On Knowing a Word
Abstract
A person who knows a word knows much more than its meaning and pronunciation. The contexts in which a word can be used to express a particular meaning are a critical component of word knowledge. The ability to exploit context in order to determine meaning and resolve potential ambiguities is not a uniquely linguistic ability, but it is dramatically illustrated in the ease with which native speakers are able to identify the intended meanings of common polysemous words.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Syntax
Semantics
Linguistic Variation
Second Language Acquisition and Learning
Categorization
perception
and language
Publication details
- Pages
- 52–69
- Publication date
- 5 January 2026
- Language
- EN
- Document type
- Book chapter