Semantics Flashcards
Semantics
The study of meaning in language
Meanings exist in our minds
we can express what is in our minds through the spoken and written forms of language. ( as well as through gestures, actions, etc.)
Sound pattern of language
studied at the level of phonology
Organization of words and sentences
studied at the level of morphology and syntax
Semantics is…
that level of linguistic analysis where meaning is analyzed
Onomatopoeic words
examples: buzz, tinkle, ring, cough, slam, rustle
The study of reference
Can be divided into two areas: speaker-reference and linguistic-reference
Speaker Reference
what the speaker is referring to by using some linguistic expression. (Pragmatics, outside domain of semantics)
Linguistic-Reference
The systematic denotation of some linguistic expression as part of a language (in domain of semantics)
Referent
The entity identified by the use of a reffing expression such as a noun or noun phrase is the referent of that expression
Extension
Refers to the set of all potential referents for a referring expression
Prototype
A typical member of the extension of a referring expression is a prototype of that expression
Stereotype
A list of characteristics describing a prototype
Coreference
Two linguistic expressions that refer to the same real-world entity are said to be coreferential
Anaphora
A linguistic expression that refers to another linguistic expression is anaphoric or an anaphor
Deixis
A deictic expression has one meaning but can refer to different entities depending on the speaker and his or her spatial and temporal orientation
Three Components to understand semantic meaning
- the context in which a sentence is used
- the meaning of the words in the sentence
- its morphological and syntactic structure
The principle of compositionality
The meaning of a sentence is determined by the meanings of the individual morphemes that make it up and the morphological and syntactic structures of the sentence
Denotative meaning
The logical meaning which indicates the essential qualities of a concept which distinguish it from other concepts
Connotative meaning
The additional or associated meaning which is attached to the denotative, conceptual meaning
Social meaning
The meaning that a word possesses by virtue of its uses in particular social situations and circumstances
Thematic meaning
It lies in the manner in which a message is organized for emphasis
The Theory of Naming
Maintains that language is a communication system which works with two elements; the signifier and the signified
Signifier
The signifier is the sound associated with or image of something
Signified
The object in the world that the signifier “refers to”
The Conceptual Theory of Meaning
Words and things are related through the mediation of concepts of the mind
The Behavioristic Theory of Meaning
Meaning in terms of the context in which language is used
Agent
The entity that performs the action
Theme
The entity that is involved in or affected by the action
Instrument
If an agent uses another entity in performing an action that other entity takes the role of instrument
