Key Lexical Semantics

Exercises

A. Some of the sets of terms below form semantic fields. For each set:
1. Identify the words that do not belong to the same semantic field as the
others in the set.
2. Identify the superordinate term of the remaining semantic field, if there
is one (it may be a word in the set).
3. Determine whether some terms are less marked than others, and justify
your claim.
I. acquire, buy, collect, hoard, win, inherit, steal
II. whisper, talk, narrate, report, tell, harangue, scribble, instruct, brief
III. road, path, barn, way, street, freeway, avenue, thoroughfare,
interstate, method
IV. stench, smell, reek, aroma, bouquet, odoriferous, perfume,
fragrance, scent, olfactory

B. Provide a word whose referent has the specified semantic relationship to

the words below.

1. mother and father are the hyponyms. parents

2. knee is the part. leg
3. jewel is the superordinate term. diamond
4. bicycle is the whole. wheel
5. tall is the antonym. short
6. grandmother is the converse. granddaughter
7. niece is the converse. aunt
8. obese is the synonym overweight - fat

C. Determine whether the words in each of the following sets are polysemic,
homonymous, or metaphorically related. In each case, state the criteria
used to arrive at your conclusion. You may use a dictionary.

1) to run down (the stairs); to run down (an enemy); to run down (a list of
names) metaphorically related
2) the seat (of one’s pants); the seat (of government); the (driver’s) seat
(of a car) polysemic
3) an ear (for music); an ear (of corn); an ear (as auditory organ)first and
last are polysemic, the second one is homonymous
4) to pitch (a baseball); pitch (black); the pitch (of one’s voice)
homonymous
5) to spell (a word); (under) a spell; a (dry) spell homonymous
6) vision (the ability to see); (a man of) vision; vision (as a hallucination)
metaphorically related
7) the butt (of a rifle); the butt (of a joke); to butt (as a ram) the first
two are polysemic, the last one is homonymous