Inlinguistics,lexicalizationis the process of adding words, set phrases, or word patterns to a language'slexicon.
Whetherword formationandlexicalizationrefer to the same process is controversial within the field of linguistics. Most linguists agree that there is a distinction, but there are many ideas of what the distinction is.[1]Lexicalization may be simple, for example borrowing a word from another language, or more involved, as incalque or loan translation,wherein a foreign phrase is translated literally, as inmarché aux puces,or in English, flea market.
Other mechanisms includecompounding,abbreviation,andblending.[2]Particularly interesting from the perspective of historical linguistics is the process by whichad hocphrases become set in the language, and eventually become new words (seelexicon). Lexicalization contrasts withgrammaticalization,and the relationship between the two processes is subject to some debate.
In psycholinguistics
editInpsycholinguistics,lexicalization is the process of going frommeaningtosoundinspeechproduction. The most widely accepted model,speech production,in which an underlying concept is converted into aword,is at least a two-stage process.
First, thesemanticform (which is specified for meaning) is converted into alemma,which is an abstract form specified for semantic andsyntacticinformation (how a word can be used in a sentence), but not forphonologicalinformation (how a word is pronounced). The next stage is thelexeme,which is phonologically specified.[3]
Some recent work has challenged this model, suggesting for example that there is no lemma stage, and that syntactic information is retrieved in the semantic and phonological stages.[4]
In sign languages
editOne waysign languagesadopt new words is throughfingerspelling,but in some cases these borrowings undergo a systemic transformation in form and meaning to become what are referred to as 'lexicalized signs'[5]or 'loan signs.' These manual borrowings can act the same as other signs and can undergo regularly morphological changes.[6]For example, regular, predictable changes may be made to hand shape and palm orientation. Similarly, movement and location of the sign may add grammatical information. Letters may also be elided or omitted.[5][7]Lexicalized signs may also be developed from gestures related to handling an object.[8]
See also
editReferences
edit- Brinton & Traugott, 2005,Lexicalization and Language Change.Cambridge University Press.
- ^Lipka, Leonhard (January 1992)."Lexicalization and Institutionalization in English and German"(PDF).Linguistica Pragensia:1–13.Retrieved10 October2014.
- ^Talmy, Leonard (2000).Toward a Cognitive Semantics(PDF).Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.Retrieved10 October2014.
- ^Harley, T. (2005)The Psychology of Language.Hove; New York: Psychology Press: 359
- ^Caramazza, A. (1997) How many levels of processing are there in lexical access?Cognitive Neuropsychology,14, 177-208.
- ^abBoinis, S.; Gajewski Mickelson, P.; Gordon, P.; Krouse, L.S.; Swabey, L (1996).Self-paced Modules for Educational Interpreter Skill Development: Fingerspelling.Little Canada, Minnesota: Minnesota Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. pp. F-12, F-14.
- ^Bellugi, Ursula; Newkirk, Don (1981). "Formal Devices for Creating New Signs in American Sign Language".Sign Language Studies.Spring 1981 (30): 4.JSTOR26203610.
- ^Neidle, Carol; Poole Nash, Joan Cottle (2015). "American Sign Language". In Bakken Jepsen, Julie; De Clerck, Goedele; Lutalo-Kiingi, Sam; McGregor, William B. (eds.).Sign Languages of the World: A Comparative Handbook.Berlin: Walter de Gruyter Inc. & Ishara Press. p. 38.doi:10.1515/9781614518174-007.ISBN978-1-61451-796-2.
- ^Leeson, Lorraine; Saeed, John I.; Grehan, Carmel (2015). "Irish Sign Language (ISL)".Sign Languages of the World: A Comparative Handbook.p. 462.doi:10.1515/9781614518174-024.