Semantics as a linguistic discipline. Semantic triangle (the nature of word meaning; the law of linguistic relativity)
Semantics-is a ling discipline studies word meaning or internal structure of a word. Semantics tries to understand what meaning is as an element of language and how it is constructed by language as well as interpreted, obscured and negotiated by speakers and listeners of language.
The triangle of reference (also known as the triangle of meaning and the semiotic triangle) is a model of how linguistic symbols are related to the objects they represent. Often referred to as the "Ogden/Richards triangle". The triangle describes a simplified form of relationship between the speaker as subject, a concept as object or referent, and its designation (sign, signans).
Their semiotic triangle consists of three terms: symbol, thought or reference, and referent. The broken line at the base of the triangle is intended to indicate that there is not necessarily any observable or direct relationship between the sign vehicle and the referent.
Compositionality concerns the capacity of a semantic theory to attribute meaning to words and sentences, according to the language. Semantic properties concern the characterization of systematic relations between words and sentences of a language. The notions of reference and representation concern the nature of meaning: the notion of reference is explained as the connection between linguistic expressions and the world; the notion of representation concerns the association of meaning to a mental representation.
The principle of linguistic relativity holds that the structure of a language affects its speakers' world view or cognition. Popularly known as the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis, or Whorfianism, /who brought the idea into the spotlight/ the principle is often defined to include two versions. The strong version says that language determines thought and that linguistic categories limit and determine cognitive categories, whereas the weak version says that linguistic categories and usage only influence thought and decisions.
The strongest form of the theory is linguistic determinism, which holds that language entirely determines the range of cognitive processes. The hypothesis of linguistic determinism is now generally agreed to be false.
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A word meaning structure. Polysemy. Componential analysis.
The notion of word is illustrating the explanatory role words play or are expected to play in the context of a formal grammar.
Word meaning. The definition of lexical meaning was given many times by different linguistic schools. The disciples of F. de Saussure consider meaning to be the relation between the object or notion named, and the name itself.
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Lexical meaning is the realization of the notion by means of a definite language system.
Lexical meaning includes denotative and connotative meaning.
The notional content of a word is expressed by the d e n o t a t i v e m e a n i n g. To d e n o t e, then, is to serve as linguistic expression for a notion or as a name for an actually existing object referred to by a word. The term d e n o t a t u m or r e f e r e n t means either a notion or an actually existing individual thing to which reference is made. The e m o t i o n a l content of the word is its capacity to evoke or directly express emotion. It is rendered by the emotional or expressive counterpart of meaning, also called emotive charge, intentional or affective c o n n o t a t i o n s of words
Denotative meaning may have two aspects: s i g n i f i c a t i v e – i.e. the one, expressing a general idea;d e m o n s t r a t i v e – i.e. identifying, when a word serves to name an individual element of reality: She liked simple flowers: pretty white daisies with sweet smell, yellow daffodils growing just behind the wicket-gate … (kinds of flowers)
Connotative meaning – in many words the meaning is a subject to complex associations originating in the habitual contexts, verbal or situational, of which the speaker and the listener are aware. These associations form the connotative component of meaning. We can distinguish here the connotations like: a) emotion: sweetie is compared with my beloved one; b) evaluation: pretty – beautiful; c) intensity: comfort – luxury; d) stylistic colouring: woman –lady (more about that see in Antrushina and other, Chapter 7).
As we could see, the complexity of the word meaning is manifold. Apart from the lexical meaning including denotative and connotative meaning it is always combined with the g r a m m a t i c a l m e a n i n g. Grammatical meaning – this is an expression in speech of relationship between words based on contrastive features of arrangements in which they occur.
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Meaning of the word is a complex phenomenon and all the lexical and lexico-grammatical variants of a word form its semantic structure: youth has three lexico-grammatical variants: 1) abstract uncountable noun; 2) a countable personal noun “a young man” 3) collective noun “young men and women”.
Polysemy-ability of a word to have more than 1 meaning. We can’t give a name to every single thing, we don’t have a lot of sounds=>therefore polysemy appears @ wing-a part of a bird; a part of a building/ plane; кулисы
1 concept- several meanings. First we distinguish the main meaning, then smaller things @ fire-1. flame-primary meaning; 2. burning; 3. burning material in a fireplace; 4. shooting of guns (command); 5. strong feeling (full of fire)-metaphorical meaning
We understand concrete meaning of the word through the context.
A word having several meanings is called polycemantic and the majority of English words are polys-c.
Polysemantic @ dull (boring)-antonyms for each of its meanings: 1. amusing (boring), 2. bright (not clever), 3. sharp (blunt), 4. light (dim)
Paronyms-w-s which shape is slightly different , the pronunciation is identical; but the meaning is different @ affect (excited) -effect (result)
Idioms: ups & downs; to carry coals to the new castle (Scotland); to have a bee in one’s bonnet-likes to invite guests in his house.
Componential analysis is a method of describing the subject matter of a language. It aims at constructing verifiable models of how specific bodies of cultural (or ideational) content are coherently organized, insofar as such content is represented by words and expressions in a people’s language. It reveals the culturally important features by which speakers of the language distinguish different words in a semantic field.
man = [+ MALE], [+ MATURE] or woman = [– MALE], [+ MATURE] or boy = [+ MALE], [– MATURE] or girl = [– MALE] [– MATURE] or child = [+/– MALE] [– MATURE]. In other words, the word girl can have three basic factors (or semantic properties): human, young, and female. Another example, being edible is an important factor by which plants may be distinguished from one another. To summarize, one word can have basic underlying meanings that are well established depending on the cultural context.
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