This document discusses the concepts of reference and sense in linguistics. Reference deals with the relationship between language and real-world entities, while sense relates to the system of relationships between linguistic elements themselves. Referring expressions identify entities, with referring and non-referring expressions defined. Referents can be unique, variable, concrete, abstract, countable or non-countable. Sense involves the meanings and relationships between words and phrases. Ambiguous, anomalous, contradictory and paraphrased sentences are examined.

1. Reference and Sense
Reference deals with the relationship between
the linguistic elements, words, sentences, etc.,
and the non-linguistic world of experience.
Sense relates to the complex system of
relationships that hold between the linguistic
elements themselves (mostly the words); it is
concerned only with intralinguistic relations.

2. Examples
A chair
(reference)
A chair is a piece of furniture with a raised
surface used to sit on, commonly for use by one
person. (sense)
Referring is the act of picking out or identifying
with words

3. Basic notions related to Reference
Referring expressions are any linguistic
expression which is used to identify an entity.
eg. Mary, The book
Non-referring expression is any linguistic
elements which can never be used to refer.
Eg. So, very, may be, of, etc

4. Cont’…….
Constant Versus Variable Reference
(1) Any expressions which have the same
referent across range of utterances are
constant reference. Eg. The Eiffle Tower,
Pacific Ocean
(2) Any expressions which have their reference
totally dependent on context are variable
reference .Eg. I wrote to you.

5. Referent and Extension
The term referent is used for the thing picked
out by uttering the expression in a particular
context.Eg. The referent of Indonesian
President in 1997 is Suharto, the referent of a
toad in
The term extension is used for the set of
things which could be the referent of the
expression

6. Examples
Expression
Indonesian President now
Indonesian president in 1997
I’ve just stepped on a toad
The extension of the word
toad is the set of all toads.
Referent
• SBY
• Suharto
A toad here would be the
unfortunete animal on the
bottom of my shoe

7. Referents and Referring expressions
• A referring expression is not a referent
Eg. Howard is your cousin, isn’t it?
Howard is your cousin’s name, isn’t it?
• There is no natural connection between
referring expression and referent
• The existance of a referring expression does
not guarantee the existence of a referent in
the physical social-social world that we inhabit
• Eg. The present emperor of texas,

8. Cont’
• Two or more referring expression may have
the same referent, but they do not
necessaraly have the same meaning, eg
 Ani Yudoyono
 Susilo bambang Yudoyono’s wife
Ibas’ mother

9. Different kinds of referents
a. Unique and non unique referents
A referring expression has fixed reference when
the referent is unique entity or unique set of
entities, such as Lake Toba, Japan, Boris Yeltsin
Eg. We swam in Lake Toba
We swam in a lake
A referring expression has variable reference if
its referent may be different every time.
Eg. That dog, my uncle, a lake, etc

10. b. Concrete and abstract referent
Concrete referents are objects that can be
seen or touched. Door, leaf, stone
Abstract referents mean they can not be
perceived directly through the senses.
reason, knowledge, etc

11. What about this….?
• The key to the front door
The key to success
• A bright light
a bright future

12. Countable and non-countable referents
a. countable expression refers to items that are
separate from one another which can ordinarily be
counted one by one
Eg. (1) Apple,coin (concrete
(2) idea, problem, suggestion
b. Non- countable expression
Concrete reference
1) Some refers to continuous substances which do
not consist of natural discrete parts
Eg. Apple sauce, ink, toothpaste, etc

13. Cont’
2)Others refer to substances that consist of
numerous particles not worth counting.
Eg. Sand, rice
3) A few non- countables refer to collections
whose parts have quite different names.
Eg. Furniture, jewelry
Abstract non-countables which treated as
indivisible
Eg. Advice, beauty, information

14. What is sense
• The sense of an sxpression is its palce in
asystem of semantic relationship with other
expression in the language. The first semantic
relationships that we will mention is sameness
of meaning
Eg. Almost = nearly; vertical = upright
Rupert took off his jacket = Rupert took his
jacket off

15. In some cases one word can have more than one
meaning
Does the word bank have the same meaning
in the following sentence pair?
(1) I have an account at the Bank of Scotland
We steered the raft to the other bank of river
(2) The DC 10 banked sharply to avoid the crash
I banked the furnace up with coke last night.

16. What is the meaning of the following
sentences
• The chicken is ready to eat
• He greeted the girl with the smile
• John was looking for the glasses.
All these sentences are ambiguous.

17. What about these sentences
(1) His typewriter has bad intentions.
(2) My unmarried sister is married to a bachelor.
(3) (a) The needle is too short.
(b) The needle is not long enough.
(4) (a) Many of the students were unable to answer your
question.
(b) Only a few students grasped your question.
(5) (a) How long did Archibald remain in Monte Carlo?
(b) Archibald remained in Monte Carlo for some time.

18. (1) is an example of an anomalous sentence,
(2) of a contradictory one
(3) illustrates paraphrase or synonymous
sentences;
(4) one sentence follows from the other,
(5) the first implies or presupposes the second.