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Overview of Semantics in
Linguistics
Semantics is important in other fields
Computer science
Philosophy
Psychology
Cognitive science
Artificial intelligence
Semiotics
But Semantics is mainly about words
So how about Semantics in Linguistics?
Word
• 1. Sound
• 2. Grammar
• 3. Meaning
• Meaning = semantics
Phonology: Speech sounds
Morphology: internal structure of
words
Morphology: usually part of grammar
But ALL of these bits must carry
MEANING
Syntax: words combining to form
bigger phrases and sentences
All these words must carry MEANING
Pragmatics: meaning in situations
Semantics originally meant “Meaning
Change”
Word meanings change all the time
Gay
Wicked
Historical semantics
Important book
Thoughts, symbols, things
Communicative language
teaching/learning
Applied Linguistics, Second Language
Acquisition
Communication = transmitting
MEANING
Meaning is fundamental to language
learning
• Meaning in
• Meaning out
• Reading (Meaning in)
• Writing (Meaning out)
• Listening (Meaning in)
• Speaking (Meaning out)
Language learning is a struggle with
meaning
• Learning English?
• Memorizing vocabulary lists?
• Explaining Grammar in Japanese?
The Struggle with meaning
Subconscious changes in the brain
What do you think?
• Is memorization a waste of time?
• Are explanations about grammar a waste of
time?
• Is language learning purely a struggle with
meaning?
How about reading or repeating
conversations?
Is it a struggle with meaning?
• Do you have to struggle to get your meaning
out?
Meaning is at the root of just about
everything in language
Sherlock saw the man using binoculars
Sherlock saw the man using binoculars
Semantics in Linguistics?
Phonology: stress
Stress changes MEANING
•I didn’t eat the apple
• I didn’t eat the apple
• “John or somebody else did”
• I didn’t eat the apple
• “I strongly deny it”
• I didn’t eat the apple
• “I threw it out of the window”
• I didn’t eat the apple
• “I ate one of the other ones”
• I didn’t eat the apple
• “I ate the orange”
Tone
• You are a stranger here.
• You are a stranger here?
• I ate a banana, an orange, an apple….
• (Rising tone)
• I ate a banana, an orange, and an apple
• (Falling tone)
Morphology
Internal structure of words
(sometimes) changes meaning
Unproductively (非生産的に)
Syntax (building phrases and sentences
from words)
Word order influences meaning
• The angry bear chased the frightened little
squirrel
• The frightened little squirrel chased the angry
bear
• The rat ate the cockroach
• The cockroach ate the rat
Pragmatics
Context matters
Situations count
Implications
Implications
• It’s hot in here
• “Can you open the window?”
• “Is it OK if I take my tie off?”
• “Let’s turn the heater off”
• “Let’s put the air conditioner on”
• The rat ate the cockroach
• The cockroach ate the rat
Background information
• Conversations with loved ones
• Lots of shared experiences
• Lots of shared information
• No need to SAY everything
• The other person gets the meaning
INFORMATION
• Is information the same thing as
meaning?
• And what IS meaning, anyway?
What kind of information?
• Noun
• Grammatical information
• Information about grammar (or syntax)
/ˈmiː.nɪŋ/
Information about sound
Phonetic (or phonological) information
What kind of information?
• Girl
• Young (not old)
• Female (not male)
• Human (not animal)
What kind of information?
• Young
• Information about meaning
• Semantic information
• Female
• Information about meaning
• Semantic information
What kind of information?
• Human
• Information about meaning
• Semantic information
Take a word like “walks”
/wɔːks/
Phonetic (phonological) information
Verb
Grammatical (syntactic) information
Semantic information?
Walks (Semantic information)
• Movement
• Using legs
• One step at a time
• One foot on the ground at all times
• Not jumping off the ground
Meaning of “walks”
Movement
Using legs
One foot on the ground at all
times
Not jumping off the ground
Etc.
Meaning Frame
Movement
Using legs
One foot on the ground at all
times
Not jumping off the ground
Etc.
It’s like a window frame
Movement
Using legs
One foot on the ground at all
times
Not jumping off the ground
Etc.
“Walks” Meaning Frame
Movement
Using legs
One foot on the ground at all
times
Not jumping off the ground
Etc.
“Walks” Meaning Frame
“Walks” Meaning Frame
All the meaning of “walks” is
contained in this frame
Imagine all the Meaning in this Frame
But there’s something else
Some person or thing that walks
walker x
A simple verb frame
walker x
Are all verb meanings the same?
How about “kicks”?
All the meaning of “kicks”?
hit against something
use foot
“kicks” frame
hit against something
use foot
But there’s something else
hit against something
use foot
A person or thing who kicks
Kicker x
A person or thing that gets kicked
Kicker x
Kicked y
“kicks” frame
Kicker x
Kicked y
”walks” frame
Walker x
“kicks” frame
Kicker x
Kicked y
“buy” frame
“buy” frame
Use money
Receive something you
want
“buy” frame
Buyer x
Bought y
“sleep” frame
What’s in the “sleep” frame?
What’s in the “sleep” frame?
Eyes closed
In bed or comfortable place
Not walking around
Not conscious
What else?
Sleeper x
Person, thing, or animal that sleeps
Sleeper x
How about the “give” frame?
How about the “give” frame?
Moves from one to another
Possessed by one individual
Received by another
Do not receive money etc
But what else?
Moves from one to another
Possessed by one individual
Received by another
Do not receive money etc
But what else?
But what else?
An individual that gives
An individual that receives
A thing that is given
But what else?
Giver x
Receiver y
Given z
Someone who gives, a receiver, and a
thing that is given
Giver x
Receiver y
Given z
”write” frame
”write” frame
Use a pen, word
processor or other tool
Put words on paper or a
screen etc
Create words or
sentences, not drawing
”write” frame: what else?
Writer x
Written y

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Sem2 oct42019