A cognitive approach to antonymy : the influence of context

This paper presents an analysis of antonymy by looking at how the term and its definition changed through decades. By looking at the specific points in time, this text aims to present antonymy as an ever-changing concept. This text argues that antonymy should be analyzed on the basis of Cognitive Semantics and offers research in support of the notion that all antonyms are extremely sensitive to the context they are used in. With the support of various empirical investigations and techniques, antonymy is seen in a different light, its nature uncovered, and “goodness” of its members challenged. This study also provides two possible approaches to antonymy: Saussurean Structuralism on one side, and Cognitive Semantics on the other. With the use of the principles of Saussurean Structuralism, this study reflects on how that theory could only explain antonymy to a certain point. In contrast, Cognitive Semantics is presented as a suitable transition from the traditional view to the modern view of antonymy