Semantics Vocab

Question 1

Semantics

Answer 1

Level of linguistic analysis where meaning is analyzed - close to the human capacity to think logically and to understand.

Question 2

Pragmatics

Answer 2

The branch of linguistics dealing with language in use and the contexts in which it is used, including such matters as deixis, the taking of turns in conversation, text organization, presupposition, and implicature.

Question 3

Cratylus

Answer 3

Dialogue written by Plato. In it, Socrates is asked by two men, Cratylus and Hermogenes, to tell them whether names are “conventional” or “natural”, that is, whether language is a system of arbitrary signs or whether words have an intrinsic relation to the things they signify.

Question 4

Signifier/Signified

Answer 4

A concept most commonly related to semiotic that can be described as “the study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretation”

Question 5

Snobbish

Answer 5

Characteristic of those who incline to social exclusiveness and who rebuff the advances of people considered inferior; elitist.

Question 6

Coreference

Answer 6

Two linguistic expressions that refer to the same real-world entity.

Question 7

Anaphora

Answer 7

A linguistic expression that refers to another linguistics expression.

Question 8

Deixis

Answer 8

An expression that has one meaning but can refer to different entities depending on the speaker and his/her spatial and temporal orientation.

Question 9

Principle of Compositionality

Answer 9

The meaning of a complex expression is determined by the meanings of its constituent expressions and the rules used to combine them.

Question 10

Compositional Semantics

Answer 10

The meaning of a phrase is determined by combining the meanings of its subphrases, using rules which are driven by the syntactic structure.

Question 11

Denotative

Answer 11

The logical meaning, which indicates the essential qualities of a concept which distinguish it from other concepts.

Question 12

Connotative

Answer 12

The additional or associated meaning, which is attached to the denotative, conceptual meaning. It consists of associations made with a concept whenever that concept is referred to.

Question 13

Themantic

Answer 13

To express the role that a noun phrase plays with respect to the action or state described by a governing verb.

Question 14

Behaviorism

Answer 14

The theory that human and animal behavior can be explained in terms of conditioning, without appeal to thoughts or feelings, and that psychological disorders are best treated by altering behavior patterns.

Question 15

Benefactive case

Answer 15

A grammatical case used where English would use “for”, “for the benefit of”, or “intended for”, e.g. “She opened the door for Tom” or “This book is for Bob”. The benefactive case expresses that the referent of the noun it marks receives the benefit of the situation expressed by the clause.

Question 16

Synonymy

Answer 16

Two or more forms with very closely related meanings, which are often, but not always.

Question 17

Antonymy

Answer 17

Two forms with opposite meanings, consisting of two kinds: Gradable (can be used in comparative constructions) and non-gradable (complementary pairs)

Question 18

Hyponymy

Answer 18

When the meaning of one form is included in the meaning of another.

Question 19

Prototype (Semantics)

Answer 19

The meaning of certain words like bird not in terms of component feature (e.g. has wings) but in terms of resemblance to the clearest exemplar.

Question 20

Homophony

Answer 20

When two or more differently written forms have the same pronunciation but different meaning (ex; sea-see)

Question 21

Homonymy

Answer 21

When one form (written or spoken) has two or more unrelated meanings, but have the same pronunciation and spelling. Ex: Bank (of a river) and bank (financial institution).

Question 22

Polysemy

Answer 22

One form (written or spoken) having multiple meanings which are all related by extension. Ex: top refers to head of a company and head of a glass of beer.

Question 23

Metonymy

Answer 23

A figure of speech in which a thing or concept is referred to by the name of something closely associated with that thing or concept.

Question 24

Collocation

Answer 24

Words which tend to occur with other words. Ex: hammer collocates with nail; wife with husband and knife with fork.

Question 25

Homography

Answer 25

When two or more forms are the same only in writing but different in pronunciation and meaning. Ex: Lead (lid) and lead (led)

Question 26

Entailment

Answer 26

A preposition (expressed in a sentence) that follows necessarily from another sentence.

Question 27

Presupposition

Answer 27

A proposition (expressed in a sentence) that must be assumed to be true in order to judge the truth or falsity of another sentence.

Question 28

Synthetic Sentences

Answer 28

Sentences that are possibly true but not necessarily true. Descriptions of the world that cannot be taken for granted

Question 29

Analytic Senteces

Answer 29

Sentences are true by definition, and are generally self-explanatory. Additionally, they often have little to no informative value. Ex: Elephants are animals Cats are not fish.

Question 30

Contradictory Sentences

Answer 30

Opposite of analytic sentences; A sentence which is necessarily false, because of the senses of the words in the sentence. Ex: Elephants are not animals. Cats are fish.