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TYPE
Original Research
PAGE NO.
23-25
DOI
OPEN ACCESS
SUBMITED
11 June 2025
ACCEPTED
07 July 2025
PUBLISHED
09 August 2025
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue 08 2025
COPYRIGHT
© 2025 Original content from this work may be used under the terms
of the creative commons attributes 4.0 License.
The General Semantic
Features of Measurement
Units in English
Adkhamova Shohinakhon Anjarjon qizi
Phd student at Fergana State University, Uzbekistan
Abstract
: This paper explores the semantic features of
measurement units used to express weight, volume,
and time. It highlights how these units both precise and
approximate are employed not only in literal contexts
but also metaphorically to convey emotional states,
subjective perceptions, and expressive meanings,
especially in literary and everyday language. Such
figurative use enriches discourse and reveals the deep
connection between language, thought and human
experience.
Keywords:
Measurement units, semantics, figurative
meaning, weight expressions, volume and capacity,
time expressions, precise units, approximate units,
metaphorical language.
Introduction:
In linguistics, units of measurement are
lexical items used to express quantitative categories
such as amount, volume, length, weight and time. These
units function as part of the language’s quantifiers and
serve various communicative purposes such as
providing precision, enabling comparison, evaluation or
even creating figurative meaning in speech. For
instance, lexical units like “a bit”, “a few”, and “a piece”
represent quantities in approximate or countable forms.
Measurement terms denoting volume include words
like “liter”, “gallon” or “cup”. Units such as “meter”,
“inch” and “foot” express l
ength. Common weight units
include “kilogram”, “gram” and “pound”. As for time,
expressions like “second”, “minute”
and “hour” are
standard temporal measurements. These linguistic
elements not only convey physical quantities but also
contribute to the expressiveness and clarity of
discourse, often playing stylistic or metaphorical roles.
In linguistics, units of measurement are generally
classified into two main categories based on their usage:
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European International Journal of Philological Sciences
precise and approximate units. Beyond simply
denoting quantity, these expressions also serve
important communicative functions across various
contexts. Precise measurement units refer to
standardized expressions defined by international
measurement systems. These are typically used to
describe physical properties such as volume, length,
weight and temperature. Examples include terms like
kilometer, kilogram, milliliter, second and degree
Celsius, which are always associated with specific
numerical values. For instance, phrases such as “The
container holds one liter
of milk” or “The road is ten
meters long” clearly show volume and length paired
with numbers. A key feature of these units is their
universality. They represent the same quantity
regardless of the speaker or language. On the other
hand, approximate or subjective measurement units
lack a fixed numerical value and often reflect personal
perception, estimation or emotional nuance. These are
commonly found in spoken discourse, figurative
language or expressions of personal experience. Words
and phrases like
“a bit”, “a handful”, “a pinch” or “a
drop” express relative quantities that can differ from
person to person. For example, in the sentence “Add a
pinch of salt to the soup”, the amount is not measured
in grams but understood in an intuitive, context-
dependent way. Together, both precise and imprecise
measurement units reflect not only the lexical variety
of language but also its semantic richness. Through
them, speakers are able to convey ideas either through
exact quantities or relational evaluations, depending
on the communicative situation.
METHOD
This section explores the semantic features of
measurement terms used to express weight, volume,
capacity and time. While these units primarily denote
physical quantities, they are also frequently employed
to convey figurative and emotional meanings. Lexical
items like gram, milligram, and ton represent units of
weight. These words are commonly used to quantify
mass in a physical sense, but they can also reflect
emotional or metaphorical weight. Broadly, they fall
into two categories: precise and approximate units.
Precise weight units are those established within
international or national measurement systems,
including kilogram, gram, ton, milligram, pound and
ounce. For instance, in the sentence “This ye
ar the
cotton harvest yielded 30 tons,” the word ton carries
its literal (denotative) meaning. However, weight units
are often used metaphorically, especially in artistic and
conversational contexts. They serve as linguistic tools
to express psychological states, pressure or burden.
Consider the sentence: “He had tons of problems on
his shoulders.” Here the word
tons conveys not a
literal mass, but the overwhelming number and
emotional weight of the issues. Similarly, “There’s still a
ton of pain in my h
eart” reflects intense emotional
suffering, not a measurable quantity. Volume and
capacity units help describe spatial dimensions or
quantities of substances. These too can be divided into
precise and approximate types. Precise units like liter,
milliliter, cubic meter, gallon and barrel are typically
used in scientific, technical or formal contexts. For
example, “two liters of water” refers to an exact
measurement. On the other hand, approximate or
figurative units convey subjective impressions of
volume. Terms such as a sip, a handful or a pinch suggest
imprecise amounts and often carry emotional
undertones. These expressions are commonly used
metaphorically. For instance, “His patience cup is full”
metaphorically frames patience as a measurable
container, implying that he has reached his limit.
Similarly, “Her heart was a full bowl of sorrow” reflects
emotional intensity by using volume imagery. Volume
units not only describe physical quantities but also
function as powerful linguistic means to express inner
experiences, emotional states, and attitudes.
Time-related words serve to indicate the duration,
sequence and narrative positioning of events. As with
other measurement terms, time units are classified into
precise and imprecise types. Precise time units such as
second, minute, hour, day, week, month, year and
century are clearly defined and associated with the
calendar or clock. In contrast, imprecise or subjective
time expressions like a moment, a little while, some
time, a long time depend more on perception and
emotional context. These expressions are often used
metaphorically. For example, “Life passed in the blink of
an eye” portrays the fleeting nature of life and time
through figurative language. Such uses add stylistic
richness and emotional resonance to texts.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
A number of prominent scholars have examined these
units through various approaches, offering in-depth
analyses of their meaning and conceptual structure.
Ronald Langacker, in his two-volume work Foundations
of Cognitive Grammar, explores the cognitive
foundations of units related to weight, volume and
time. He emphasizes how these units are represented in
human cognition and how they relate to psychological
states. Eve Sweetser, in From Etymology to Pragmatics,
investigates the metaphorical and cultural motivations
behind the use of measurement expressions. Phrases
such as “the weight of responsibility” or “time flies”
reflect the way language captures collective human
experience through metaphor. James R. Hurford, in his
book The Origins of Meaning, examines the
evolutionary basis of measurement concepts. He argues
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European International Journal of Philological Sciences
that such units not only quantify physical reality but
also function as cognitive tools within language
development and thought. Stephen Levinson, in Space
in Language and Cognition, analyzes the spatial and
perceptual representations of volume and capacity-
related units. Expressions like “a cup of sorrow” or “a
handful of hope” highlight the emotional and semantic
weight these units can carry. Ray Jackendoff, in
Foundations of Language integrates semantics with
cognitive psychology, focusing on the mental
structures underlying temporal expressions. He
explores how phrases such as “in a blink of an eye” or
“for ages” reflect subjective perception of time. The
collective findings of these scholars demonstrate that
measurement units in English are not limited to
expressing physical quantities. Rather, they hold
profound conceptual, perceptual and cultural
significance, contributing meaningfully to the fields of
semantics and cognitive linguistics.
CONCLUSION
In language, measurement units serve not only to
express physical quantities but also function as
linguistic tools carrying complex semantic meanings.
These units appear in both precise and approximate
forms, revealing multiple layers of meaning depending
on context. Especially in literary expressions, they play
a crucial role in conveying figurative thought. The
metaphorical use of weight, volume and time units
reflects emotional states, personal experiences and
worldviews, highlighting the expressive richness of
language. Therefore, the semantic analysis of
measurement terms provides insight not only into
lexical variation but also into their stylistic and
pragmatic functions in communication.
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