Converse (semantics)

Short description: Pairs of words that refer to a relationship from opposite points of view

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.[2] 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)

## References

1. ↑ "converse". The SIL French/English Glossary of Linguistic Terms. http://www-01.sil.org/linguistics/glossary_fe/glossary.asp?entryid=10269. Retrieved 2013-07-04.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Plag, Ingo; Braun, Maria; Lappe, Sabine; Schramm, Mareile (2009). Introduction to English Linguistics. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 978-3-11-021550-2. https://books.google.com/books?id=bLvZHmGA8q4C. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
3. ↑ "Synonyms, Antonyms, and Homonyms". Archived from the original on 10 May 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120510120223/http://worsleyschool.net/socialarts/synonyms/page.html. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
4. ↑ "Antonyms". Annies-annex.com. http://www.annies-annex.com/antonyms.htm. Retrieved 2016-12-27.

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