ESL Linguistics Discussion Forum

Re: urgent

Jon Salt — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:46:26 GMT

I'm not sure why you say "tree" is the prototype of elm, oak etc Mr Micawber. It doesn't seem to match your explanation. Wouldn't a prototype of a tree be a very typical tree, such as an oak, or something, if we can even use the word in regard to trees?

Re: urgent

Smoothy — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 05:29:48 GMT

thanks so much !

Mister Micawber for your great effort and help ..

I'm very appreciative of all that you have done ,,

I know my thanks have come late but I've lately checked out that ...

I've got the benefit of this piece of information ..thanks alot ..

with all my respect !

Re: urgent

Mister Micawber — Thu, 15 May 2008 04:39:53 GMT

.
Your language is fine, Smoothy. No one has taken offense. However, your question is not an easy one, so members have perhaps been hesitant to try to answer it.

I would say that a prototype is usually also the general word (hyperonym) of a hyponymous relationship. From internet sources:

Hyponymy: the semantic relation between a more specific word and a more general word. Dog is a hyponym of animal, because all dogs are also animals, but not vice versa.

Prototype: The prototype of any category is the member or set of members of a category that best represents the category as a whole. Not everything fits perfectly in a category. Categories are defined by an intersection of properties that make up their members. Members that have all of the properties are the prototype members. Those that contain some, but not all, of the properties are less prototypical. Prototypical nouns embody extremely and obviously time-stable concepts. âRockâ and âtreeâ are prototypical nouns.

So, tree is the prototype of elm, maple and willow, and tree is also the hyperonym of elm, etc.

Re: urgent

Smoothy — Thu, 15 May 2008 03:19:49 GMT

hi friend ..I hope u're all fine

I see there's no one answers my Q

sorry if u have a sensitivity about any word may I misused

but whatever my friends thought about, I never meant bad intentions

I swear that I respect all of you because u're good people

I hope we take a good intention about each other

so may u help me to differentiate between prototype and hyponymy

it's concerned with my course that I'm taking now

thanks

Re: urgent

Smoothy — Tue, 13 May 2008 14:15:34 GMT

Because I need this information today

tomorrow will be my exam

..it's too urgent

please if it's confusing for you all ..just tell me and I'll look for someone helps me

in the whole world

I think I have to be in touch with chomskey as soon as possible

Re: urgent

Mister Micawber — Tue, 13 May 2008 02:09:08 GMT

.
Why is this urgent?

urgent

Anonymous — Tue, 13 May 2008 00:40:07 GMT

hi all nice and kind pals

really I have such a confusing Q in linguistics and I hope U all can help me ..

what's the difference between hyponymy and prototype

I know that hyponymy is a word that contains the meaning of another word

and prototype is typical member of the extension of a referring expression

my Q is about this example:

oak tree,,oak could be both a hyponym and a prototype ...

how it could be both ...??

is there any difference ?

it's a little ambigious ..so please help me to clarify the difference?

thanx