An introduction to information and semantics in linguistics. Constructing a simple model of language.

1. Referential Semantics:
Relates words and objects

2. Words, Objects, Concepts

3. Sign, thought, thing

4. The word, the general meaning, the
thing it refers to

5. Semantic Triangle
• The word (sign)
• The concept, general meaning, your idea
• The actual thing (referent)

6. The word “unicorn”

7. The general meaning of “unicorn”

8. An actual unicorn

9. OK, there are no actual unicorns

10. The word “horse”

11. A word is a sign

12. This picture is also a kind of sign

13. The meaning of “horse”

14. The concept of “horse”

15. All the meaning you get from “horse”

16. The referent

17. Not the word

18. Not the picture

19. Not the concept

20. This actual horse

21. The referent

22. horse
PHON

23. Horse UK
PHON /hɔːs/

24. Horse US
PHON /hɔːrs/

25. Horse (simple is best)
PHON /hɔːs/

26. SYNTAX
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN

27. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN

28. Horse: Category
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT

29. Horse: Valency
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT
VAL

30. Horse
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [ ]
VAL

31. Horse
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL

32. Horse
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [ ]

33. Horse
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]

34. Horse
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]

35. Horse
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]

36. Horse
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]

37. Horse
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM

38. Horse
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM ??????

39. Horse
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM [identity of referent (actual thing)

40. Horse
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM [identity of referent
+ general meaning ]

41. Horse
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM [identity of referent
+ general meaning ]

42. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM [identity of referent
+ general meaning ]

43. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM

44. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM ID
GENERAL
MEANING

45. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM ID

46. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM INDEX

47. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM INDEX X

48. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM INDEX Y

49. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM INDEX Z

50. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM INDEX 1

51. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM INDEX 2

52. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM INDEX X

53. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM INDEX 3rd Person
Singular

54. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM INDEX X

55. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM
INDEX X

56. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM
INDEX X
FRAMES

57. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM
INDEX X
FRAMES: GENERAL MEANING

58. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM
INDEX X
FRAMES <
Horse-Frame

59. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM
INDEX X
FRAMES <
Horse-Frame
Entity X

60. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM
INDEX X
FRAMES <
Horse-Frame
Entity X
X = 3rd Person, Singular

61. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM
INDEX X
FRAMES <
Horse-Frame
Entity X

62. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM
INDEX X
FRAMES <
Horse-Frame
Entity X
>

63. PHON / /
SYN
CAT [ ]
VAL [ ]
SEM
<
-Frame
Entity
>

64. PHON /sneɪk/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM
INDEX X
FRAMES <
Snake-Frame
Entity X
>

65. PHON / /
SYN
CAT [ CASE [ ]]
VAL [ ]
SEM
<
-Frame
Entity
>

66. PHON /hɪm/
SYN
CAT [ noun CASE [ Acc ]]
VAL [ ]
SEM
INDEX X
FRAMES <
Male –Frame
Entity X
>

67. • We can say that a noun refers to a real-world i………………….…. or
e………….……….., while a verb refers to a real-world a………………………..
•
• A sentence refers to a real-world ………………………….
•
• The general meaning of a word is often referred to as its semantic
f……………………….
•
• The word “it” is:
• Person ……………
• Number ………….
• Gender ……………
•
• 7. The word “she” has ………………….. Case.

68. • We can say that a noun refers to a real-world
individual or entity, while a verb refers to a
real-world action.

69. • A sentence refers to a real-world situation
•
• The general meaning of a word is often
referred to as its semantic frame

70. •
• The word “it” is:
• Person 3rd
• Number Singular
• Gender Neutral
• Gender ………………

71. • 7. The word “she” has Nominative Case.