Componential analysis

Componential analysis analyses a word into a set of meaning components or senmatic

features.
This method involves the analysis of sense (meaning) of words into component parts
commonly referred to as sematic features, or sematic properties or just semes.
For example,
+ semantic features of boy may be shown as [+human], [+male] and [-adult]
while that of man may be a combination of [+human], [+male] and [+adult].
 Thus, man is different from boy basically in one primary semantic feature [±
adult]
+ girl : [+human], [+female] and [-adult]
woman : [+human], [+female] and [+adult]
 Thus, girl is different from woman in one semantic feature [±adult]
Generally speaking, componential analysis is applied to a group of related words which
may differ from one another only by one or two senmatic features. -> Componential
analysis is applied to find out the relationship between the words.
We can come up with the following table :
Features Man Woman Girl Boy
Male + - - +
Female - + + -
Adult + + - -
Human + + + +

These semantic features may be classified into markers and distinguishers.

The markers are descriptive of the sense, whereas the distinguishers are to distinguish
between different senses. For example, in contrasting “woman” and “man”, “male” will
be a distinguisher; whereas in comparing “boy” and “man”, this is only a marker.
Definition:
Hire: you hire someone to do particular job, or pay to use something for a short period.
Rent: allow somebody to use something for a some time in exchange money, and you
usually rent for a long period of time.
Let: you let out accommodation, buidings, or land (that is property)
Features Hire Rent Let

Allow + + +

Somebody + + +

Use + + +

Money + + +

Long (time) - + +

Short (time) + - -

Property only - - +

Anything + + -

 Thus we can identify the following sematic features : allow, somebody, use, time,
money. They would be markers, it clarify the diferernce between hire, rent, and
let. The distinguishing features are: long, short, and poperty to clarify clearer like
time (long and short).

Exercise 1: match with definition

1. Synonymy – a word or expression that has the same or nearly the same meaning
as another in the same language.
2. Antonymy – two words which belong to the same grammatical category but
which are opposed in meaning to each other.
3. Hyponomy – involves the logical relationship of inclusion.
4. Meronymy – a term that is used to describe a part-whole relationship between
lexical items.
 5. Componential analysis – analyses a word into a set of meaning components or
senmatic features.
Exercise 2:
1. What type of antonym does the word "sorrow" (antonym "triumph") belong to?
A. rootword antonyms
B. derivational antonyms
2. What “arm has palm” is?
A. Hyponomy
B. Antonomy
C. Componential analysis
D. Meronymy
3. Choose correct semantic features for “ daughter”
A. [-human], [+female], [+adult]
B. [+human], [+female], [+child]
C. [+human], [+male], [+child]
D. [+animal], [+female], [-adult]
4. Which is not hyponymy of vegetable?
A. coconut
B. carrot
C. spinach
D. yams
5. How many types of synonyms are there?
A. 3
B. 5
C. 6
D. 4