Sapiens questions everything,
starting with the words

What is it?

The lexical, semantic and conceptual method is a method that places the focus on the importance of investigating and questioning the words, meanings and concepts related to a topic.

The method in a flash

What is the lexicon? "The vocabulary." Set of words from a language, an activity, a semantic field or a region.
What is semantics? "What things are". Semantics studies the meanings of words, expressions, and sentences, as well as the changes in meaning they experience over time.
What are the concepts? "What we think things are." Mental representations, a symbol, a mental construction of the meaning of words.

What purposes does it serve us for?

This method is useful to be able to focus any project well, being clear about the terms and expressions that we will use, questioning, understanding and re-confirming them.

What results does it generate?

A lexicon or glossary of key terms for the project: A list of keywords that will help us to carry out the project.

A lexical, semantic and conceptual map to help understand the meanings and their relationships, with the terms ordered according to the criteria we choose, depending on what we believe is most useful so that our recipient can better understand the object of study .

THE LEXICAL, SEMANTIC AND CONCEPTUAL METHOD, STEP BY STEP

Decide which dictionary or dictionaries will be used as a reference and as a basis, they are general dictionaries such as the RAE or specialized dictionaries.

List the linked main terms with the subject of study, beginning with the formulation of what is the subject of study in a word or in an expression.

Expand the list of terms taking as a starting point the Lexical fields and semantic fields of the main terms.

Collect, for each term, its etymology and its definition or definitions in general or specialized dictionaries of reference.

Collect, for each term, the equivalent terms and their definitions in other languages.
(* In this step, the lexical, semantic and conceptual method connects with the comparative method)

Compile, for each term, the evolution of both the term and its definition throughout throughout history.
(* In this step, the lexical, semantic and conceptual method connects with the historical method)

Collect, for each term, other possible definitions under different prisms, for example in specialized dictionaries of different specializations.
(* In this step, the lexical, semantic and conceptual method connects with the systemic method)

Question definitions found and decide, for each term, if one or more of its dictionary definitions we consider valid.

If a term has different definitions that we consider valid, decide which is the definition that we consider priority.

If several terms have the same definition that we consider valid for several terms, decide what is the term that we consider priority.

If a term that we want to include does not have a definition that we consider valid, formulate our own definition, that fits our concept.

When the term and definition do not fit, we can also identify another word that better fits the definition and our concept.

As definitions are collected or formulated, expand the list of terms with the new terms that have been found during the process

Finally, prepare a formal document with the terms and definitions, a lexicon or glossary of the object of study, and represent it on a concept map

CONNECTIONS BETWEEN METHODS

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