This document discusses reference, sense, and referring expressions in semantics. It defines semantics as the study of meaning in language. Reference deals with the relationship between language and the world, while sense deals with relationships inside language. There are two types of reference: variable reference, where a word can refer to different things, and constant reference, where a word always refers to the same thing. Sense is the place of an expression in a system of semantic relationships with other expressions. A referring expression is any expression used to refer to something, and can be indefinite or definite depending on the context. Opaque contexts and equative sentences are also discussed in relation to referring expressions.

1. Reference, Sense and
Referring Expression in
SEMANTICS
By : Ersa Dewana
113-11-074
Student of English Department of
STAIN Salatiga

2. SemanticS
‘’Semantics is the study of meaning in
language.’’
‘’Linguistic semantics is the study of
meaning that is used by humans to
express themselves through language.’’
(Hurford, Heasley & Smith, 2007)

3. REFERENCE
SENSE

4. RefeRence
Reference deals with the
relationship between language
and the world.
Reference is a relationship
between parts of language
and things outside the
language (in the world).

5. typeS of
RefeRence
Variable Reference
a. One word
b. Many expressions
c. Refer to different type 0f that
object
Constant Reference
a. One word
b. Many expressions
c. Refer to the same thing

6. Example of Variable Reference
 Book
The word book has a real object or appearance in the
world.

7. Example of Constant Reference.
America
America has a real appearance and also
can be defined in other words or
expressions.

8. The expressions of
AmericA

9. sense
Sense deals with relationships
inside the language.
Sense of an expression is its
place in a system of semantic
relationships with other
expressions in the language.

10. exAmple of sense
1. The example of sense in word-form
GUILT
 Blame, Culpability, Guiltiness, Iniquity, Wrong, etc.
 Feeling of shame for having done wrong, Fact that
somebody has done something illegal, Blame or
responsibility for wrongdoing.

11. ExamplE of SEnSE
2. The example of sense in phrase or sentence
A prisoner escaped from jail yesterday.
 A prisoner ran away from the jail yesterday.
 A prisoner got free from the jail yesterday.

12. ThE RElaTionShip
bETwEEn REfEREncE and
SEnSE
Reference Concrete
It can be proved by the thing in the real
world and only one step to prove it.
Sense Abstract
It does not have a real object and we have to
imagine and compare to our experience.
Every expression that has meaning has
sense, but not every expression has
reference!

13. REfERRing
ExpRESSion
A referring expression is any expression
used in an utterance to refer to something or
someone.
The same expression can be a referring
expression or not depending on the context.
The condition which makes an expression can
be mentioned as a referring expression when
the speaker and the hearer have the same
perception of what is being talked about.

14. TypES of REfERRing
ExpRESSion
 Indefinite Noun Phrase uses articles in its expression.
e.g. -A girl who wore a black sweater is friendly.
-Some apples are bought by my grandmother.
-Five boys are playing guitar.
 Definite Noun Phrase uses proper name, personal pronoun and longer
descriptive expression.
e.g. -Rania is friendly.
-She is studying Semantics.
-The person who stole my bag is my friend.

15. moRE noTionS of REfERRing
ExpRESSion
 An opaque context is a part of a sentence which
could be made into a complete sentence by the
addition of a referring expression.
Opaque context typically involve a certain kind of
verb like: want, believe, think and wonder
about in the form complete sentence, but we also
can find opaque context in shorter expression.
Because of those kinds of verb, it was often in the
context that indefinite noun phrase could be
ambiguous between a referring and a non
referring expression.

16. More Notions of Referring
Expression
 An equative sentence is a part of a sentence which
could be made into a complete sentence by the
addition of referring expression, but it is different from
opaque context, an equative sentence is one which is
used to make sure the identity of the referents.

17. References…
Anonymous. Reference and Sense. Retrieved February 18, 2011, from
http://www.phil.muni.cz/~materna/sense.html
Hurford, James R. Heasley, Brendan. and Smith, Michael B. (2007).
Semantics a Coursebook. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.
Sundayana, Wachyu. and Aziz, E. Aminudin. (2000). Semantik. Jakarta:
Universitas Terbuka.
Wahab, Abdul. (1995). Teori Semantik. Surabaya: Airlangga University
Press.

18. Thanks for your
attention..