Microsoft Word Revised Syllabus Ver doc

Hierarchical Relationship
The words in a language distinguish the objects in the world. The way in which the 
words specify the objects differ according to language structure. vilanku 'animal', paaluuTTi 
'mammal', maatu 'cattle', pasu' cow are the words showing a sort of hierarchical relationship. 
In this we can group any animal under the head word vilanku; but the word pasu refers to a 
particular animal only. When we say that all the words in this category have a hierarchical 
structure, we mean that each of the words in this category has got the common features of the 
word above it and in addition it, it has got some specific features which are special to it only.
For example, the word paaluuTTi has got all the features of the word vilanku and has 
got a special or specific feature, namely, giving breast milk, which distinguishes it from other 
types of animals like reptiles. Because of this feature, the words mutalai 'crocodile' kaakam 
Chair
Stool
Bench  
Hammock 
has legs
has legs
has legs
has no legs 
has back
has no back
may have back
has no back rest 
rest
rest 
rest
meant for
meant for
meant for more
meant for one 
one person
one person
than one person
person

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'crow, etc., could not be included under the head mammal. The word maaTu 'cow' is used to 
refer to an animal belonging to mammal category. Though the word maaTu has got all the 
features of the mammals (in the same way it has got all the features of animals, too) since it 
ruminates, it is grouped under the animals that ruminate (Here we have to remember that the 
mammals like naay 'dog', puunai 'cat', etc., have been grouped under different subheads, 
since their distinguishing features are different) The word pasu 'cow' has got all the 
characteristic features of maaTu cattle paaluuTTi 'mammal', 'and vilanku 'animal'; and in 
addition to these features it has got certain specific features also using which we distinguish it 
from the words like kaaLai 'bull', erumai 'bullock'.
A close look at the hierarchical level of the list of words having semantic relationship 
shows that the words in the bottom possess all the characters of the words above and in 
addition to it they have certain specific features also. In the words chair, stool, bench and 
hammock we observed that those words referred to a particular object and the common 
property of all these words is seat. The common words which include a number of related 
words help us to understand the concept semantic domain. This semantic domain varies from 
language to language, culture to culture and society to society. The concept semantic domain 
may be defined as a group of related words within the context of culture of the speakers of 
that language. Only those semantic domains which- are related to the structure of the 
language and acceptable to the culture of speakers of that language are important to us. 
Forcing the semantic domain of a language upon other is not good. This has to be kept in 
mind while translating. The result of such an activity will be the formation of pseudo domain. 
From the linguistic point of view, these pseudo domains formed by the translator may be 
termed as ‘etic’ categories and those domains naturally found in a language may be called as 
‘emic’ categories.
The folk classification of words is characterized by three properties. 1. The folk 
classification of words is normally unsystematic and unscientific. A comparison of the 
classification of plants and animals by a language with that of the botanist and geologists will 
make this point clear. 2. The people use the semantically related words most appropriately 
even though they are unaware of the common and specific components of the words. 3. Since 
there are redundancies in the semantic components, the speakers of a language give 
importance to a few components.