On the problem of definition of the notion ‘sound’

Abstract

This article deals with the most basic meaning of the noun dźwięk [sound]. It provides an attempt to define it in the most adequate way. Finally, the presented analysis leads to the following definition: Jeżeli cośw jest dźwiękiem, to cośw jest takie, że może powodować, że cośk dzieje  się w czyichśi uszach.  [If  somethingw is sound that something is such

that may cause that something happen in someone’s  ears.]. This definition  is partly decomposable in M. Grochowski’s sense because of involving the element uszy [ears]. In this paper also a brief syntactic analysis of the lexeme dźwięk [sound] is presented. Syntactic features suggest that the existence of at least two dźwięk [sound] units should be taken under consideration in contemporary Polish language (i) the noun dźwięk1 [sound1]  (as defined above),  (ii)  the  singulare  tantum noun dźwięk2 [sound2]  (=  fonia)[= sound broadcasted by media, i.a.].