Glossary of Linguistic Terms

Lexical Relation With A Set Of Pairs Structure

Definition: 

A lexical relation with a set of pairs structure is a pattern of association between lexical units which is characterized by a binary contrast, correlation, or correspondence between two sense sets.

Discussion: 

A set of pairs can be represented mathematically as

  • {(x1, y1), (x2, y2), (x3, y3),...}
Examples: 

(English)

Opposites

  • {(true, false), (dead, alive), (open, shut)}
  • {(long, short), (good, bad), (hot, cold)}

Individual-group

  • {(lion, pride), (wolf, pack), (buffalo, herd)}
  • {(flower, bouquet), (banana, bunch)}