Enantiosemy as a semiotic phenomenon

Abstract

This article examines enantiosemy, one of the less-studied phenomena in linguistics. The theoretical basis of the research is the work of the 19th-century linguist Vikentiy Ivanovich Shcherl (1843–1906), entitled “On Words with Opposite Meanings (On Enantiosemy)”. In this work, the author substantiates those words can simultaneously express mutually opposite meanings and associates this phenomenon with the broader scope of polysemy in the early stages of language development. The article explains the essence of enantiosemy and demonstrates that, unlike antonymy, it is related to polysemy. It is noted that, depending on the context, polysemous words may develop different semantic nuances, homonymy, and internal opposition of meanings. The formation of enantiosemy is linked to the process of speech, and it is emphasized that changes in the emotional load of a word may gradually become a linguistic fact. The study analyzes the manifestations of enantiosemy in the Azerbaijani language. It is shown that this phenomenon is particularly common in verbs, with examples such as qaralamaq and qorxmaq. Additionally, in Azerbaijani language such words as yaman, bəla, and alçaq, which carry both positive and negative meanings, are examined. The historical semantics of these words are traced based on examples from classical literature and folklore. In conclusion, it is stated that enantiosemy is a rare but existing semantic phenomenon in the Azerbaijani language, and that context plays a decisive role in its correct interpretation. In conclusion, it is also noted that, as in polysemy and homonymy, the specific meaning of words in enantiosemy is determined by context.