Polysemy

In this set of materials, the reading passage cites some information about polysemic words which leads to a conclusion, and the listening passage cites some more information about the polysemic words which add to the conclusion in the reading.

 

The reading passage defines Polysemy and gives clear examples. According to the reading passage, one word has different meanings in English. As examples, sound is a polysemic word that has different kinds of meanings; it has12 adjective meanings, 12 verb meanings, 4 meanings in verb phrases and 2 adverb meanings. Another word is set; it is has 57 noun meanings and 120 verb meanings.

The listening passage adds to the conclusion some more important information to the conclusion in the reading passage by showing that special subset of polysemic words has not only different meanings but also opposite meanings. Polysemic words have different meanings, as the reading passage states. Besides, a special group of words that has opposite meanings. For example, bolt and fast mean “cannot move” and “move quickly”. Another word, sanction means “permit” and “permit”.