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Macnerd wrote:I thought that was interesting! The Thai word defines itself. Normally one would look up a word in a dictionary to get the definition. Is there a linguistic term that means that a word is self-defining or that the word is the definition? I read about semantic primes but this isn't the same. Similar, I suppose.
Macnerd wrote:Earlier today I read about the Thai language being monosyllabic.
The following text is copied from a website.
To audition: /tót-sòp-gaan-sà-daeng/
to test: /tót-sòp/
to perform/to show: /sà-daeng/
performance (show/play): /gaan-sà-daeng/
“Audition” in Thai is a “test of one’s ability to perform (in a show or play)”.
Macnerd wrote:I thought that was interesting! The Thai word defines itself. Normally one would look up a word in a dictionary to get the definition.
Macnerd wrote:"lexically opaque" ? Please define.
Macnerd wrote:"lexically opaque" ? Please define.
although still a self-defining compound since both film(i) and muusika are used in Estonian on their own
md0 wrote:although still a self-defining compound since both film(i) and muusika are used in Estonian on their own
How is film or music self-defining?
md0 wrote:Many compound words have compositional meanings like linguoboy mentioned (at least as one of their definitions), but "self-defining" is a dangerous way to think about it (many language myths boil down to "our language is the only one in which sound and meaning are not arbitrarily paired").
Linguaphile wrote:*aalmaaraudteejaam = "subway station"
all = under
maa = land
raud = iron
tee = road
jaam = station
linguoboy wrote:Linguaphile wrote:*aalmaaraudteejaam = "subway station"
all = under
maa = land
raud = iron
tee = road
jaam = station
Holy crap! According to Wiktionary, jaam is cognate with 站. I did not see that coming!
Linguaphile wrote:Yep, through Russian though.
linguoboy wrote:Linguaphile wrote:Yep, through Russian though.
And Mongolian, apparently. But still pretty close phonetically.
Linguaphile wrote:By the way, I was in a rush and mis-typed the first syllable as *aal instead of all in one place above (it's the one that reappears in your quote). I fixed it in my post above.
Macnerd wrote:English does it some by combining parts of speech to form new words like stirfry & girlfriend.
Macnerd wrote:I don't know if you have heard of semantic primes. They are words that are self-defining. But it isn't practical. Imagine trying to define the word "atom" or "computer" using only semantic primes.
Macnerd wrote:I'm really fascinated by languages & grammar & syntax. I've spent hours on YouTube & Google.
Macnerd wrote:I don't know if you have heard of semantic primes. They are words that are self-defining. But it isn't practical. Imagine trying to define the word "atom" or "computer" using only semantic primes.
Linguaphile wrote:Aren't they more like words that can't be easily defined using other words in the same language?
linguoboy wrote:Linguaphile wrote:Aren't they more like words that can't be easily defined using other words in the same language?
No, semantic primes are terms in a metalanguage. This is indicated by citing them in all caps, e.g. DO is a semantic prime whether or not there is a single verb in the language corresponding to it. (English do overlaps with DO but has several usages which are outside the scope of it; the reverse is also true.)
Linguaphile wrote:linguoboy wrote:Linguaphile wrote:Aren't they more like words that can't be easily defined using other words in the same language?
No, semantic primes are terms in a metalanguage. This is indicated by citing them in all caps, e.g. DO is a semantic prime whether or not there is a single verb in the language corresponding to it. (English do overlaps with DO but has several usages which are outside the scope of it; the reverse is also true.)
Ha. I think you misunderstood me because I didn't meant that all words that can't be easily defined are semantic primes. But those words you describe are usually a set of words that can't be easily defined using other words. "Do" certain is not self-defining, for example (whether you write it in all caps or not).
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