Lexeme: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Unit of lexical meaning}} |
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{{For|its use in the context of computer science|Lexeme (computer science)}} |
{{For|its use in the context of computer science|Lexeme (computer science)}} |
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A '''lexeme''' ({{IPAc-en|audio=En-us-lexeme.ogg|ˈ|l|ɛ|k|s|iː|m}}) is a unit of [[lexical semantics|lexical]] meaning that underlies a set of words that are related through [[inflection]]. It is a basic abstract unit of meaning,<ref>''The Cambridge Encyclopedia of The English Language'' |
A '''lexeme''' ({{IPAc-en|audio=En-us-lexeme.ogg|ˈ|l|ɛ|k|s|iː|m}}) is a unit of [[lexical semantics|lexical]] meaning that underlies a set of words that are related through [[inflection]]. It is a basic abstract unit of meaning,<ref>''The Cambridge Encyclopedia of The English Language''. [[David Crystal]]. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995. p. 118. {{ISBN|0521401798}}.</ref> a [[emic unit|unit]] of [[Morphology (linguistics)|morphological]] [[Semantic analysis (linguistics)|analysis]] in [[linguistics]] that roughly corresponds to a set of forms taken by a single root [[word]]. For example, in [[English language|English]], ''run'', ''runs'', ''ran'' and ''running'' are forms of the same lexeme, which can be represented as <span style="font-variant:small-caps; text-transform:lowercase;">RUN</span>.{{NoteTag |1 = <span style="font-variant:small-caps; text-transform:lowercase;">RUN</span> is here intended to display in [[small caps]]. Software limitations may result in its display either in full-sized capitals (RUN) or in full-sized capitals of a smaller font. Either is regarded as an acceptable substitute for genuine small caps.}} |
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One form, the [[Lemma (morphology)|lemma]] (or citation form), is chosen by convention as the canonical form of a lexeme. The lemma is the form used in dictionaries as an entry's [[headword]]. Other forms of a lexeme are often listed later in the entry if they are uncommon or irregularly inflected. |
One form, the [[Lemma (morphology)|lemma]] (or citation form), is chosen by convention as the canonical form of a lexeme. The lemma is the form used in dictionaries as an entry's [[headword]]. Other forms of a lexeme are often listed later in the entry if they are uncommon or irregularly inflected. |
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* Derivational rules relate a lexeme to another lexeme. |
* Derivational rules relate a lexeme to another lexeme. |
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A lexeme belongs to a particular [[syntactic category]], has a certain [[Meaning (linguistic)|meaning]] ([[Semantics|semantic value]]) and |
A lexeme belongs to a particular [[syntactic category]], has a certain [[Meaning (linguistic)|meaning]] ([[Semantics|semantic value]]), and in inflecting languages, has a corresponding [[Inflection|inflectional paradigm]]. That is, a lexeme in many languages will have many different forms. For example, the lexeme <span style="font-variant:small-caps; text-transform:lowercase;">RUN</span> has a present [[Grammatical person|third person]] [[Grammatical number|singular]] form ''runs'', a present non-third-person singular form ''run'' (which also functions as the [[past participle]] and [[Non-finite verb|non-finite]] form), a past form ''ran'', and a present [[participle]] ''running''. (It does not include ''runner, runners, runnable'' etc.) The use of the forms of a lexeme is governed by rules of [[grammar]]. In the case of English verbs such as <span style="font-variant:small-caps; text-transform:lowercase;">RUN</span>, they include subject–[[verb]] agreement and compound [[Grammatical tense|tense]] rules, which determine the form of a verb that can be used in a given [[Sentence (linguistics)|sentence]]. |
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In many [[Theoretical linguistics|formal]] theories of [[language]], lexemes have [[subcategorization frame]]s to account for the number and types of complements. They occur within [[Sentence (linguistics)|sentences]] and other [[syntax|syntactic structures]]. |
In many [[Theoretical linguistics|formal]] theories of [[language]], lexemes have [[subcategorization frame]]s to account for the number and types of complements. They occur within [[Sentence (linguistics)|sentences]] and other [[syntax|syntactic structures]]. |
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== Decomposition == |
== Decomposition == |
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A language's lexemes are often composed of smaller units with individual meaning called [[morpheme]]s, according to [[Root (linguistics)|root morpheme]] + [[Morphological derivation|derivational morphemes]] + [[ |
A language's lexemes are often composed of smaller units with individual meaning called [[morpheme]]s, according to [[Root (linguistics)|root morpheme]] + [[Morphological derivation|derivational morphemes]] + [[affix]] (not necessarily in that order), where: |
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* The root morpheme is the primary lexical unit of a word, which carries the most significant aspects of semantic content and cannot be reduced to smaller constituents.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://glossary.sil.org/term/root |title = SIL Glossary of Linguistic Terms: What is a Root? |website = Sil.org |date = 3 December 2015 |access-date=2021-05-14}}</ref> |
* The root morpheme is the primary lexical unit of a word, which carries the most significant aspects of semantic content and cannot be reduced to smaller constituents.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://glossary.sil.org/term/root |title = SIL Glossary of Linguistic Terms: What is a Root? |website = Sil.org |date = 3 December 2015 |access-date=2021-05-14}}</ref> |
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* The derivational morphemes carry only [[Morphological derivation|derivational]] information.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://glossary.sil.org/term/derivational-affix |title = SIL Glossary of Linguistic Terms: What is a Derivational Affix? |website = Sil.org |date = 3 December 2015 |access-date=2021-05-14}}</ref> |
* The derivational morphemes carry only [[Morphological derivation|derivational]] information.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://glossary.sil.org/term/derivational-affix |title = SIL Glossary of Linguistic Terms: What is a Derivational Affix? |website = Sil.org |date = 3 December 2015 |access-date=2021-05-14}}</ref> |
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* The [[ |
* The [[affix]] is composed of all inflectional morphemes, and carries only [[inflection]]al information.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://glossary.sil.org/term/inflectional-affix |title = SIL Glossary of Linguistic Terms: What is an Inflectional Affix? |website = Sil.org |date = 3 December 2015 |access-date=2021-05-14}}</ref> |
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The compound root morpheme + derivational morphemes is often called the [[stem (linguistics)|stem]].<ref>{{cite web |url = https://glossary.sil.org/term/stem |title = SIL Glossary of Linguistic Terms: What is a Stem? |website = Sil.org |date = 3 December 2015 |access-date=2021-05-14}}</ref> The decomposition stem + [[wikt:desinence|desinence]] can then be used to study inflection. |
The compound root morpheme + derivational morphemes is often called the [[stem (linguistics)|stem]].<ref>{{cite web |url = https://glossary.sil.org/term/stem |title = SIL Glossary of Linguistic Terms: What is a Stem? |website = Sil.org |date = 3 December 2015 |access-date=2021-05-14}}</ref> The decomposition stem + [[wikt:desinence|desinence]] can then be used to study inflection. |
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* [[Ending (linguistics)]] |
* [[Ending (linguistics)]] |
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* [[Inflection]] |
* [[Inflection]] |
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* [[Lemma (morphology)|Lemma]] |
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* [[Lexical word|Lexical word vs. grammatical word]] |
* [[Lexical word|Lexical word vs. grammatical word]] |
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* [[Marker (linguistics)]] |
* [[Marker (linguistics)]] |
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[[Category:Lexical units]] |
[[Category:Lexical units]] |
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[[Category:Linguistics terminology]] |
Latest revision as of 20:02, 21 March 2024
A lexeme (/ˈlɛksiːm/ ) is a unit of lexical meaning that underlies a set of words that are related through inflection. It is a basic abstract unit of meaning,[1] a unit of morphological analysis in linguistics that roughly corresponds to a set of forms taken by a single root word. For example, in English, run, runs, ran and running are forms of the same lexeme, which can be represented as RUN.[note 1]
One form, the lemma (or citation form), is chosen by convention as the canonical form of a lexeme. The lemma is the form used in dictionaries as an entry's headword. Other forms of a lexeme are often listed later in the entry if they are uncommon or irregularly inflected.
Description[edit]
The notion of the lexeme is central to morphology,[2] the basis for defining other concepts in that field. For example, the difference between inflection and derivation can be stated in terms of lexemes:
- Inflectional rules relate a lexeme to its forms.
- Derivational rules relate a lexeme to another lexeme.
A lexeme belongs to a particular syntactic category, has a certain meaning (semantic value), and in inflecting languages, has a corresponding inflectional paradigm. That is, a lexeme in many languages will have many different forms. For example, the lexeme RUN has a present third person singular form runs, a present non-third-person singular form run (which also functions as the past participle and non-finite form), a past form ran, and a present participle running. (It does not include runner, runners, runnable etc.) The use of the forms of a lexeme is governed by rules of grammar. In the case of English verbs such as RUN, they include subject–verb agreement and compound tense rules, which determine the form of a verb that can be used in a given sentence.
In many formal theories of language, lexemes have subcategorization frames to account for the number and types of complements. They occur within sentences and other syntactic structures.
Decomposition[edit]
A language's lexemes are often composed of smaller units with individual meaning called morphemes, according to root morpheme + derivational morphemes + affix (not necessarily in that order), where:
- The root morpheme is the primary lexical unit of a word, which carries the most significant aspects of semantic content and cannot be reduced to smaller constituents.[3]
- The derivational morphemes carry only derivational information.[4]
- The affix is composed of all inflectional morphemes, and carries only inflectional information.[5]
The compound root morpheme + derivational morphemes is often called the stem.[6] The decomposition stem + desinence can then be used to study inflection.
See also[edit]
- Ending (linguistics)
- Inflection
- Lemma
- Lexical word vs. grammatical word
- Marker (linguistics)
- Multiword expression
- Null morpheme
- Root (linguistics)
- Stem
- Syntagma (linguistics)
- Word family
Notes[edit]
- ^ RUN is here intended to display in small caps. Software limitations may result in its display either in full-sized capitals (RUN) or in full-sized capitals of a smaller font. Either is regarded as an acceptable substitute for genuine small caps.
References[edit]
- ^ The Cambridge Encyclopedia of The English Language. David Crystal. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995. p. 118. ISBN 0521401798.
- ^ Bonami O, Boyé G, Dal G, Giraudo H, Namer F (2018). Bonami O, Boyé G, Dal G, Giraudo H, Namer F (eds.). The lexeme in descriptive and theoretical morphology (pdf). Berlin: Language Science Press. doi:10.5281/zenodo.1402520. ISBN 978-3-96110-110-8.
- ^ "SIL Glossary of Linguistic Terms: What is a Root?". Sil.org. 3 December 2015. Retrieved 2021-05-14.
- ^ "SIL Glossary of Linguistic Terms: What is a Derivational Affix?". Sil.org. 3 December 2015. Retrieved 2021-05-14.
- ^ "SIL Glossary of Linguistic Terms: What is an Inflectional Affix?". Sil.org. 3 December 2015. Retrieved 2021-05-14.
- ^ "SIL Glossary of Linguistic Terms: What is a Stem?". Sil.org. 3 December 2015. Retrieved 2021-05-14.
External links[edit]
- The dictionary definition of lexeme at Wiktionary