Developmental Patterns of Polysemy Psychological Representation - English Doctoral Library of the PLA University of Foreign Languages

Author: Zhao Cuilian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-02-01
Features: The English Department of the PLA University of Foreign Languages was established in 1949, with a well-structured academic system, making it a key discipline both nationally and within the armed forces. It boasts a postdoctoral research station and doctoral degree authorization programs. The faculty is strong, with nearly 30 teachers holding doctoral degrees. The teaching quality is outstanding, consistently ranking among the top in national English proficiency tests. Research and academic activities are vibrant, with rigorous academic standards and abundant achievements. This library consists of academic works meticulously written by some doctoral candidates under the guidance of renowned scholars and professors at prestigious universities in China. It is planned to publish 5 books annually, and we welcome your attention. Polysemy is a widely discussed topic in the philosophy of language, linguistics, and psychology. People are interested in polysemy because it involves many fields, such as the distinction between polysemes and homophones, the boundary between polysemy and fuzzy meanings, practical applications of semantics in areas like translation and lexicography, and foreign language teaching. Linguistic literature is divided on the psychological storage of polysemic meanings, primarily revolving around a core question: whether only one central meaning is represented (central meaning representation view) or all meanings are represented independently (independent meaning representation view). By analyzing previous experimental studies on the psychological representation of polysemic meanings, we found that the conflicting conclusions (central and independent meaning representation) were due to flaws in experimental design, such as using native speakers with the same language proficiency level, certain defects in experimental materials, and the use of traditional online psycholinguistic experimental methods. This study holds significant theoretical implications for polysemy research and provides certain guidance for dictionary compilation and EFL teaching. The theoretical framework proposed in this study, the research methods used, and the results obtained fill the gaps in the research on the psychological representation of polysemic meanings among EFL learners. It offers a psychological basis for the arrangement of polysemic senses in dictionary entries and the handling of homophones, providing valuable insights for EFL learners in acquiring polysemic meanings.