The Natural Semantic Metalanguage (NSM) Approach: Assumptions, Concepts, and Goals

Abstract

The Natural Semantic Metalanguage, originated by Anna Wierzbicka, is a decompositional approach in lexical semantics for semantic analysis which has, so far, been applied to over 30 languages all over the world. Cliff Goddard is its main representative next to her. The claim is that there is a small core of basic and universal meanings called semantic primes which can be expressed by words or other linguistic expressions in all languages and can be used as a means for analyzing the meanings of complex language-specific and culture-specific words. In this approach, lexicon (semantic primes) and a specific syntax (combinatorial grammar) are used for semantic analysis. The purpose of this article is to introduce this approach to readers and researchers working on Iranian languages and dialects. Then, the semantic analysis of some words in Hawrami language was conducted and it has been shown that this approach is a very appropriate theoretical tool in describing and explaining semantic nuances and cultural burden of lexicon in different languages.

Keywords

• lexical semantics
• the natural semantic metalanguage
• semantic primes
• combinatorial grammar
• semantic molecule