Schane, LIGN87
1.
The following chart has two columns: common nouns and proper
names. Fill in the corresponding missing terms.
Common nouns |
Proper names |
|
man
|
John |
|
automobile
|
|
|
|
QE2
|
|
|
Paris
|
|
country
|
|
|
|
Kleenex
|
|
beer
|
|
2.
Jespersen (in the article that you read) makes an important distinction
between
denotation and connotation. In your own words explain
what Jespersen means.
3. a) You have a friend, John Smith. Would it be appropriate to start a conversation by saying "I saw John yesterday."?
b) You have two friends, John Smith and John Jones. Would it be appropriate to start a conversation by saying "I saw John yesterday."?
c)
What do these two scenarios tell us about the use of proper names? Explain.
4.
I sell you a raffle ticket for a trip to Paris. You are the lucky winner
and I inform you that you have won a trip to Paris, Texas. You protest
vehemently claiming that you thought the raffle was for a trip to Paris,
France.
a)
Explain why you feel your interpretation is the correct one.
b)
What do you think would happen if you took me to court?
5.
In the following chart the difference between the spelling with the capital
letter and the identical spelling with the small letter is intended to
be significant.
a)
Explain the difference.
b)
What does this tell you about certain proper names?
c)
Provide two additional examples of this same phenomenon.
|
Kleenex
|
kleenex
|
|
Jell-o
|
jello
|
|
Band-Aid
|
bandaid
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6.
Consider the following sentences:
a)
Sadam Hussein was another Hitler.
b)
Buenos Aires is the Paris of South America.
Explain
how the various proper names are being used in the preceding sentences.