Semantic field is a closely knit sector of vocabulary characterised by a common
concept (e.g. in the semantic field of space we find nouns (expanse, extent, surface);
verbs (extend, spread, span); adjectives (spacious, roomy, vast, broad)). The members
of the semantic fields are not synonymous but all of them are joined together by some
common semantic component. This semantic component common to all the members
of the field is sometimes described as the common denominator of meaning, like the
concept of kinship, concept of colour, parts of the human body and so on. The basis
of grouping in this case is not only linguistic but also extra-linguistic: the words are
associated, because the things they name occur together and are closely connected in
reality.
Thematic (or ideographic) groups are groups
of words joined together by
common contextual associations within the framework of the sentence and reflect the
interlinking of things and events in objective reality. Contextual association are
formed as a result of regular co-occurrence of words
in similar repeatedly used
contexts. Thematic or ideographic groups are independent of classification into parts
of speech. Words and expression are here classed not according to their lexico-
grammatical meaning but strictly according to their signification, i.e. to the system of
logical notions (e.g. tree - -grow - green; journey - train, taxi, bus - ticket; sunshine -
brightly - blue - sky).
Hyponomy is the semantic relationship of inclusion existing between elements
of various levels. Thus, e.g.
vehicle includes
car, bus, taxi; oak implies
tree, horse
implies
animal; table implies
furniture. The hyponymic
relationship is the
relationship between the meaning of the general and the individual terms.
A hyperonym is a generic term which serves as the name of the general as
distinguished from the names of the species-hyponyms.
In other words the more
specific term is called the hyponym. For instance,
animal is
a generic term as
compared to the specific names
wolf, dog or
mouse (these are called equonyms)
Dog,
in its turn, may serve as a generic term for different breeds such as
bull-dog, collie,
poodle, etc.