Definition of semantic field
- Authors: Abiodun A.1
-
Affiliations:
- Peoples' Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba
- Issue: Vol 5, No 12 (2025)
- Pages: 144-149
- Section: ARTICLES
- URL: https://journals.rcsi.science/2782-5329/article/view/374553
- ID: 374553
Cite item
Abstract
thе article demonstrates the application of the structuralist concept of paradigmatic meaning relations to the approach known as lexical field theory. Drawing on research in historical semantics, J. Trier introduced the term "semantic field," which he defined as a set of semantically related words meanings of which mutually constrain one another. A word's meaning can only be fully determined through its contrasts with other words within the field. From a diachronic perspective, this implies that any change in a word's meaning affects the meanings of other words connected to it. According to J. Trier, field members comprehensively cover the entire conceptual or subject domain without gaps or overlaps, meaning that lexical field boundaries can be precisely delineated. Furthermore, the article provides a linguo-historiographical analysis of the scientific works by Russian and foreign linguists who advocated for a systemic approach to the study of language phenomena (L.V. Shcherba, F. de Saussure, M.M. Pokrovsky). Their research laid the foundation for the development of field theory and the active application of criteria of system and structure in describing the lexico-semantic phenomena of language.
About the authors
Adetokunbo Abiodun
Peoples' Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba
References
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