Toward an Emergent View of Lexical Semantics

In this paper I propose that the principles of Emergent Grammar (Hopper 1987, 1998) can be applied to lexical semantics. I discuss three instances of discourse semantics to show why an emergent view of semantics can provide a realistic account of semantics in discourse. The three cases are: 1) emergence and negotiation of meaning due to participant interaction in discourse; 2) (re)distribution of meanings among perceived synonymous lexical entities due to textual use and communicative demands; and 3) category shift of lexical entities as a result of frequent use in discourse. The results of these case studies are taken as evidence supporting the emergent semantics framework, namely: a) semantic meanings of lexical items and lexical combinations may emerge, be negotiated, and be acquired through language-use; b) meaning in isolation may be at variance with meaning in use; and c) it is indispensable to examine actual discourse practice to understand the nature of lexical semantics.