How to define a word? How to provide meaning accurately to this word? How do we create the web of meaning that links one word to another connected with it? How do we know which category one word belongs? How do we develop this category sense? How do we create an image for some words that sometimes are not even related to it? Why do we put these images even before the “real” meaning of the word?

1. MEANING, THOUGHT AND REALITY
(HOW CATEGORIES INFLUENCE THINKING, STEREOTYPES AND MIND CONNECTIONS)
FFLCH – USP Estudos Linguísticos e Literários em Inglês
Tópicos de Semântica
Professora Elizabeth Harkot de La Taille
1º Semestre de 2015

2. HOW TO DEFINE A WORD?
How to provide meaning accurately to this word?
How do we create the web of meaning that links one word to another connected with it?
How do we know which category one word belongs?
How do we develop this category sense?
How do we create an image for some words that sometimes are not even related to it?
Why do we put these images even before the “real” meaning of the word?

3. People use to categorize things in order to put them in groups according to
their similarities. By the categories we can identify and also distinguish one
thing from another.
ANIMAL
MAMMAL
FELINE
TIGER
LION
JAGUAR
tawny-colored
and black-
striped
tufted tail and,
in the male, a
large mane
tawny coat with
black rosettes
... ...
......

4. We can categorize things by its shape, use, or function, but also by our
cognitive entities, because people individually or from different cultures
have their own perspective of things and may have different interpretation
when categorizing.
WORD CATEGORY MEANING STEREOTYP
E
Stereotypes are often caricatured and generalized representations,
motivating some prejudice against what they represent.

5. RELIGION
JUDAISM CHRISTIANISM
nitpicky
(overly critical)
headstrong
...
...
stingy
miser
greed
CATHOLICISM
PROTESTANTISM
cruel abbesses
lustful
priests
homophobic
headstrong
churchy
(fanatic)
AFRICAN
CANDOMBLE
..
.
UMBANDA
witchcraft
animal sacrifice
evil
hypocritical

6. LOVE
Category:
Abstract
Oxford Entry:
a strong feeling
of deep
affection for
somebody
Love is full of troubles.
Of honey and fall in love
there is store.
The course of true love
never did run smooth.
(Shakespeare)
É quando uma pessoa se
ama e até pode casar e ter
filhos e todas essas
besteiras. (Ana Cristina Henao, 7 anos)
O amor é o que faz as
crianças.
(Adelaida Restrepo, 10 anos)
Que minha mamãe não
morra e meu papai não
morra. (Pablo José Jaramilho, 6 anos)
Against the proverbs and quotations, the definitions by
the children shown an image of "family", and are not
related with romantic love.

7. PEASAN
T
Category:
Agent
Oxford Entry:
a poor smallholder or
agricultural laborer of low
social status (chiefly in
historical use or with
reference to subsistence
farming in poorer countries
When the calf is stolen, the
peasant mends the stall.
informal: an ignorant, rude, or
unsophisticated person: e.g.:
‘that is a civilized drink, you
peasant’
A peasant between two
lawyers is like a fish between
two cats.
Um camponês não tem casa,
nem dinheiro. Só seus filhos.
(Luis Alberto Ortiz, 8 anos)
É uma pessoa inútil que não
sabe nada.
(Jennifer Katia Gómez, 9 anos)
Os que se vestem mal.
(Diego Alejandro Giraldo, 8 anos)
The definitions by the children corroborates the stereotype of a peasant
as somebody simpleton, ignorant, somebody who lives outside society.
Only the last definition come closer to the "real" meaning of the word.
É uma pessoa da terra. (Julián
David García, 11 anos)

8. CHILD
Category:
Agent
Oxford Entry:
A young human being
below the age of puberty or
below the legal age of
majority; a son or daughter
of any age
Children pick up words as
pigeon peas, and utter them
again as God shall please
(Shakespeare)
Humano feliz.
(Jhonan Sebatián Agudelo, 8 anos)
Quando nasce é pequenininho
e quando cresce um
pouquinho e não sabem seu
nome chamam de menino.
(Daniel Jaramillo, 7 anos)
We can see that these definitions are more descriptions of what kind of
"being" the child is, focusing on size and behavior (they play). The idea
of joy and happiness is very present.
Com ossos, com olhos e
brincam.
(Luiz Felipe Agudelo, 5 anos)
A child has a special way of
adding joy to every day!

9. ADULT
Category:
Agent
Oxford Entry:
a fully grown person who is
legally responsible for their
actions
Adult life: if you are not tired,
you’re doing it wrong.
Pessoa que em toda coisa que
fala, vem primeiro ela.
(Andrés Felipe Bedoya, 8 anos)
Pessoa que fica obcecada em
fazer amor. (Simón Peláez, 11 anos)
On the children’ side we have two definitions centered on behavior that
brings a heavy charge of selfishness for the word "adult“, while one gives
us a size description. And the quotes… don’t worry: Are just a few adults
complaining about everything…
Criança que cresceu muito.
(Camilo Aramburo, 8 anos)
The creative adult is the child
who survived.
As a kid, you can’t wait to
grow up. As an adult, you wish
you were a kid again.

10. WAR
Category:
Concept
Oxford Entry:
a situation in which two or
more countries or groups
of people fight against each
other over a period of time
É um jogo que os meninos de
hoje jogam.
(Paula Andrea Franco, 9 anos)
É quando matam os outros.
(María Alejandra Soto, 10 anos)
Gente que se mata por um
pedaço de terra ou de paz.
(Juan Carlos Mejía, 11 anos)
Make love, not war. (American
saying)
War is death’s feast.
(Chinese proverb)
The concept is intrinsically attached to violence and death.
There is a subtle bias related to the futility of war too.

11. PEACE
Category:
Concept
Oxford Entry:
a situation or a period of
time in which there is no
war or violence in a
country or an area
É para uns que matam
muito. (Jonny Alexander Arias, 8 anos)
Quando alguém se perdoa.
(Juan Camilo Hurtado, 8 anos)
É o fruto da terra que ainda
sobrevive.
(Lina Maria Murillo, 10 anos)
There can never be peace
between nations until it is first
known that true peace is
within the souls of men.
(Sioux proverb)
The stereotyped meaning works as an opposition to war:
where there is no war, there is Peace (along with forgiveness
and survival).

12. POLITICIAN
Category:
Agent
Oxford Entry:
A person who is professionally involved in politics,
especially as a holder of an elected office
Pessoa que põe mãos em sociedade.
(Robinson Sepúlveda, 10 anos)
É uma pessoa que acaba com a
gente ou ajuda, depende de sua
situação econômica.
(Pastor Ernesto Castaño, 11 anos)
Alguém que faz promessas e
nunca cumpre.
(Roger de Jesús Valencia, 9 anos)
A gentle politician doesn't
promise to build bridges where
there is no water.
A person who acts in a manipulative and devious
way, typically to gain advancement within an
organization.
The main idea is about dishonesty, building the stereotype of “thief
politician” – the one who takes advantage of everything and does not
really care about society and community.

13. CONCLUSION
Thus we can conclude that meaning is a matter of
interpretation. We categorize things according to our
perspective, our view of the world. Meaning does not
have its boundaries in a dictionary definition but is also
influenced by background of the speakers, because of
social regional, age or genre variations. In sum,
meaning , thought, reality, and the stereotypes that are
constructed by means of categorization reflect the
culture of the society we live in.

14. THANK
YOU!
Dominique Girard - 7611985
Karina Ono - 7699830
Tainá Moterani - 6996527