Lexicology
The branch of Lexicology that is devoted to the study of meaning is known
as Semasiology.
1. Semasiology – a branch of linguistics concerned with the meaning of
words and word equivalents. The main objects of semasiological
study are as follows:
Types of lexical meaning
Polysemy and semantic structure of words
Semantic development of words
The main tendencies of the change of word-meanings
Semantic grouping in the vocabulary system –
synonyms, antonyms, semantic fields, thematic groups
2. Referential approach to meaning- meaning is in same form or other
connected with the referent. The meaning is formulated by
establishing the independence between words and objects of reality
they denote
The essential feature of this approach is that it distinguishes
between the three components closely connected with
meaning: the sound-form of the linguistic sign, the
concept underlying this sound-form, and the actual
referent.
The sound-form of the word is not identical with its meaning
Homonyms – the arbitrary nature of the connection between
sound-form and meaning
Meaning – a certain reflection in our mind of objects,
phenomena or relation that makes part of the linguistic sign
Concept – a category of human cognition
3. Functional approach to meaning – words are studied in a context; a
word is defined by its functioning within a phrase or a sentence
4. Referential vs. Functional
The fictional approach should not be considered an
alternative, but rather a valuable complement to the
referential theory
