Kelios pastabos apie enantiosemiją

LIETUVIŲ KALBOTYROS KLAUSIMAI XXXVII (1997) LEKSIKOGRAFIJOS IR LEKSIKOLOGIJOS PROBLEMOS Irena ERMANYTĖ A FEW NOTES ON ENANTIOSEMY When linguistic oppositions are analyzed from a pragmatic perspective, a very ancient linguistic phenomenon catches the eye—enantiosemia, in which one and the same word has two opposite meanings (thus the polarization of the word’s meanings becomes apparent). Enantiosemia (Ger. Enantiose- mie, Eng. Enantiosemy), whose name derives from Greek enantios—‘opposite, facing’ + sema—‘sign’, emerges in a particular context, since without it this linguistic phenomenon cannot be adequately understood either structurally or semantically. In linguistics, enantiosemia is defined as the property of a word or morpheme to have opposite meanings (Gaivenis, Keinys 1990: 57). Enantiosemia has been characteristic of many languages from antiquity to the present day. This linguistic phenomenon began to be studied in greater detail only in the late nineteenth century, although G. W. F. Hegel (Hegel) had already discussed enantiosemia in the introduction to “The Science of Logic.” In his view, most German words (especially prefixed verbs) have not only different but also opposite meanings. In Part VIII of “Sprachwissenschaftliche Abhandlungen” (“Studies in Linguistics”), entitled “Opposite Meanings of the Primitive Word,” the German linguist Karl Abel (Carl Abel) claimed that the oldest examples of enantiosemia known to us were recorded in Egyptian hieroglyphs (Abel 1885: 316). In the language of the ancient Egyptians there were many words, each of which had two opposite meanings. These polar meanings are best illustrated by the words: unx (only modified differently phonetically), which meant both “to uncover, to unveil” (unx) and “to cover, to wrap” (unḥ); at (likewise modified accordingly), which meant both “to listen, to hear” (aṯ) and “to be deaf” (aṭ); sneḥ—“to divide, to separate,” sneḥ—“to join,” and so on. The word quen meant both “strong” and “weak” to an Egyptian. This hieroglyph had to be explained using appropriate signs and drawings that indicated the difference between the specific meanings. The adjective strong was usually illustrated by a drawing of a standing armed warrior, while weak was illustrated by a kneeling person (probably a slave). The verb ārī “to climb up” was depicted by stairs, while “to climb down” was depicted by a ladder (Abel 1885: 317, 329). (Cf. also Hindi kal: “yesterday” and “tomorrow”; parso: “the day before yesterday” and “the day after tomorrow.”) At almost the same time, another German linguist, V. Scherzl, also studied enantiosemia. In his view, enantiosemia is characteristic of many languages. For example, the Latin adjective altus meant not only “high” but also “deep,” that is, situated low (altus mons “high mountain” and altum flumen “deep river”). V. Scherzl considered the main cause of enantiosemia to be the existence in ancient times of ben- 53 bold roots whose meanings had not yet been differentiated. As thought developed and language took shape, more specific primary meanings gradually emerged from those insufficiently differentiated meanings; the second was most often figurative or had a different intonation. For example, from the Slavic stem von-, whose original meaning was “smell,” two opposing meanings developed: “pleasant smell, aroma” (cf. Czech vůně, Polish woń, Russian благовоние) and “bad smell, stench, stink” (cf. Bulgarian воня, Polish woń, and Russian вонь, зловоние) (Šercl 1883: 1–39; 1884: 41–84). The semantic language universal characteristic of enantiosemy is polysemy. For example, the verb brėkšti means both “to dawn, to grow light” (Oh, when day brėkštant, the morning light swells, and the dew-laden grasses bow their heads A. Baran) and “to grow dark” (Evening; it is already beginning to brėkšti I2 1028 (Prk). Having no candle, at brėkštant I had to go to bed LKŽ I₂ 1028(I). Cf. the noun from the same root, brėkšma, which in Aukštaitija means “daybreak,” but in Žemaitija “twilight” (in this case, the basis of enantiosemy is dialectal). There is a fairly close semantic relationship between the polar meanings of the same word. It is light, which at the relevant time of day grows either stronger or weaker, while the opposition between the meanings of words with the root brėkš- depends on the second component—the contrast between times of day. Enantiosemy is also inseparable from homonymy, which often arises from polysemous words (especially when the semantic link between individual meanings seems to break down). For example, Lithuanian bandà, “a herd of cattle,” and “a small loaf (usually of cake or bread).” These two words are connected by the general meaning “wealth, property,” recorded in K. Sirvydas’s writings and preserved in the dialects of eastern Lithuania: Nauda, banda SD 203. Praleidžiau visą savo bandą LKŽ I2 638 (Kur). Thus, in this case, the identity relationship between the homonymous meanings has not been disrupted. The grammatical and semantic relationship between certain homonymous verbs merits emphasis. For example, Lithuanian dictionaries list the verb rãkti under two entries: 1) rãkti, rãka (rãkia, rañka), rãkė (rãko), “to pick at,” is transitive: Rãkė, rãkė and picked open a sore on his arm LKŽ XI 112 (Kv); and 2) rãkti, rañka, rãko is intransitive and means “for a hole to become smaller, to close up, to get clogged” (A small needle hole (needle hole) quickly rañka and closes up completely LKŽ XI 115 (Sl). In A. Kaukienė’s view, 1) rãkti is a verb of active action, whereas 2) rãkti denotes a change of state and forms a semantic opposition to the first verb, rãkti (Kaukienė 1994: 77–78). Another Lithuanian linguist, V. Balaišis, offered an example of enantiosemy of interest from both linguistic and semantic perspectives. He chose the name of the hill Rambynas as his object of analysis. The author treats this place-name as enantiosemic, deriving from the Slavic languages. To a Lithuanian, Rambynas means a hill (or a high, steep bank of the Nemunas near Tilžė, in Šilutė District), whereas to a German it is a place situated in a deep hollow on the island of Rügen, Rambin. There are quite a few derivatives of the Indo-European root *rem- with the determinant -b(h) in Baltic, Germanic, and Slavic languages alike, but words with the cited root and determinant in Baltic and Germanic languages most often mean “a rise, an elevated place,” 54 (cf. Lithuanian rūmbas, rumbėti, rembėti, Latvian rumba “waterfall,” Norwegian rimi “elevated place,” etc.), whereas in Slavic languages these derivatives most often mean “a cutting, a felling,” that is, a hollowed place (cf. J. Pokorny * remъ-, *romb-, *rmb- “to chop, cut, make notches and cuts” (Balaišis 1991: 52–53). The first to discuss the phenomenon of enantiosemy in Lithuanian was Jonas Jablonskis. He did not yet analyze enantiosemy theoretically, but in his “Lithuanian Grammar” (1922), while discussing verb aspect and voice, he provided a substantial collection of valuable examples of the phenomenon and summarized them accordingly: “By using the imperfective aspect, we say only that a certain action is in progress. It does not tell us how that action can or must end <...> We speak rather unclearly when we say ‘make the door’ if it is clear to the person addressed how his ‘making’ must end <...> A person who says ‘make a door’ always feels that the person addressed will understand him correctly, and the latter always does what is asked or ordered. If we say these two words to mean that the door is closed, then both the speaker and the person addressed know that, in making the door, it must be opened” (Jablonskis 1957: 293). J. Jablonskis provided more analogous examples. For instance: Jok the horses (to the field, home) (i.e., ride out, ride back I.E.). Why kinkai the horses (are you doing it so as to iškinkytum “unharness” or pakinkytum “harness” them)? He is already kinko the horses; soon he will harness or unharness them pakinkys, iškinkys. Yesterday she segė (prisegė) a little wreath on her. She is already sega (nusega) a wreath on her. He is winding a skarą around him (onto his shoulders, off his shoulders). Why are you vadelėji, vadžioji [the horses], or where are you going (cf. įvadelėti, įvadžioti “to lead in”)? He will not go anywhere farther; he is already vadelėja, vadžioja the horses (he will soon išvadelės, išvadžios “lead them out”) (Jablonskis 1957: 294). In all these cases, the meanings of the verbs cited become clear from the context. Cf. also: Who would work for you like that, from saulės lig saulės LKŽ XII 192 (Lž). Saulė nuo saulės (from sunrise until sunset) we dug potatoes LKŽ XII 192 (Dglš). That Lithuanian vocabulary was not sufficiently differentiated at first is shown by verbs denoting the actions of putting on shoes or clothes, dressing, and the like. These include autī(s), mautī(s), siaustī(s), vīktī(s) and other words of a similar type, characterized not only by polarity but also by directionality. These features are particularly characteristic of the reflexive forms of these verbs. J. Jablonskis also provided many verbs of this type. For instance: Why aunies—are you going somewhere (cf. apsiauti “to put on shoes”)? Why aunies—are you already going to bed (cf. nusiau­ti “to take off [your shoes]”)? (Jablonskis 1957: 293). Why are you mauniesi gloves? It will be cold (keep your gloves on). Are you not going out, since you are already maunies (nusimauni) your gloves? Are you already vilksies (before going to bed)? Are you already vilksies (having got up early in the morning)? (Jablonskis 1957: 294–295). Such polarization of meanings is characteristic of other languages as well. For example, according to L. Novikov, нести can mean in Russian both “to bring in” and “to take out”; only a particular context indicating direction is needed (нести сюда and нести туда) (Novikov 1973: 185). Some prefixed verbs (especially those with the prefix at-) are also enantiosemic. For example, atrišti means both “to bring closer by rolling, to roll over” (Meanwhile, Uncle atrito the carriage LKŽ XI 686 (Mš)) and “to remove by rolling” (And the stone- 55 nį from the well’s opening untied LKŽ XI 687 (BB1Moz 29 3); push away – both “to push away” (Tokia kiauliotė nedora: visada kitas pushes [someone] away from the trough LKŽ XIII 1042(Skdt), and “to bring closer” (i.e., “to bring near,” I. E.) (Kaip plunksną maišą I pushed LKŽ XIII 1043(Er); to jump back – both “to retreat with a jump” (Ko čia did you jump back as if from a fire? LKŽ XV 232(Ktk), and “to approach by a leap or while hopping” (He jumps up, having hopped over pri munęs and says LKŽ XV 233(Dr), and so on. Many languages abound in such prefixed verbs with opposite meanings. Cf. German abdecken, which means both “cover” and “uncover.” This German prefix ab- should correspond to Russian от-, but here we see an interesting phenomenon showing that a Russian verb with this prefix acquires the meaning of an unprefixed verb. Russian linguist I. Gorelov illustrates this claim with the example отбелить, meaning “whiten, make white,” rather than “remove whiteness” (Gorelov 1986: 87-88). Russian also has verbs with the prefix от- that are fully enantiosemous. For example, the original, i.e. earlier, meaning of отказать was “bequeath,” whereas today this verb means “revoke (the right to) an inheritance.” Another Russian linguist, R. Budagov, drew attention to the still perceptible semantic connection between the verb победить and the noun беда (formerly, победить meant “destroy, kill,” that is, it had a negative meaning, whereas now, in contrast, it means “defeat, win,” so this meaning is positive. The two meanings are historically related, since one who destroys usually also defeats and overcomes an enemy or rival (Budagov 1965: 66–71). Polarization of meaning is particularly evident when Lithuanian verbs denote temperature fluctuations. The corresponding verbs have opposite meanings both without prefixes and with prefixes. Here, as in the previous cases, enantiosemia emerges in the appropriate context. For example, dégti, déginti (Those trees of yours are only smoldering, not nedega LKŽ II₂, 368(Vvr); Degamà fire is hard to put out LKŽ II₂, 368(Ds), and Faces déga from the cold LKŽ II₂ 369(Lp)*; déginti (At midday it is dreadful when the sun dégina; you can’t stand it LKŽ II₂ 363(Gs), and Oh, how it snows, how it drifts, the snow degina! your face LKŽ II₂ 363(B. Sruog); Nudega burned by frost, by fire LKŽ XVII(SD 212); išképti (This summer, because of the heat, all the crops iškepė LKŽ V 588(Ds), and This year all the gardens [because of the frost] iškepė LKŽ V 588(Ds); képinti (It is unbearably hot when the sun kepina saulė; a person can’t even walk any farther LKŽ V 581(Sry), and Outside the cold képinte ké́pina LKŽ V 581(Jnš); pléškėti (Dry firewood plėska so well LKŽ X 173(Ut), and It Plėska all winter without stopping LKŽ X 173(Trgn); plėškinti (Plėškinau all day, but the rooms are cold LKŽ X 175(Brs), and Such cold plėškina; the cottage is not warmed LKŽ X 176(Skdt); With hot water plikýk the calf’s legs LKŽ X 229(J). The cold burns with a fire-like chill, that is, as though with fire it pliko the face, hands, and feet LKŽ XVII 373(J); svilti (The stove is so fiercely heated that * In the semantics of the verbs dégti and képti, a “possibility of diathetic opposition” is also discernible (Kaukienė 1994: 63). 56 the slaps svìlsta LKŽ XIV 359(J), and Such cold weather this year, so that even cheeks svėla LKŽ XIV 359(Nč); svilinti (The sun svilina from on high LKŽ 354(V. Krėv), and Outside it svilina; your ears could freeze LKŽ XIV 354(Vs), etc.). Such verbs generally mean both intense warming (heating), warmth, heat, and severe cooling (chilling), cold, frost (Ermanytė 1991: 73–74). These polar meanings are linked by the shared component of intensity. It should be emphasized that the meaning of cooling (chilling) is usually figurative, secondary, that is, derived. However, there are also verbs whose first, i.e. primary, meaning is cooling (chilling), while the meaning of warming (heating) is secondary. For example, spìginti (Toward evening, it seemed the cold had eased, but no—it began to spìginti! LKŽ XIII 397(Srv). A severe frost spìgina the skin LKŽ XIII 397(Rsn), and In winter the frost bites, while in summer the sun spìgina LKŽ XIII 397(J). Ponds and springs, untouched by the sun’s rays, have lain dormant for ages, and even during the clearest spells, when the sun spìginant, they never dried up LKŽ XIII 397(S. Dauk). Verbs of this kind, denoting temperature fluctuations, are also found in other languages; cf. Latvian: Ejot pa sniegu mazmeitai nemaz nebija auksti, bet vaigi visu laiku svilint svila Birznieks-Upitis IV 279. Zeme izkaltusi, sausa ka pelni, un saule to sakarsējusi tik stipri, ka [ravējot] svila pirksti Kļava I 64 (LLVV: 1991: 7₂, sēj., 324), etc. Some Lithuanian verbs denote opposites of a state or action, or change, e.g.: àkti “become blind, begin to see less” (My eyes are already aìka completely, that is, their light is fading LKŽ I₁ 87(J)) and “open one’s eyes, begin to see” (The kittens are already aìka; soon they will see LKŽ I₁ 88(Kp); gùrbti “thrive, grow well” (After her illness, my sister gùrbsta, that is, grows stronger LKŽ III 742(J)) and “languish, waste away” (He gùrbo ir gùrbo all the time, until he died LKŽ III 742(Sb); jūnkti “stop suckling” (The piglets are about to jūnkti DŽ₃ 269) and “get accustomed” (The pig is juñksta to peas DŽ₃ 269), and so on. Figurative meanings of enantiosemous verbs often also have an ironic tinge. For example, draùsti means both “tell someone not to do something, forbid, warn, protect” (Draùsk nedraùsk, they do as they please anyway LKŽ II₂ 662(Gs). Drausk your daughter from bad deeds LKŽ II₂ 662(J)) and “urge someone to stay, detain” (Draùdė me to eat, but I had no time LKŽ II₂ 662(Ukm). They draudžia the hired help to stay for a second year LKŽ II₂ 662(Kp); gárbinti means both “honor, praise, exalt; respect” (While she was alive, she garbino him, and she garbina him even after his death LKŽ III 117(J. Jabl)) and “despise, speak ill of, criticize, revile” (Everyone gárbina that scoundrel LKŽ III 117(Rm), etc. The meanings of certain verbs and nouns with the same root also stand in a converse relation. For example, (pa)skolinti means “give a loan (to someone)” and “take out a loan (from someone).” A similar semantic relation holds among other nouns with the same root: skolą, paskolą, skolininkas, -ė. It is worth noting that enantiosemia is characteristic not only of verbs. This “inner opposition” is also found in some nouns (this was already mentioned in the article’s 57 at the beginning), adjectives, and even adverbs. For example, the polysemous noun auksas means 1. “a precious yellow-colored metal” and 5. figuratively “someone very good, excellent” (LKŽ I₁ 479); in dialects it also means “excrement, manure” (Aūksą veža, tai ir smirda LKŽ I₁ 390 (Kp). The polysemous noun širdis refers to both the good and bad qualities of a person’s character. širdis denoting “kindness” is usually expressed with affectionate diminutive epithets, which are especially abundant in dialects and folklore (Širde­le, padirbėk už mane LKŽ XIV 864 (J. Jabl). My dear father, širdele my dear, why did you promise the young lad? (d.) LKŽ XIV 864 (Dg). Širdis, denoting negative qualities of character—“malice, anger”—does not have such a diminutive form (Man užėjo širdis, ir pasakiau ne vietoj žodį LKŽ XIV 864(Jnšk). Ragana kalukei iš širdies išsuko visas keturias kojukes LKŽ XIV 865(LTR(Al). The adjective širdingas, -a, derived from the same root, likewise denotes both good and bad human qualities. The first meaning of this adjective is “good-hearted, kind, pleasant” (Ak lietuvininkai, širdingimano broleliai LKŽ XIV 848(K. Donel). The second meaning of this adjective is also semantically close to the first—“arising from an open heart, sincere, genuine” (Norėjau ištarti jiems žodį širdin-gą, bet širdis atšalusias, ledą radau LKŽ XIV 849(P. Vaič). Širdingas, -a, meaning “quick to flare up, to get angry,” describes negative human qualities (Kurs pasišiaušęs, širdingas, tą lankuok, nugerink LKŽ XIV 849(J). The compound noun žemaširdis, -ė, in both masculine and feminine forms, likewise denotes both good and bad traits of human character. The first meaning of this noun is “someone hard-hearted, merciless, base-hearted” (Niekai tokiam žemaširdžiui [person] and to kill his brother, sp.). The second meaning of this noun, enantiosemic in relation to the first, is “someone humble, easily influenced” (Viso to neduoda tėvas puikiesiems, bet žemaširdžiams A. Baran.). This characteristic of enantiosemic adjectives and some nouns—their ability to characterize various human character traits and qualities—is also found in other languages. Cf. English apparent “visible, clear” and “supposed, implied.” The derived English adverb apparently likewise has the corresponding meanings “clearly, undoubtedly” and “probably, perhaps.” The Lithuanian philosopher Antanas Maceina has offered some interesting thoughts on enantiosemia. In his study “The Person and History,” he draws on the reflections of the French theologian and Jesuit Jean Daniélou, who argues that in many languages the words meaning “guest” and “enemy” share the same root. For example, in Greek, a foreigner is called xénos, hostility is xenofobia, and hospitality is xenofilia; in Latin, a guest is hospes, while an enemy is hostis (cf. the analogous meanings of Russian гость). The Lithuanian word svėčias is undoubtedly enantiosemic, since although this noun means a person who has been invited, that person has arrived from elsewhere for a visit, that is, from a foreign country. (Cf. 2 svėčias, -ià adj. (4) 1. not of the family, further away 58 being, foreign (of a place, a region) and 2. not one of their own (of a person) (LKŽ XIV 286). Thus, both the noun and the adjective have the same root svet-, used in one case to name an invited, expected person, and in the other a stranger, someone who has come from elsewhere. In A. Maceina’s words, “in every case this person is not one of our own. He may be given shelter and even offered food, but he never becomes a local” (Maceina 1981: 63). Whether seeking freedom or better bread, such an outsider will not be one of their own; he will have to humble himself, that is, behave as those who have taken him in wish. “A guest comes and is received only because he must leave”—as the Lithuanian proverb puts it: “Guests, you understood how to come; understand how to leave, too” (Maceina 1981: 64). Lithuanian folklore contains many such vivid sayings about a guest and the “inhospitable” treatment of one. For example: “Well, you’re a polecat now that you’ve arrived: you’ll be a guest; tomorrow you’ll get something to eat” (joking) LKŽ XIV 286(Mrs). “He rejoiced as if he had sent guests away” LKŽ XIV 285(KrvP(Jnš). “A dear guest—too bad about the curds” LKŽ XIV 285(Mrj). Cf. 1a. ciema ēdiens līdz mājas vārtiem “a guest’s meal only as far as the gate (i.e., not filling, I. E.)” (Balkevičius, Kabelka 1977: 132), etc. Enantiosemia in many languages is extended to antiphrasis (Gr. antiphrasis – contradiction, opposite), i.e. a stylistic figure in which the literal meaning of a particular expression is replaced by its opposite through irony or sarcasm (Pikčilingis 1975: 297–298). For example: What clever advice! instead of What foolish advice! A beauty as ugly as the devil (about a very beautiful girl)! LKŽ K (Rm). Here, words with negative meanings are used to express positive emotions. In this case, we are no longer speaking of the polarization of a single word’s meanings, since an entire sentence is involved, that is, a coherent context, in which the opposition of meanings is brought out through appropriate stylistic devices and intonation. For example, Latin tolendum esse Octavium: “Octavius must be exalted” and “Octavius must be removed”; cum tacent clamant, “when they are silent, they cry out” (a saying of Cicero), that is, silence expresses disagreement; cf. qui tacet, consentire videtur, “silence is a sign of consent”; festina lente, “make haste slowly” (a saying of Suetonius), that is, do nothing in haste; French Savant est sot plus qu’un sot ignorant “A learned fool is a greater fool than an ignorant fool” (a saying of Molière), etc. Some linguists also call enantiosemy homonymous antonymy, or even homoantonymy, for example: A dog is man’s best friend and A dog’s death to a dog. In language, antonymy and homonymy do often become intertwined (Gorelov 1986: 89). In conclusion, it must be said that although enantiosemy is not an especially productive linguistic phenomenon, it is not about to disappear altogether. On the contrary, taking on ever-new forms and means of expression adapted to contemporary realities and the pace of life, enantiosemy is not disappearing. As in the past, so today, every language contains quite many words with “inner oppositions,” that is, polarized meanings, 59 LITERATŪRA IR ŠALTINIAI A b e l C. 1885: Sprachwissenschaftliche Abhandlungen, Leipzig, 316–329. B a l a i š i s V. 1991: Enantiosemy and Rambynas. – Žodžiai ir prasmės, 1, 50–54. B a l k e v i č i u s J., K a b e l k a J. 1977: Latvian-Lithuanian Dictionary, Vilnius: Mokslas. A. Baran – A n t a n a s B a r a n a u s k a s, jo raštai. Bb1 – Bible... 11th ed., Berlin 1931. B u d a g o v R. A. 1965: Vvedenie v nauku o jazyke, Moskva: Prosveščenie. DŽ₃ – Dictionary of Contemporary Lithuanian, Vilnius: Institute of Science and Encyclopedias Publishing House, 1993. S. Dauk – S i m o n a s D a u k a n t a s, jo raštai. K. Donel – C h r i s t i a n D o n a l i t i u s. Litauische Dichtungen..., Königsberg, 1869. E r m a n y t ė I. 1991: Antonymic meanings of the same verb. – Kalbos kultūra 61, 73–74. G a i v e n i s K., K e i n y s S. 1990: Kalbotyros terminų žodynas, Kaunas: Šviesa. G o r e l o v I. N. 1989: Enantiosemi̇ja kak stolknovenie protivorečivych tendencij jazykovogo razvitija. – Voprosy jazykoznanija, 87–89. I – L a u r y n a s I v i n s k i s, his writings. J – Litovskij slovar’ A. J u š k e v i č’ a..., 1–2, Saint Petersburg, 1897, 1904. J. Jabl – J o n a s J a b l o n s k i s, his writings and dictionary slips. J a b l o n s k i s J. 1957: Raštai 1, Vilnius: Valstybinė politinės ir mokslinės literatūros leidykla. K a u k i e n ė A. 1994: Lietuvių kalbos veiksmažodžių istorija 1, Klaipėda. V. Krėv – V i n c a s K r ė v ė - M i c k e v i č i u s, his writings. KrvP (Jnš) – V. K r ė v ė - M i c k e v i č i u s. Patarles ir priežodžiai 1–2, Kaunas, 1934–1935; Lietuvių patarlės ir priežodžiai 3, Kaunas, 1937; 4 – Darbai ir dienos, 7, 1938. LKŽ I₁ – Dictionary of the Lithuanian Language 1, Vilnius, 1941. LKŽ I₂–II₂ – Lietuvių kalbos žodynas 1–2, Vilnius: Mintis, 1968–1969. LKŽ III – Lietuvių kalbos žodynas 3, Vilnius: State Publishing House for Political and Scientific Literature, 1956. LKŽ V – Lietuvių kalbos žodynas 5, Vilnius: State Publishing House for Political and Scientific Literature, 1959. LKŽ X–XV – Lietuvių kalbos žodynas 10–15, Vilnius: Mokslas, 1976, 1978, 1981, 1984, 1986, 1991. LKŽ K – The card index of the Dictionary of the Lithuanian Language. LLVV VII₂ – Latviešu literārās valodas vārdnīca 7, Riga: Zinātne, 1991, 324. M a c e i n a A. 1981: Asmuo ir istorija, Chicago: Ateitis, 63–64. Mš – Pranas Mašiotas, his writings and translations. N o v i k o v L. A. 1973: Antonimija v russkom jazyke (Semantičeskij analiz protivopoložnosti v leksike), izdatelstvo Moskovskogo un-ta, 185. P i k č i l i n g i s J. 1975: Stylistics of the Lithuanian Language 2, Vilnius: Mokslas, 297–298. SD – Dictionarium trium linguarum, In usum Studiosae Iuventutis, Avctore... C o n s t a n t i n o S z y r v i d... Qvinta editio... Vilnae... B. Sruog – Balys Sruoga, his writings. Š e r c e l V. 1883, 1884: O slovach s protivopoložnymi značenijami (ili o tak nazyvaemoj enantiosemii). – Filologičeskije zapiski, vypusk 5–6, 1–39; vypusk 1, 41–84, Voronež. P. Vaič – Pranas Vaičaitis, his writings. SOME NOTES ON ENANTIOSEMY Summary Enantiosemy is a very old linguistic phenomenon dating back to Ancient Egypt times. It is defined in linguistics as a property of a word or a morpheme to have opposite meanings. 60 Polarization of meanings is especially evident in verbs denoting fluctuations of temperature (e.g. degti, kepti, svilti and others). This kind of inner opposition is characteristic of some nouns, adjectives and even adverbs. The main cause of enantiosemy is the nondifferentiated meanings of the words with common roots. Both p o l i s e m y (cf. brėkšti – “aušti, švisti” and “temti”) and h o m o n y m y (cf. banda – “cattle” and “a loaf of bread”). The above homonyms have a common meaning “property, ownership”. Jonas Jablonskis was the first Lithuanian linguist to investigate enantiosemy (Lietuvių kalbos gramatika, 1922). Interesting reasoning on the enantiosemic word s v e č i a s has been offered by the Lithuanian philosopher A. Maceina. Having the meaning of a person who has been invited to visit, the noun at the same time characterizes this person as somebody who has come from elsewhere, is a stranger. Entiosemy usually becomes evident in coherent texts only. Polarization of the meanings manifests itself in the intonation and stylistic means. Sometimes, entiosemy is expanded to an anti-phrase, i. e. a certain saying whose literal meaning is changed to the opposite meaning by means of irony or sarcasm. The phenomenon of enantiosemy is not going to disappear, it is just acquiring new forms of expression in the language. 61