Semantics: Word and Sentence Meaning PDF

SEMANTICS: WORD AND SENTENCE MEANING  SEMANTICS Semantics is the branch of linguistics that studies meaning in language. It examines how words, phrases, sentences, and texts convey meaning, as well as how context influences interpretation. Example: "BANK" Fundamenta...

SEMANTICS: WORD AND SENTENCE MEANING  SEMANTICS Semantics is the branch of linguistics that studies meaning in language. It examines how words, phrases, sentences, and texts convey meaning, as well as how context influences interpretation. Example: "BANK" Fundamental Aspects of Semantics: 1. Meaning Types Denotation: The literal or primary meaning of a word (e.g., "dog" refers to a domesticated canine). Connotation: The additional meanings or emotional associations a word carries (e.g., "home" may connote warmth and safety). 3 Fundamental Aspects of Semantics: 2.Lexical Semantics - Focuses on the meaning of individual words and their relationships, including: - Synonyms: Words with similar meanings (e.g., "begin" and "start"). - Antonyms: Words with opposite meanings (e.g., "light" and "dark"). - Hyponyms and Hypernyms: Relationships where one word is a specific instance of another (e.g., "rose" is a hyponym of "flower"). 3 Fundamental Aspects of Semantics: 3. Compositional Semantics - Studies how meanings combine in phrases and sentences. For example, "The cat sat on the mat" has a different meaning than "The mat sat on the cat." 3 Fundamental Aspects of Semantics: 4. Contextual Meaning - Explores how context affects meaning, including: - Pragmatics: The study of language in context, examining how meaning can change based on situation, tone, and speaker intent. - Deixis: Words that depend on context for their meaning (e.g., "here," "there," "you," "me"). 3 Fundamental Aspects of Semantics: 5. Ambiguity - Many words or phrases can have multiple interpretations, leading to ambiguity (e.g., "I saw the man with the telescope" can mean the observer used a telescope or that the man had one). 3 Fundamental Aspects of Semantics: 6. Semantic Change - Over time, the meanings of words can evolve due to social and cultural changes, leading to shifts in language use. 3 Fundamental Aspects of Semantics: 7. Formal Semantics - A more mathematical approach to understanding meaning, focusing on the logical relationships and structures underlying language. 3 THANK YOU