Prototypical Effects In Lexical Relations And Their Cognitive Motivation

The study of lexical relations has a long history in semantics and lexicology. Formalism, structuralism and cognitivism are the influential schools of linguistic studies. Their approaches to lexical relations differ with each other. The structualistic approach and formalistic approach, although providing an invaluable tool in explaining lexical relations, interprets lexical relations without taking account of its underlying cognitive mechanism. The cognitive approach provides a more thorough and systematic analysis of lexical relations.This thesis is mainly based on the established theories in cognitive linguistics. The focus of this thesis involves the prototypical effects in lexical relations and their cognitive motivation. Lexical relations include: homonymy, polysemy, synonymy, antonymy, hyponymy and so on. However, polysemy and synonymy will be chosen to be studied, for they are more representative. The theoretical framework will be constructed for polysemy and synonymy to be analyzed and explained. Under the guidance of this theoretical framework, the systematic discussions and analysis will be carried out to explore the nature and prototypical characteristics of polysemy and synonymy.This paper consists of six chapters. Chapter one is introduction. In this chapter, the purposes and significance of this thesis will be firstly introduced. Next the retrospection of the study of lexical relations will be briefly reviewed. Chapter two gives definitions to lexical relations and provides approaches to lexical relations. Through comparison, it turns out that cognitive approach is better than structuralistic approach and formalistic approach. Chapter three is theoretical framework. It mainly consists of the classical view on category and the modern view on category. Characteristics of prototype categories—prototypicality, family resemblance, and fuzziness will be emphasized. Chapter four and five are devoted to the elaboration and analysis of polysemy and synonymy in the light of prototype theory and other cognitive devices respectively. Prototypical effects and cognitive motivation of polysemy and synonymy will be interpreted through analysis of some cases. Some implications on EFL vocabulary instruction and dictionary compiling, and some shortcomings will appear in chapter six. Conclusion comes last.