Hyponymy [Grk Hypó ‘Under,’ óNyma

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Hyponym Summary

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Routledge Dictionary of Language and Linguistics

hyponymy [Grk hypó ‘under,’ ónyma (=ónoma), ‘name’] (also subordination)

Term suggested by Lyons (1963) (in analogy to synonymy) for the semantic relation of subordination, i.e. the specification of semantic content. For example, apple is a hyponym of fruit, since apple has a more specific meaning than fruit. In expressions with extensions, the hyponymy can be viewed as the subset relation: l₁ (lexeme₁) is subordinate to l₂ only if the extension of l₁ is contained in the extension of l₂. Seen intensionally ( intension) with a view to componential analysis, the relation is the inverse: l₁ is subordinate to l₂ only if l₁ contains at least all semantic features of l₂, but not vice versa. Apple, pear, plum are co-hyponyms relative to each other and hyponyms of the generic term fruit ( hyperonymy). Every hyponym is distinguished from its hyperonym, or superordinate, by at least one feature that specifies it further. There are at least two heuristic tests for hyponymy: embedded lexemes in suitable contexts, e.g. l₁ is of the type l₂, or mutual substitution in suitable sentences S(…), whereby S(l₁) implies S(l₂) (implication). At closer look, it is necessary (a) to view a particular case of hyponymy relative to a given semantic perspective and (b) to test the hyponymy in terms of the actual use of the expressions (see Lutzeier 1981). Since ‘upward branching’ occurs in hyponymy (consider, for example, the relation of mother, woman, and parent), hyponymy does not constitute a true hierarchy.