Microsoft Word stilistika O'UM. doc

TYPES OF LEXICAL MEANING 
In order to define the linguistic nature of Lexical SD it is necessary to outline 
the notion of lexical meaning. This task is of special importance because many 
lexical SDs are based on the peculiar two fold use of lexical meanings. According to 
the definition of our scientists “A word is a language sigh that expresses a concept by 
its forms and meanings”. By concept we mean an abstract or general idea of some 
phenomenon of objective reality including the subjective feelings and emotions of 
human being. 
When we study the meaning of a word we come across the notion of semantic 
structure. Thus, according to the definition given by I. Arnold “the word’s semantic 
structure is an organized whole comprised by recurrent meanings and shades of 
meaning a particular sound complex can assume in different contexts, together with 
emotional stylistic colouring and other connotations”.
Among the lexical meanings we distinguish logical, emotive and nominal 
meanings. 
Logical meaning is the exact and definite name of an object, phenomenon or 
idea. Sometimes it is also called denotative, referential or direct meaning: e.g. empty, 
having nothing inside, containing nothing - an empty box. 
Logical meaning may be primary and secondary (derivative). The above given 
example is the primary logical meaning. The secondary logical meaning of this word 
is the following empty- not meaning anything, not given satisfaction, feeling empty. 
The meanings which are not registered in dictionaries but which exist in our 
speech or written texts are called contextual meanings. They do not enter the 
semantic structure of the word and exist only in one text. For example the word 
“print” has the following dictionary meanings: 1. marks, letters etc. in printed form, 
clear print. 2. (usually in compounds) mark left on a surface – finger- print, foot-

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print. But this noun has developed a new meaning on the basis of the contextual 
meaning. The total print is sold ( in the meaning of edition). Many derivative 
meanings appeared on the basis of contextual meanings and later entered the 
semantic structure of a word. It would be right to say that a word is not a complete 
unit and it has a tendency to generate new meanings. 
Emotive meaning also realizes a concept in the word. It is not connected with 
object, phenomena or ideas; it mostly deals with feelings and emotions of the people. 
Among words having emotive meanings we distinguish the following. 
Interjections: O! Ah! Hi! Hey! Exclamatory words: Good! Well! Look out! Oaths and 
Swear words: Upon my word!, damn, bastard. Qualitative and intensifying adjective 
and adverbs: awfully, terrible, wonderful, fine, fantastic. There are groups of words in 
the language in which emotive meaning prevails. Among them we have such words 
as – love, hate, motherland…Suffixes having diminutive meanings may also be 
treated as adding emotive meaning to words with neutral logical meaning. But still it 
is necessary to mention that the context helps to distinguish if the word is used in its 
emotive meaning or in its logical meaning. 
Nominal meanings express concepts by indicating a particular object out of a 
whole class. Traditionally these words are treated as proper nouns. Nominal meaning 
is defined as a derivative logical meaning. In order to distinguish the word with a 
nominal meaning one must know that it is spelt by a capital letter. Such words as 
“Longfellow”, “Black Sea” have the nominal meaning in which the logical meaning 
may be forgotten. Some proper names may be considered as homonyms of common 
nouns. For example; Miss Hope (hope), Mrs Brown (brown). 
The development of meaning may be of different directions. A nominal 
meaning may acquire a logical meaning due to different conditions. Some feature of a 
person which made him famous is recognized by the society and this feature becomes 
the basis for the new logical meaning. For example – hooligan (Irish name), boycott 
(captain Boycott, Irish landlord)