An Explanation of Hyponymy—From the Perspective of Saussure’s System-based Theory
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An Explanation of Hyponymy—From the Perspective of Saussure’s System-based Theory

Ziqi Yuan 1*
1 University College London
*Corresponding author: yuanziqijn@163.com
Published on 4 July 2025
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CHR Vol.72
ISSN (Print): 2753-7072
ISSN (Online): 2753-7064
ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-225-6
ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-226-3
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Abstract

Hyponymy is a common phenomenon in linguistics. Although hyponymy has been widely used in daily life, seldom will people pay attention to the mechanisms that lead to hyponymy. In order to solve this problem, this paper aims to explore the deep meaning of hyponymy and intends to re-explain it on the basis of Saussure’s system-based theory. By introducing and comparing the relevant concepts, including Saussure’s system-based theory and the definition of hyponymy in a general sense, this paper argues that the relationship between hypernym and hyponym has some similarities with the schema-instance relationship, which is reflected by Saussure’s language system. Based on Saussure’s system-based theory, this paper succeeds in re-explaining the deep meaning of hyponymy from both the longitudinal dimension and the crosswise dimension and providing a new explanatory path for hyponymy. Results show that language is a holistic system, where the hierarchical, transitive, irreversible and relative characters are founded in the longitudinal analysis, and the difference and opposition in the same layer occur in the horizontal study.

Keywords:

hyponymy, schema-instance relationship, Saussure’s system-based theory

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Yuan,Z. (2025). An Explanation of Hyponymy—From the Perspective of Saussure’s System-based Theory. Communications in Humanities Research,72,14-18.

References

[1]. Cruse, D. A. (2000). Meaning in language: An introduction to semantics and pragmatics. Brown, K., Clark, E. V., Miller, J., Milroy, L., Pullum, G. K., & Roach, P. (Eds.). Oxford, Oxford University Press.

[2]. Fromkin, V., Rodman, R., & Hyams, N. (2007). An introduction to language, tenth edition. Boston, Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

[3]. Huang, Y. (2007). Pragmatics. Oxford, Oxford University Press.

[4]. Holdcroft, D. (1991). Saussure: Signs, systems and arbitrariness. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.

[5]. Saussure, F. (1993). Saussure’s third course of lectures on general linguistics (1910-1911). Oxford, Pergamon Press.

[6]. Zhang, Y. F., & Zhang, S. J. (2009). Comparison and interpretation of several key notions of Saussure’s philosophy of language. Journal of Northeast Normal University (Philosophy and Social Sciences), 2009(5), 162-164.

[7]. Saussure, F. (1959). Course in general linguistics. London, Peter Owen Limited.

[8]. Zhang, S. J. (2004). A study in arbitrariness of linguistic signs: Exploring Saussure’s philosophy of linguistics. Shanghai, Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.

[9]. Zhang, S. J., & Zhang, Y. F. (2015). Scalar implicature: A Saussurean system-based approach. Language Sciences, 2015(51), 43-53.

[10]. Evans, V. & Green, M. (2006). Cognitive linguistics: An introduction. Edinburgh, Edinburgh University Press.

[11]. Gu, X. B., & Zhang, Y. F. (2013). Saussure’s thought of language as a system: A schema-instance-based approach. Shandong Foreign Language Teaching Journal, 2013(6), 44-48.

[12]. Saussure, F. (2006). Writings in general linguistics. Oxford, Oxford University Press.

References

[1]. Cruse, D. A. (2000). Meaning in language: An introduction to semantics and pragmatics. Brown, K., Clark, E. V., Miller, J., Milroy, L., Pullum, G. K., & Roach, P. (Eds.). Oxford, Oxford University Press.

[2]. Fromkin, V., Rodman, R., & Hyams, N. (2007). An introduction to language, tenth edition. Boston, Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

[3]. Huang, Y. (2007). Pragmatics. Oxford, Oxford University Press.

[4]. Holdcroft, D. (1991). Saussure: Signs, systems and arbitrariness. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.

[5]. Saussure, F. (1993). Saussure’s third course of lectures on general linguistics (1910-1911). Oxford, Pergamon Press.

[6]. Zhang, Y. F., & Zhang, S. J. (2009). Comparison and interpretation of several key notions of Saussure’s philosophy of language. Journal of Northeast Normal University (Philosophy and Social Sciences), 2009(5), 162-164.

[7]. Saussure, F. (1959). Course in general linguistics. London, Peter Owen Limited.

[8]. Zhang, S. J. (2004). A study in arbitrariness of linguistic signs: Exploring Saussure’s philosophy of linguistics. Shanghai, Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.

[9]. Zhang, S. J., & Zhang, Y. F. (2015). Scalar implicature: A Saussurean system-based approach. Language Sciences, 2015(51), 43-53.

[10]. Evans, V. & Green, M. (2006). Cognitive linguistics: An introduction. Edinburgh, Edinburgh University Press.

[11]. Gu, X. B., & Zhang, Y. F. (2013). Saussure’s thought of language as a system: A schema-instance-based approach. Shandong Foreign Language Teaching Journal, 2013(6), 44-48.

[12]. Saussure, F. (2006). Writings in general linguistics. Oxford, Oxford University Press.

Cite this article

Yuan,Z. (2025). An Explanation of Hyponymy—From the Perspective of Saussure’s System-based Theory. Communications in Humanities Research,72,14-18.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

About volume

Volume title: Proceedings of ICADSS 2025 Symposium: Art, Identity, and Society: Interdisciplinary Dialogues

ISBN: 978-1-80590-225-6(Print) / 978-1-80590-226-3(Online)
Editor: Ioannis Panagiotou, Yanhua Qin
Conference website: https://www.icadss.org/Lincoln.html
Conference date: 22 August 2025
Series: Communications in Humanities Research
Volume number: Vol.72
ISSN: 2753-7064(Print) / 2753-7072(Online)

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