Difference between revisions of "Antonymy"
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Volker gast (talk | contribs) |
|||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| − | '''Antonymy''' | + | '''Antonymy''' is a [[sense relation]]. According to Cruse (2006: 165), antonyms "are [[incompatible]]s, but not complementaries", and they are always gradable (i.e., a comparative can be formed). Three types of antonymy can be distinguished, on the basis of the relationship between the [[comparative]] and the [[positive]] forms of the relevant predicates: |
| + | |||
| + | * [[Polar antonyms|Polar antonymy]]: The [[comparative]] of neither term entails the corresponding [[positive]] form. Example: 'long' vs. 'short'; 'x is longer than y' does not entail 'x is long', 'x is shorter than y' does not entail 'x is short'. | ||
| + | * [[Equipollent antonyms|Equipollent antonymy]]: The [[comparative]] of both terms entails the corresponding [[positive]] form. Example: 'hot' vs. 'cold'; 'x is hotter than y' entails 'x is hot', 'x is colder than y' entails 'x is cold'. | ||
| + | * [[Overlapping antonyms|Overlapping antonymy]]: The [[comparative]] of one (but not both) terms entails the corresponding [[positive]] form. Example: 'good' vs. 'bad'; 'x is better than y' does not entail 'x is good', but 'x is worse than y' entails 'x is bad'. | ||
===Link=== | ===Link=== | ||
Revision as of 12:20, 23 May 2009
Antonymy is a sense relation. According to Cruse (2006: 165), antonyms "are incompatibles, but not complementaries", and they are always gradable (i.e., a comparative can be formed). Three types of antonymy can be distinguished, on the basis of the relationship between the comparative and the positive forms of the relevant predicates:
- Polar antonymy: The comparative of neither term entails the corresponding positive form. Example: 'long' vs. 'short'; 'x is longer than y' does not entail 'x is long', 'x is shorter than y' does not entail 'x is short'.
- Equipollent antonymy: The comparative of both terms entails the corresponding positive form. Example: 'hot' vs. 'cold'; 'x is hotter than y' entails 'x is hot', 'x is colder than y' entails 'x is cold'.
- Overlapping antonymy: The comparative of one (but not both) terms entails the corresponding positive form. Example: 'good' vs. 'bad'; 'x is better than y' does not entail 'x is good', but 'x is worse than y' entails 'x is bad'.
Link
Utrecht Lexicon of Linguistics
Reference
Kempson, R.M. 1977. Semantic theory. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
