In gnosiology, the image is a fundamental category and is used in connection with sensuous reflection and abstract thinking. The presence of a conceptual image in a word is beyond doubt. As for the sensuous image in a word, it is only intuitively noted by scholars. The paper argues that the extralinguistic reality is reflected in the form of a sensuous imprint but developed into a sensuous image in the process of formation of a word as a second signal system (I. Pavlov’s theory of two signal systems).
The author regards the sensuous image existing in a word as a linguistic image. A linguistic image is enclosed in every word but is called forth when figurativeness of the word is created.
The acknowledgment of a linguistic image in a word permits us to present the meaning of a word as a correlation of three main components: the sound form of a word as its nomination, the conceptual image as the significatum and the sensuous image as a linguistic image.
The afore-presented study of the meaning of a word appears to be of great importance in translated matters, especially when translating poetry that abounds with occasional word-combinations.
Session
Lexicological Issues of Lexicographical Relevance
Keywords
sensuous imprint; linguistic image; three components of the meaning of a word
BibTex
@InProceedings{ELX2016-088,
author={Innes Merabishvili},
title={Towards the Meaning of a Word},
pages={798-809},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 17th EURALEX International Congress},
year={2016},
month={sep},
date={6-10},
address={Tbilisi, Georgia},
editor={Tinatin Margalitadze, George Meladze},
publisher={Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi University Press},
isbn={978-9941-13-542-2},
}
