Semantics in Linguistics and Semiotics

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Questions and Answers

What is primarily examined by semantics in communication?

  • The intended meaning of the speaker
  • The context in which words are used
  • The emotional response of the listener
  • The abstract meaning of words and sentences (correct)

In the example given, which aspect of meaning is directly influenced by the specific situation?

  • The abstract definition of the words used
  • The broad grammatical rules
  • The historical context of the communication
  • The particular meaning the speaker is conveying (correct)

How do pronouns contribute to the distinction between semantics and pragmatics?

  • Their meaning is clear without contextual support.
  • They are always interpreted the same way by every listener.
  • Understanding their reference requires pragmatic competence. (correct)
  • They have static meanings that do not vary.

Which statement best describes the relationship between sentence meaning and speaker meaning?

<p>Sentence meaning is independent of context, while speaker meaning relies on it. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

When interpreting the utterance 'Is he awake?', what semantic knowledge is required?

<p>To understand 'he' as a male entity not including speaker or listener. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic that differentiates pragmatics from semantics?

<p>Pragmatics deals with meanings that vary with context. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements aligns with the semanticists' view on meaning?

<p>There exists a common meaning across all contexts. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does a listener need to employ in order to comprehend the full meaning of an utterance?

<p>A combination of semantic knowledge and pragmatic context. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What primarily differentiates sentences from utterances?

<p>Sentences are abstract grammatical elements while utterances are specific instances of speech. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best represents the impact of the speaker's voice on understanding sentences?

<p>Variations in a speaker's voice can be disregarded when analyzing sentences. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of semantics, how do pronouns function within sentences?

<p>Pronouns serve to identify specific referents in the utterance. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do semantics and pragmatics differ in the study of language?

<p>Semantics deals with the literal meaning, while pragmatics concerns itself with context. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens to the meaning of a sentence when pronouns vary in an utterance?

<p>The overall meaning remains intact while the referent may change. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which scenario illustrates the contextual influence on the meaning of a spoken sentence?

<p>A speaker uses a sentence in front of different audiences. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do the variants of a statement, like 'Caesar invaded Gaul' and 'Gaul was invaded by Caesar,' illustrate semantic equivalence?

<p>Both statements share the same truth value. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role does context play in comprehending utterances?

<p>Context provides clues that enhance the understanding of implicit meanings. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What primarily influences the meaning of a word according to the relationship between words presented?

<p>The word's ability to refer to specific entities (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following illustrates how context can alter the meaning of a word?

<p>The term 'bank' used in finance vs. the term 'bank' used in geography (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role do pronouns play in semantics according to the description given?

<p>Pronouns serve to identify referents in context (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes semantics from pragmatics in the framework described?

<p>Semantics deals with word meaning; pragmatics explains how context influences interpretation (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of utterances, what differentiates a sentence from an utterance?

<p>An utterance is a single action of speaking; a sentence is a general construct (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the term 'reference' as discussed in the content?

<p>The relationship between language and the world it describes (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of meaning formation illustrates the relationship between words such as 'chair' and 'stool'?

<p>The existence of related words helps define their meanings (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What can lead to a misunderstanding in the meaning of words across different languages?

<p>The existence of multiple forms that convey singular meanings in one language (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Reference

The way language connects to the world, allowing us to identify specific things and make statements about them.

Sense/Meaning

The semantic relationships between words within a language system.

Utterance

A spoken or written piece of language.

Sentence

A grammatically complete unit of language.

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Proposition

The meaning or idea expressed by a sentence.

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Semantic Scope

The range of things/ideas a word refers to, determined by related words.

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Nominals

Words that refer to entities or specific things in the world.

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Language System

The overall structure of a language, including its vocabulary and grammar.

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Sentences

Abstract grammatical elements derived from utterances, representing a generalized form of spoken language.

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Utterances

Specific instances of spoken language, including intonation, accents, and speaker-specific details.

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Direct Quotation

Reporting someone's words, but not necessarily mimicking their exact speech patterns.

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Proposition

Core meaning expressed by a sentence, abstracting away from grammatical details like sentence structure (active/passive).

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Active/Passive Sentences

Grammatically different sentence structures expressing the same proposition.

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Information Structure

The way information is presented in a sentence (e.g., emphasis on different parts of a sentence).

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Equivalent Sentences

Sentences having the same truth value, despite different structures.

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Logical Deduction

A process of reasoning where the truth of certain statements logically implies other truths.

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Pragmatics

Meaning in relation to speakers and hearers; it considers how context influences the interpretation of an utterance.

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Semantics

Meaning abstracted away from users; it focuses on the literal meaning of words and sentences, independent of context.

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Sentence Meaning

The literal, or dictionary meaning of a sentence, regardless of the speaker's intent.

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Speaker Meaning

The intended meaning a speaker conveys in a specific context. It goes beyond the literal meaning of a sentence.

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Pronoun

Words (like 'he,' 'she,' or 'it') that refer to someone or something, but don't specify exactly whom or what.

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Contextual Support

Information in the situation that helps interpret the meaning of an utterance, especially words like pronouns.

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Semantic Knowledge

Understanding the general meaning, rules and relationships of words.

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Pragmatic Competence

Ability to figure out what a speaker really means based on context.

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Study Notes

Semantics in Linguistics

  • Semantics: The study of meaning communicated through language.
  • Modern Linguistics: Assumes that linguistic abilities are based on knowledge.
  • Speaker Knowledge: Includes how to pronounce words, construct sentences, and understand word/sentence meanings.
  • Levels of Analysis: Phonology (sounds), Syntax (structure), Semantics (meaning).

Semantics and Semiotics

  • Semiotics: The broader study of sign systems, including linguistic meaning.
  • Sign Relationships:
    • Icon: Similarity between sign and signified (e.g., a portrait).
    • Index: Close association with signified, often causal (e.g., smoke and fire).
    • Symbol: Conventional link between sign and signified (e.g., words).
  • Linguistic Meaning: A specialized subset of the human ability to use signs.

Three Challenges in Doing Semantics

  • Circularity: Defining a word's meaning using other words, leading to an endless loop.
  • Knowledge Distinction: Differentiating linguistic knowledge from encyclopedic knowledge (general world knowledge).
  • Speaker Variation: Addressing differences in speaker understanding of word meanings.

Meeting the Challenges

  • Semantic Description: Moving beyond simple definitions to analyze meaning complexities.
  • Metalanguage: A neutral language for describing semantic units and rules (across languages).
  • Relationship between word/sentence meaning: Word meanings (in lexicon) combined by rules to produce sentence meanings, creating productivity.

Semantics in Model of Grammar

  • Grammar Component: Semantics is a parallel component to syntax and phonology in many grammatical models.
  • Compositional Meaning: The meaning of a sentence is derived from the meanings of its parts and how they are combined.

Reference and Sense

  • Reference: A word's relationship to the world.
  • Sense: A word's meaning or value within a language.
  • Example: "Sheep" and “Mouton" (French) can have similar reference but differ in sense ranges.

Utterances, Sentences, and Propositions

  • Utterance: A piece of spoken or written language.
  • Sentence: Abstract grammatical element derived from an utterance.
  • Proposition: Abstract representation of the state of events described in a sentence (independent of any particular sentence form).

Literal and Non-literal Meaning

  • Literal Meaning: Factual, neutral meaning.
  • Non-literal Meaning: Figurative language (metaphor, irony, hyperbole).
  • Contextual Understanding: Context often crucial in determining meaning.

Semantics and Pragmatics

  • Semantics: Meaning independent of speaker's or listener's intentions.
  • Pragmatics: Meaning influenced by the speakers and listener's intentions.
  • Interaction: Semantics provides the meaning of an expression, and pragmatics handles the speaker/listener inferencing and use (contextually specific meanings).

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