The digital structure of the data ('Digitisation level D 3') enables a nuanced semantic analysis of the recorded expressions, because synonyms, polysemes and homonyms can be mapped by linking the 'designations' to the 'concepts' as so-called n:m relationships:


Diagram: Stephan Lücke

Based on the concept relationships that emerge, a synchronous semantic profile of each polysemous expression can be delineated. The most important manifestations of polysemy are mentioned below.
- Taxonomic polysemy occurs when an expression hierarchically denotes both superordinate as well as subordinate concepts.
- Meronymic polysemy occurs when an expression designates both complex conceptual interrelationships ('whole') and constituents of these interrelationships ('parts'). Thus, MOUNTAIN PASTURE, the part of the mountain that is relevant to the farmer, is often referred to simply as 'mountain': cf. Map Concept ALM

Meronymic designation of the concept MOUNTAIN PASTURE as part of the mountain by assigning the designation of the whole.
Morpho-lex. type montagna 'mountain' (roa. fem.) (16 records)
Morpho-lex. type monte (roa. m.) (67 records)

On the other hand, MOUNTAIN PASTURE, as an economic entity (including everything it entails), can be described using terms that really only describe components of the Alpine pasture economy: cf. Map Concept ALM

Meronymous designation of the concept MOUNTAIN PASTURE as a whole by transferring the designations of components
Morpho-lex. type cascina 'Alpine hut' (roa. fem.) (1 record)
Morpho-lex. type casera 'Alpine hut' (roa. fem.) (1 record)
Morpho-lex. type cjampei 'fields' (roa. m.) (2 records)
Morpho-lex. type pascol 'willow' (roa. m.) (1 record)
Morpho-lex. type pascolo 'willow' (roa. m.) (1 record)

- Metonymic polysemy occurs when an expression denotes concepts that designate different 'parts' within the same 'whole'. Thus, an MOUNTAIN PASTURE includes, among other things, the LIVESTOCK, BUILDINGS for the STAFF and for the livestock, a PEN, etc. All of the listed components can be denoted by the morpho-lexical type roa. mandra in different local Romance dialects: cf. map.

Metonymic meanings of the morpho-lexical type roa. mandra
Concept ALPINE HUT (1 record)
Concept ALPINE STABLE (2 records)
Concept HERD (15 records)
Concept CATTLE PEN (3 records)
- Metaphorical polysemy occurs when an expression denotes concepts of different domains that have no common context. The concept CREAM alone is used in the following metaphors or metaphorical comparisons:
  1. as 'head': capo (roa. m.), (19 records), including capo di latte (roa.), literally 'milk head' (12 records), il capo del latte (roa.) (1 record)
  2. as 'flower': fleur / fiore (roa. m.) (15 records), fiora (roa. fem.) (17 records), including fiora cruda (1 record), literally 'uncooked flower', fiore di latte (roa.), literally 'milk flower' (2 records)
  3. as 'skin': skin (ger. m.) (2 records), peau / pelle (roa. fem.) (1 record), la pelle del latte (roa.) (1 record)
  4. as 'fur': pelliccia (roa. fem.) (2 records), Pelz (ger. m.) (4 records)
  5. as 'mist': sbrumacje (roa. fem.) (2 records), sbrume (roa. m.) (11 records)
  6. as 'foam': écume / schiuma (roa. fem.) (2 records), spuma (roa. fem.) (1 record), spumacje (roa. fem.) (1 record)
  7. as 'cloth': toile / tela (roa. m.) (14 records), including tela del latte (roa.) (1 record) and tela di latte (roa.) (5 records), literally 'milk cloth'
Note how the 3rd type shows very nicely that metaphors can also extend beyond the boundaries of a language family. In this case, deu. Pelz and roa. pelliccia represent the same base type, namely Latin pellīcia, the feminine form of a denominative adjective from Latin pellis 'skin'.