SEMANTIC FEATURES AS A BASIS FOR THE CLASSIFICATION OF MODERN ENGLISH LEXEMES.

Abstract

The article examines the role of semantic features as a fundamental basis of classification of modern English lexemes. Semantic features are regarded as basic components of lexical meaning that allows to determine common and distinctive features of words. The paper is concerned with the use of componential analysis for the classification of English lexical units according to their semantic properties. The research shows that the semantic feature analysis offers a systematic framework for the identification of semantic similarities, differences, oppositions and lexical-semantic groups in the lexicon of the modern English. The classification of lexemes according to the features they share and the features that oppose them, also gives a better understanding of semantic fields and the internal organization of the English lexical system. The study also acknowledges that semantic features are insufficient to explain all the dimensions of lexical meaning, notably the contextual, cultural, pragmatic and prototypical ones. Therefore, semantic feature analysis should be considered an effective analytical instrument that can be complemented by other approaches to lexical semantics. The findings may be useful for researchers in lexical semantics and lexicology, as well as for lexicographers, translators, and teachers of English