Opposite (semantics)

Antonyms (from Greek αντί anti, against ' and ὄνομα onoma ' name ' ) are in linguistics words with opposite meaning. In the same meaning, the terms of opposites words are used (or ( shorter) counter word). Two words that are each other's opposites words, hot pair of opposites. The existing relation between them is Antonymy, especially of words but also of sentences and phrases. The corresponding figure of speech is the oxymoron.

The concept of antonymy can learn different forms it according to the level and nature of the opposition. The type of antonymy content depends on how the opposition is to be understood in the logical sense, if he is wanted as within a preamble or whether a contrary or contradictory relation between the concepts denoted by the pair of opposites exists. An expression that can represent both terms of a pair of opposites, ie opposition word.

Antonymbildung

In German, antonyms are formed un - even by prepending the prefix in many cases: about peace - restlessness; clear - clear, etc. However, there is no such Antonympaare automatically, for example, no counterpart has about dangerous; just is not inevitable for ausbleiblich in use. Conversely, there are smart for no such unschlau. In addition, there are words with un-, but the root word form no antonym, for example, courage and resentment; fairly and unseemly.

Another aspect is that different oppositions of word pairs are not automatically transferable to others. Thus, although are overpass and underpass (roads ) Antonyms, but transition and doom have no comparable sense and anti-sense, but mean something completely different, nothing direct opposites.

Types of Antonymien

There can be different types of antonymy distinguish:

Antonymy in the narrower and in a wider sense

Originally there was talk of antonymy only in the sense of gradual or even contrarian antonymy and thereby designated pairs of adjectives such as beautiful / ugly. In some cases one speaks today of antonymy only to refer to a "meaning of opposites (. ) Between scalable lexical expressions ( n ) ". As a logical perspective, the gradual antonymy is the case with a contrary contrast (example: cold / hot).

A special case of gradual or contrary antonymy is the polar contrary contrast, at the opposite meanings are at the end of a scale (example: new / old). "Non- polar antonyms denote the same severity on opposite scales; the formation konverser comparatives is excluded ".

The expression of antonymy is often used in a broader sense, then generally refers to a generic term for " semantic opposites Relations " and then also covers the case of logical contradiction, which in semantics as a complementary contrast (see below) is called (example: dead / alive, useful / useless ).

It refers to the adversarial antonymy as " antonymy in the strict sense ," while the contrary antonymy is also referred to as " antonymy in the proper sense " or "occasionally" as antonyms in the strict sense. The terminology is anything but clear.

Opposing antonymy as incompatibility

Antonymy opposite as case ( a contrary or contradictory ) meaning is a " special case " incompatible meaning, that is an incompatibility ( of words, etc.).

Detached from the word meaning - - If, as considered here, the incompatibility in the case of Kohyponymie as antonymy, the antonym is equated with any Inkompatibiliät and at the same time used the term incompatibility in a narrower than usual sense.

Auto- antonyms

Auto- antonyms ( Antagonyme ) are words that can be used in convers meaning simultaneously. So the word has two meanings ( homonymy, polysemy or homophony ), which form a antonymische opposition. In German, this occurs for example in the expression shoal on which can be interpreted as a very small depth, or in the vernacular as a very great depth. The English overlook can both monitor 'and do not note ' mean. (Compare: overlooked has overlook the two meanings and not note: I still do not overlook the situation I have seen the letter.. ) Another example: transparent is both transparent and disclosed as well as invisible, hiding used, especially if you do not material property describes.

Homonymy and antinomy

Many words are homonyms, ie they have several meanings. Since the Antinomierelation depends on the meaning, it is in these cases, several sets of antonyms. For example, the word has slimming antonyms in the importance of groups passed ( goods), hang (picture), discover ( tablecloth ), hang up ( telephone handset ), create (jewelery), Hang ( curtain ), put on ( hat), grow or leave (Bart ), increase ( moon), increase ( weight) and more.

• Not all words that have multiple meanings that have just as many antonyms. example:

• Train within the meaning of suction or tightening - Antonyms: push or pressure;
• Train within the meaning of railway train - no clear antonym present;
• Train within the meaning of chess and play - no clear antonym present;
• Train within the meaning of gesture - no clear antonym available.