The Structure of Meaning in English and Japanese

概要

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This article begins from the dual premise that culture is a universal and essential human attribute, but that each separateculture and language is a particular manifestation thereof. It describes the semantic range of the polysemous English lexeme break and contrasts it with that of its Japanese correlates. Each of these correlates expresses but a portion of the semantic range of break; none can be considered 'equivalents' in any overall sense. It seeks to discover the essence of the semantic structure of break, and offer a comprehensive definition that would include all of its meanings. The core meaning of break was found to be the foundation upon which virtually all of its extended, figurative uses are based. The implications of the disparity in semantic structure between Japanese and English for learning and teaching English are discussed, as well as the suitability of translation as a language learning and teaching method.