Semantics - A Cognitive Account of Linguistic Meaning - Zeki Hamawand
7. Categorization
Semantics - A Cognitive Account of Linguistic Meaning - Zeki Hamawand
Zeki Hamawand [+]
University of Kirkuk and University of Sulaimani
Description
Chapter 7 explores the role of categorization in the semantic description of single linguistic items. The aim is to find out what the significant elements of a single linguistic item are. The chapter is organized as follows. Section 7.1 delineates the phenomenon of categorization and underlines its significance. Categorization refers to the mental act of grouping together the multiple senses of a linguistic item, be it lexical or grammatical, into a category. A category then is a network of distinct but related senses of a given linguistic item. Section 7.2 discusses the two theories of categorization: classical and prototype. In the classical theory, categorization is carried out in terms of defining features. In the prototype theory, which is advocated in Cognitive Semantics, categorization is carried out in terms of degrees of similarity to a prominent example. In the discussion, I pursue three steps. First, I underline the essence of each theory. Second, I disclose its theses and implications. Third, I provide examples to confirm its application. Section 7.3 makes a summary of the main points of the chapter.