10 Questions
Semasiology is a branch of morphology.
False
According to the functional approach, the meanings of 'to move' and 'movement' are identical.
False
Grammatical meaning deals with relationships between words.
True
Lexical meaning refers to the grammatical forms of words.
False
Semasiology focuses solely on the study of sounds in language.
False
The referential approach combines sound form, concept, and referent.
True
The functional approach claims that 'to take' and 'to bring' have identical meanings.
False
'Go', 'gone', 'goes', 'going', 'gone' have different lexical meanings.
False
The words good and bad are synonyms
False
Antonyms are two or more words with the same spelling or pronunciation but with different meanings.
False
Study Notes
Semasiology: The Study of Meaning
- Semasiology is a branch of lexicology that focuses on the study of meaning.
Approaches to Studying Meaning
- There are multiple approaches to studying meaning, including:
- Referent approach
- Functional approach
Referent Approach
- The referential approach combines three elements:
- Sound form (the word itself)
- Concept (category of human cognition through abstraction and generalization)
- Referent (the actual word or object being referred to)
- Examples of referential approach:
- "House" refers to a building for human habitation
- Words have different meanings in different languages
Functional Approach
- The functional approach examines meaning through the relationship between linguistic units
- Meaning is determined by how words function in speech
- Examples of functional approach:
- "To move" and "movement" have different meanings due to their different functions in speech
- Words can have multiple meanings depending on their usage, e.g. "to take" (to take the book, to take the tram)
Types of Meaning
- There are two main types of meaning:
- Grammatical meaning
- Lexical meaning
Grammatical Meaning
- Grammatical meaning refers to the expression of relationships between words in speech
- Examples of grammatical meaning:
- Plurality (boys, girls, tables)
- Tense (asked, thought, worked)
Lexical Meaning
- Lexical meaning refers to the different grammatical meanings of a word form
- Examples of lexical meaning:
- Go, gone, goes, going, gone possess different grammatical meanings
Learn about Semasiology, a branch of lexicology dedicated to the study of meaning, and the different approaches to studying meaning such as the Referent approach. Explore how the sound form of words is connected with our concept of the word and how concepts are categories of human cognition.
Make Your Own Quizzes and Flashcards
Convert your notes into interactive study material.
Get started for free
