Implications and Applications of Semantic Field Theory and Componential Analysis in Vocabulary Teaching

Abstract

Linguistics, which is primarily concerned with the nature and structure of language, is no doubt of great value to the language teacher. This is because the language teacher’s professional pre-occupation is with the “what” and “how” of language teaching. The “what” would largely be informed by the quality of his grounding in linguistic theories, principles, tenets and research findings, which also have a measure of relevance for the “how.”

This paper employs this general background to assess the strengths and weaknesses of semantic Field Theory and Componential Analysis in accounting for the nature and structure of the lexical system in a language. Practical implications and applications of the two theories for the teaching of vocabulary are later discussed. Lexica] examples throughout the paper are drawn from the English Language.