LESSON 4:

Semantic Analysis

CATEGORIES,
PROTOTYPES,
and EXEMPLARS
Gherlyn l. escaño
mylene Dela cruz
Khemberg dela cruz
 1. Introduction
2. All About Categories
8. Prototypes
13. Exemplars
Contents
15. Conclusion
16. References
Introduction
Semantic analysis plays a crucial role in understanding
how language conveys meaning. Within this field,
concepts such as categories, prototypes, and
exemplars help us make sense of how words and ideas
are related to each other.
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02
CATEGORIES
Categories are mental constructs that group together
objects, ideas, or experiences that share common
characteristics or features.
They provide a framework for organizing our
knowledge and understanding of the world around us.
Examples:

ANIMALS COLORS
Dog Red
Bird White
Lizard Maroon 03
Kangaroo Peach
 Types of
CATEGORIES
04
NATURAL CATEGORIES

These are categories that arise

naturally from our experiences
and observations of the world.

Ex. Animals, colors and shapes 05

06
ARTIFACT CATEGORIES
These are categories that are artificially
constructed, often based on human-made objects
or concepts.

Ex. tools, vehicles, and furniture.

 SOCIAL CATEGORIES
These are categories that pertain to social groups,
roles, or identities.

Ex. professions, familial relationships, and cultural

affiliations. 07
PROTOTYPES

08
09 What is Prototype?
Prototype theory is a cognitive psychological theory that suggests that
when people categorize objects, they do so based on how similar the
object is to a prototypical (or ideal) example of that category. The theory
was first proposed by Eleanor Rosch in the 1970s. In her research, Rosch
found that when people are asked to rate how typical an object is of a
certain category they tend to give higher ratings to objects that are
more similar to the prototypical object.
The Structure of Prototypes
Hampton (2006)

Vagueness: Categorization of an object may be uncertain due to a lack of clearly

defined criteria that could be applied to every possible example.
Typicality: Members of a category differ in terms of how well they fit as examples.
Thus, the structure contains examples of varying degrees of representativeness.
Genericity: When an individual is asked to define the meaning of the concept, they
generate a description that is true of some, but not all members of the category.
Opacity: Most people are unable to generate a hard-and-fast rule for determining
what qualifies as membership in the category..
10
Examples:
Example:
Prototype for
Pet
The NBA player
11
Teacher
12

What are EXEMPLARS?

 EXEMPLARS
In semantic analysis, exemplars refer to specific instances or examples
that represent a semantic category. They are used to understand the
characteristics and boundaries of a category by examining individual
members within it. Exemplars play a crucial role in forming prototypes
and defining the semantic relationships between words.
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14 Five examples of Exemplars
in Semantic Analysis:
1. Animal Category: Exemplars such as dog, cat, and horse represent the broader
category of animals.
2. Color Category: Exemplars like red, blue, and green represent different colors.
3. Vehicle Category: Exemplars such as car, bicycle, and airplane represent the category
of vehicles.
4. Fruit Category: Exemplars like apple, orange, and banana represent the category of
fruits.
5. Profession Category: Exemplars such as doctor, teacher, and engineer represent
 CONCLUSION
Categories, prototypes, and exemplars are fundamental
concepts in semantic analysis, providing insights into how we
structure and comprehend the meaning of language and
concepts. By understanding these concepts, we can better
analyze and interpret the complex relationships between words,
ideas, and the world. 15
16
References:

https://helpfulprofessor.com/prototypes-psychology/
https://study.com/academy/lesson/prototype-theory-psychology-
overview-examples.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3947400/
THANK YOU!