THE LINGUISTIC ESSENCE OF POLYSEMY

Abstract

This study examines the linguistic essence of polysemy in the English language. Polysemy refers to the ability of a single word to have several related meanings that develop over time. The research focuses on how these meanings emerge through processes such as metaphor and metonymy and how they function in different contexts. The study shows that polysemy is a natural and systematic feature of language, closely connected to human thinking and communication. It also highlights the importance of context in understanding meaning and explains how polysemy makes language more flexible and economical. At the same time, it may create difficulties in language learning and translation