HOW POLYSEMY CHALLENGES ENGLISH LEARNERS: A LOOK AT COMMON EXAMPLES
Keywords:
Polysemy, vocabulary acquisition, English as an Additional Language (EAL), semantic flexibility, contextual inference, linguistic pedagogyAbstract
Polysemy—the phenomenon whereby a single lexical item possesses multiple, related meanings—constitutes a significant barrier for learners of English as an additional language. Unlike homonymy, which involves unrelated senses, polysemy requires learners to interpret nuanced, context-sensitive variations of meaning. Frequently encountered in high-frequency vocabulary, polysemous words such as run, get, or set present particular difficulties due to their extensive semantic range. Learners may fail to recognize these meanings in context or may apply incorrect interpretations, leading to comprehension difficulties and production errors.
Compounding the challenge is the tendency of traditional vocabulary instruction to focus on singular, decontextualized definitions, rather than exploring a word’s full semantic range. Consequently, learners are often unprepared for the flexible and idiomatic nature of real-world English usage. This article explores the cognitive and pedagogical implications of polysemy in English language acquisition, drawing on examples from classroom observation and recent linguistic research.
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