Converse (semantics) explained

In linguistics, converses or relational antonyms are pairs of words that refer to a relationship from opposite points of view, such as parent/child or borrow/lend.^{[1] [2]} The relationship between such words is called a converse relation. Converses can be understood as a pair of words where one word implies a relationship between two objects, while the other implies the existence of the same relationship when the objects are reversed. ^[3] Converses are sometimes referred to as complementary antonyms because an "either/or" relationship is present between them. One exists only because the other exists.^[4]

List of converse words

• Own and belong are relational opposites i.e. "A owns B" is the same as "B belongs to A."
• Win and lose i.e. if someone wins, someone must lose.
• Fraction and whole i.e. if there is a fraction, there must be a whole.
• Above and below
• Employer and employee
• Parent and child
• Teacher and student
• Buy and sell
• East and west
• Predator and prey
• Lend and borrow
• Offense and defense
• Slave and master

See also

• Opposite (semantics)

Notes and References

1. Web site: converse . The SIL French/English Glossary of Linguistic Terms . 2013-07-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141022094017/http://www-01.sil.org/linguistics/glossary_fe/glossary.asp?entryid=10269 . 2014-10-22 . dead .
2. Book: Plag. Ingo. Braun. Maria. Lappe. Sabine. Schramm . Mareile . Introduction to English Linguistics. 4 July 2013. 2009. Walter de Gruyter. 978-3-11-021550-2.
3. Web site: Synonyms, Antonyms, and Homonyms . 4 July 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120510120223/http://worsleyschool.net/socialarts/synonyms/page.html . 10 May 2012.
4. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20110518211914/http://annies-annex.com/antonyms.htm . 18 May 2011. unfit. Antonyms . Annies-annex.com . 2016-12-27.