The Syncategorematic Nature of Neo-Aramaic and English Antonyms

Abstract

Antonyms have always been considered the starting point for language learners; therefore, they are familiar cross-linguistically. In this research, we try to provide a semantic description of antonymy in Neo-Aramaic (a member of the Semitic family) as it has not been put under scrutiny in the literature. Second, we analyze the semantic features of Neo-Aramaic antonyms according to two criteria, viz., markedness and committedness. We try to answer questions such as which member neutralizes the opposition in questions and whether nominalizations of these adjectives follow the same pattern as to markedness and committedness. The study sheds some light on the universality of these criteria and how they correlate in some cases but dissociate in others. Our analysis is, in most part, context-bound and shows that adjectives tend to change their semantic features due to the influence of the quantified noun. The analysis has revealed some striking differences between Neo-Aramaic and English, for example hot and cold are not prototypical equipollents in Neo-Aramaic. Nominalizations of the adjectives are morphologically derived; suppletive nominalizations do not exist in the grammar of this language. A preference for using yes/no questions has been noticed as a manoeuvring technique with some uncalibrated attributes.

Keywords

• markedness
• neo-aramaic
• antonym