POLYSEMY AND WORD FORMATION: THEORETICAL INSIGHTS INTO MEANING EXTENSION

Abstract

Polysemy and word formation are two interconnected linguistic phenomena that play a crucial role in the expansion and evolution of meaning. This study examines how polysemy contributes to meaning extension through semantic shifts and how word formation processes such as derivation, compounding, and affixation facilitate the creation of new lexical items with extended or modified meanings. The research adopts a mixed-method approach combining theoretical analysis with a mini empirical survey. The findings indicate that polysemy is not merely a lexical property but a cognitive mechanism that interacts with morphological processes to generate semantic variation. The study further demonstrates that context and usage frequency significantly influence meaning extension. The results contribute to a deeper understanding of lexical semantics, particularly in relation to dynamic meaning construction in natural language.