Semantic Fields and Lexical Structure

• Published in: General linguistics 1977-07, Vol.17 (2), p.94-106
• Main Author: Moravcsik, Edith A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0016-6553

The intention of this book is to "explore the properties of semantic fields by examining a varIety of lexical sets," & to provide both a scholarly contribution to the field & a textbook suitable for intermediate-level students of linguistics. These claims are examined as well as the author's efficacy in fulfilling them. The book contains nine chapters, plus an introduction, a concluding chapter, a bibliography, & subject & author indexes. Lexical field & traditional semantic feature theories are presented in summary form as alternatives to the proposed solution. Faults pointed out by Lehrer in lexical field theory are generally valid. The advantage of the author's formulation of lexical field theory over semantic feature theory are outlined. Lehrer's "imprecise statements" are criticized. The book is recommended as a scholarly contribution. Its use as a textbook is recommended with reservation because of the previously mentioned "lack of perspective and lack of precision," but the general stature of the work is still impressive. B. Annesser