The English Language english language

(Michael S) #1

Delahunty and Garvey


in Table 2.
a. bachelor
b. spinster
c. teach
d. skyscraper
e. table
f. thicken



  1. Identify words whose meanings are represented by the following
    combinations of components. If no such word exists in English, indicate
    that fact. If you know a language besides English, identify words in that
    language that correspond to the set of components.
    a. YOUNG + HUMAN + FEMALE
    b. YOUNG + HUMAN + MALE
    c. YOUNG + NOT + HUMAN
    d. YOUNG + NOT + HUMAN + EQUINE
    e. YOUNG + NOT + HUMAN + FELINE
    f. NOT + HUMAN + MALE + EQUINE
    g. NOT + HUMAN + FEMALE + EQUINE
    h. CAUSE + NOT + INGEST

  2. Examine your answers to Exercises (1), (2), and (3). What technical
    problems arose in applying the C model? Consider the use of NOT.

  3. Examine your analyses in Exercises (1) and (2). Do you see any cul-
    tural bias in your analysis or in the C model in general? If so, what is
    that bias? How would you go about correcting it within the framework
    of the C model?

  4. Describe the connotational differences among the members of the
    following sets of words:
    a. violin—fiddle
    b. careful—scrupulous
    c. curious—inquisitive—nosey
    d. politician—statesman
    e. thin—slender—skinny


So, how effectively does the C-model account for lexical competence? Ac-
tually, reasonably well (though we would have to specify how the components

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