than in"; when it is used as : verb, it means“"provide houses for"." Regardlesstwo of its synonyms, and what's more, all of these synonyms haveof word classes. the two senses of house is completely the samne. So thediferent meanings. then this word is defined 鹤an ambiguous word. Inword“house" and other words like i are not lexical ambiguitics.order to ilustrale this definition, the examples are as fllows. And heresynonym is not retricted to the abeolule synonym, which is extremely 2 Conclusionrare in language.Lexical ambiguity is a very common phenomenonThe first example is the word“big", which can be paraphrased bylanguage. Because this phenomenon brings many troubles to people inmany synonyms such as large. giant, igantic, enormous, vast, huge, greatcommunication, so it is necessary for us to research it and explore it. Thisand etc. But all of these synonyms are similar in meaning. that is to say,thesis makes a profound analysis of lexical ambiguity from the semanticall of them are words that are used to describe the size of difterent things.perspective. I mainly talks about the hree sources that contributes to theThe dfference of these synonyms is only the matter of degree. Therefore,phenomenon of lexical ambiguity. They are homonyms, polysemy andaccording to the defintion of lexical ambiguity, the wordof“big" does word cless anbigity. The analysis of lexical ambiguity can help peopleDOt beclong to un ambiguous word.The second example is the word“worry" which can be paraphrasedmake successful compunication in life. So it is a very useful work toby is synonyms such as anxiety, care, concem and etc. But, all of theseexplore this phenonenon.和synonyms are also same in meaning. So, the word‘“ wory”does not(References]belong to an ambiguous word either.[1]郭家全.周淑清.英语词汇歧义的类型及其语义分析J.佛山科学技术学院All of the discussion above is only one type of lexical ambiguity. 学报:t 会科学版.9981.which is called the case of homonymy in semantics.[2j胡德清.语义学与词汇学习.外讲与外语教学.1.2 Polysemy[3;李福印.讲义学概论[C.北京:北京大学出版社.2011.Palysemy is another phenomenon of lexical anmbiguity, the case of [4]林 书武.{英语词门:请义学)评介I外语与外语教学20201)1)my. When i comes to the definition. if a word has several senses [5]榕培,译词义模糊的成因小外语与外语教学.9932.losely related to each other, thisd is called polysemy. But作者简介:杨辉,北京林业大学外语学院.项士研究生,专业为外网语言学what is needed attention is that though different senses of one word are及应用语言学。closely related. these senses are not the same. which is also the reasonthat why such words belong to Jexical umbiguity.[责任编辑:汤静]Take the word“mouth" for example. "Mouth" has more than one中国煤化工meanings. The first meaning is mouth ofa river, the second meaning isMYHCNM HG万方魏据