Syntax and Semantics I Flashcards
Sign
Signifier + Signified
Signifier
The thing that is representing the sign, physical form
Signified
The meaning or concept that the signifier represents
Homonymy
Two words that have the same form but mean two different things
Same signifier, different signifieds
(Ex. spring the object and spring the season)
Homophones
Two words that sound the same but different meanings
Homographs
Words that are written the same but sound different and mean different things
(Ex. tear and tear)
Polysemy
One form that has multiple related meanings
(Ex. Mole)
Synonyms
Different words that mean almost the same thing
Antonyms
Words that have complete opposite meanings
Argument
Things, people, objects that are independent. (Usually nouns)
Arguments participate in predicates
Predicate
Qualities, relations, acts, properties, states, things that are depend on the argument (usually verbs)
Valency
The number of arguments a predicate requires
(Ex. the dog chases the ball - chases is the predicate, dog and ball are arguments, so the valency of chases is 2)
Intransitive
1 argument
Motion, state of being, change of state
Requires a subject argument
Transitive
2 arguments
Interaction, motion + contact, induced change of state
Requires a subject argument and a direct object argument
Ditransitive
3 arguments
Transfer, interaction that affects a 3rd party
Requires a subject argument, a direct object argument, and an indirect object argument
Subject (S)
Argument that does something
Direct Object (DO)
Argument that the subject does something to
Indirect Object (IO)
Argument that is affected by interaction between S and DO
Oblique Object (X)
“Extra” argument, no direct immediate relation to the predicate
Optional, not required by any type of predicate
Semantics - Syntax
Arguments - Subject (S), Direct Object (DO), Indirect Object (IO), and Oblique (X)(optional)
Predicate - Verb (V)
Valency - N
Encode Grammatical Relations
Showing who is who and doing what; who is S, DO, IO, and X
1.Word Order
2.Case
3.Verbal Agreement
Word Order
The way the words are ordered
(Ex. sleeps the dog makes no sense but the dog sleeps does, and from that we can tell who the S, and DO are)
Case
In english case markings are
Subject = nominative - NOM
Direct Object = accusative = ACC
Indirect Object = dative = DAT
Different languages will have different markings
Verbal Agreement
Using first, second, and third person to mark S, DO, and IO