Kosenko A.

Yuri Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University

Semantic structure of the term “trade”

In our work the semantic structure of the term “demand” is explored. The work aims to analyze semantics of the lexeme “demand”. To fulfill this task the method of componential analysis is used. One of the main contributions to linguistic semantics comes from this method (Lyons, 1968). It is an approach according to which the analysis of a set of related linguistic items, especially word meanings, into combinations of features in terms of which each item may be compared with every other. According to dictionary definition trade is exchanging goods and services with others for other goods and services or for money (also called trade).  When people exchange voluntarily, they expect to be better off as a result. 

Traditionally such kinds of trade are singled out: 1) block trade - a trade consisting of 10,000 or more shares; 2) day trade - the purchase and sale or the short sale and cover of the same security in a margin account on the same day; 3) free trade - the absence of tariffs and regulations designed to curtail or prevent trade among nations.; 4) foreign trade - the exchange of goods and services between nations.

According to componential analysis semantic structure of the term “trade” is based on three semes: “trade”, “commerce” and “business” (see table 1). Using six British and American dictionaries (Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, Webster Dictionary, Longman Dictionary, Newbury Dictionary of American English, Wordsmyth Dictionary, Cambridge Dictionary) we aim to single out the meanings of each seme. Seme “trade” has eight meanings: “activity of buying or selling or exchanging goods or services between people and countries”, “a particular type of business”, “particular area of business and people or companies that are connected with it”, “amount of goods and services sold”, “a person who buys or sells company shares”, “commerce in general”, “commerce in general”, “customers of a business”. Meanings “activity of buying or selling or exchanging goods or services between people and countries”, “a particular type of business” are basic ones for this seme the former being fixed in all dictionaries used and the latter excluded in Webster Dictionary. Meanings “particular area of business and people or companies that are connected with it”, “amount of goods and services sold” can be found only in Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary and Webster Dictionary. Meaning “a person who buys or sells company shares” is fixed only in Cambridge Dictionary and meanings “commerce in general”, “commerce in general”, “customers of a business”- only in Newbury Dictionary of American English. Seme “commerce” has three meanings: “trade, especially between countries”, “buying and selling of goods and services”, “a business transaction”. Meaning “buying and selling of goods and services” can be considered basic one for this seme as it is fixed in all dictionaries used except Wordsmyth Dictionary (and meaning “a business transaction” on the contrary can be found only in the dictionary mentioned above). Meaning “trade, especially between countries” is fixed in Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary and in Wordsmyth Dictionary. Seme “business” has four meanings: “an activity of making, buying, selling or supplying goods and services for money”, “a commercial organization, such as a store/shop, company or factory”, “being a customer”, “usually economic dealing”. Meanings “an activity of making, buying, selling or supplying goods and services for money”, “a commercial organization, such as a store/shop, company or factory” are basic ones for this seme the former being fixed in all dictionaries used and the latter excluded in Cambridge Dictionary. Other meanings are found only in one dictionary (meaning “being a customer” only in Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary and meaning “usually economic dealing” in Webster Dictionary). Analyzing synonymic sets of the components of the term “trade” we can single out core (“business”, “commerce”, “industry”), first periphery (“craft”, “profession”, “vocation”), second periphery (“communication”, “association”, “contact”), third periphery (“duty”, “obligation”, “responsibility”), forth periphery (“problem”, “worry”, “lookout”), fifth periphery (“event”, “occurrence”), sixth periphery (“organization”, “venture”, “office”).

Table 1. Components of the semantic structure of the term “trade”

		Ox.	Web.	Cam.	Long.	New.	Wordsmyth
trade	activity of buying or selling or exchanging goods or services between people and countries	+	+	+	+	+	-
	a particular type of business	+	-	+	+	+	-
	particular area of business and people or companies that are connected with it	+	+	-	-	-	-
	amount of goods and services sold	+	+	-	-	-	-
	a person who buys or sells company shares	-	-	+	-	-	-
	commerce in general	-	-	-	-	+	-
	a business transaction	-	-	-	-	+	-
	customers of a business	-	-	-	-	+	-
commerce
	trade, especially between countries	+	-	-	-	-	+
	buying and selling of goods and services	+	+	+	+	+	-
	a business transaction	-	-	-	-	-	+
business
	an activity of making, buying, selling or supplying goods and services for money	+	+	+	+	+	+
	a commercial organization, such as a store/shop, company or factory	+	+	-	+	+	+
	being a customer	+	-	-	-	-	-
	usually economic dealing	-	+	-	-	-	-

Bibliography:

 
 
1. John Lyons. Linguistic Semantics. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press. 1995.
2. Random House Unabridged Dictionary on-line, Copyright © 1997, by Random House
3. Економічний тлумачний словник: власність, приватизація, ринок цінних паперів (українсько-англо-російський): Л.М.Алексеєнко, В.М.Олексієнко.