Definition

Noun: A lexicalized concept is a specific idea, thought, or mental representation that has been encoded into and is expressed by a single word or a fixed lexical unit within a particular language. It refers to a concept that a language has chosen to give a dedicated word to, making it a readily accessible part of the language's vocabulary.

Usage

This term is primarily used in linguistics, semantics, and cognitive science to discuss how languages package ideas into words. It highlights the relationship between human thought and linguistic expression.

Examples

• The word "schadenfreude" represents a lexicalized concept in German (meaning pleasure derived from another's misfortune) for which English lacks a single, common word.
• Linguists study which concepts become lexicalized concepts across different languages, such as how some languages have multiple words for "snow" or "blue."
• The distinction between "river" and "stream" shows that English has lexicalized concepts for waterways of different sizes.

Advanced Usage

• Non-Lexicalized Concepts: Discussions often contrast lexicalized concepts with those that require a phrase or description. For example, the concept "the day after tomorrow" is not a single lexicalized concept in standard English but is lexicalized as "übermorgen" in German.
• Cross-Linguistic Analysis: A core area of study is comparing which concepts are lexicalized in one language but not in another, revealing cultural and cognitive priorities.

Variants and Related Words

• Lexicalization (n): The process by which concepts or phrases become established as single words in a language (e.g., "blog" from "web log").
• Lexicalize (v): To represent or encode a concept in a single word.
• Lexical Item: A broader term for any single word, compound, or idiom that is a unit in a language's vocabulary.

Synonyms

• Encoded concept
• Word-based concept
• Lexical concept

Antonyms

• Non-lexicalized concept
• Paraphrased concept
• Descriptive concept

Related Idioms/Phrases

• To have a word for it: This common phrase aligns closely with the idea of a lexicalized concept. If a language "has a word for" a specific feeling or object, it means that concept is lexicalized.
  • Example: "It's convenient that English has a word for that precise concept."

Noun

1. a concept that is expressed by a word (in some particular language)