Polysemy (from the Greek πολυσημεία = multiple meaning) is the capacity for a sign or signs to have multiple meanings (sememes, i.e. a large semantic field). This is a pivotal concept within social sciences, such as media studies and linguistics.

For Hebdige (1979: 117) polysemy means that, "each text is seen to generate a potentially infinite range of meanings," making, according to Middleton (1990: 165), "any homology, out of the most heterogeneous materials, possible. The idea of signifying practice — texts not as communicating or expressing a pre-existing meaning but as 'positioning subjects' within a process of semiosis — changes the whole basis of creating social meaning".

Polysemes

A polyseme is a word or phrase with multiple, related meanings. Homophonous words are judged to be polysemous if their meanings are related, and since the vague concept of relatedness is the test for polysemy, judgements of polysemy can be very difficult to make. Because applying pre-existing words to new situations is a natural process of language change, looking at words' etymology is helpful in determining polysemy. Some apparently unrelated words share a common historical origin, however, so etymology is not an infallible test for polysemy, and dictionary writers also often defer to speakers' intuitions to judge polysemy in cases where it contradicts etymology.

There are several tests for polysemy, but one of them is zeugma: if one word seems to exhibit zeugma when applied in different contexts, it is likely that the contexts bring out different polysemes of the same word. If the two senses of the same word do not seem to fit, yet seem related, then it is likely that they are polysemous. The fact that this test again depends on speakers' judgements about relatedness, however, means that this test for polysemy is not an infallible test for polysemy, but is rather merely a helpful, conceptual aide.

The difference between homonyms and polysemes is subtle. Lexicographers define polysemes within a single dictionary lemma, numbering different meanings, while homonyms are treated in separate lemmata. Semantic shift can separate a polysemous word into separate homonyms. For example, check ("bank check", also spelled cheque for disambiguation), check in chess and check "verification" are considered homonyms, while they originated as a single word derived from chess in the 14th century.

Examples of polysemes

• Mole

1. a small burrowing mammal
2. consequently, there are several different entities called moles (see the Mole disambiguation page). Although these refer to different things, their names derive from 1.
   e.g. A Mole (espionage) burrows for information hoping to go undetected.

• Bank

1. a financial institution
2. a synonym for 'rely upon' (e.g. "I'm your friend, you can bank on me"). It is different, but related, as it derives from the theme of security initiated by 1

However: a river bank is a homonym to 1 and 2, as they do not share etymologies. It is a completely different meaning.

• Milk
  • The verb milk (e.g. "he's milking it for all he can get") derives from the process of obtaining milk.

References

• Hebdige (1979). Cited in Middleton 1990.
• Middleton, Richard (1990/2002). Studying Popular Music. Philadelphia: Open University Press. ISBN 0335152759.

Further reading

• O'Sullivan, et.al. (1994) Key Concepts in Communication and Cultural Studies. London: Routledge. ISBN 0415061733

Semantics

Polysemie | Polisemia | Polisemia | Polysémie | Polisemia | Polisemia | 多義語 | Polysemi | Polisemia | Полисемия