Semantics. Types of meaning.

1. SemanticsSemantics
 Semantics is the study of meaning (Lyons, 1977).Semantics is the study of meaning (Lyons, 1977).
 Semantics is the study of meaning in languageSemantics is the study of meaning in language
(Hurford & Heasley,1983)(Hurford & Heasley,1983)
 Semantics is the study of meaning communicatedSemantics is the study of meaning communicated
through language (Saeed (1997)through language (Saeed (1997)
 Semantics is the part of linguistics that is concernedSemantics is the part of linguistics that is concerned
with meaning (Löbner (2002)with meaning (Löbner (2002)

2. What is meaningWhat is meaning
 In very general terms, speaking consists of communicating information: somebody(theIn very general terms, speaking consists of communicating information: somebody(the
speaker) has something in his/her mind (an idea, a feeling, an intention, whatnot), andspeaker) has something in his/her mind (an idea, a feeling, an intention, whatnot), and
decides to communicate it linguistically.decides to communicate it linguistically.
 Vocal noises are then emitted that are heard by a second person (the hearer), whoVocal noises are then emitted that are heard by a second person (the hearer), who
“translates” these noises back into ideas, with the result being that this hearer“translates” these noises back into ideas, with the result being that this hearer
somehow “knows” what the first person had in mind.somehow “knows” what the first person had in mind.
 That “something” that was at first in the speaker’s mind and now is also in the hearer’sThat “something” that was at first in the speaker’s mind and now is also in the hearer’s
mind is what we call meaning.mind is what we call meaning.

3. Types of meaningTypes of meaning

4.  Geoffrey Leech (1974, 1981).Geoffrey Leech (1974, 1981). Semantics: TheSemantics: The
Study of MeaningStudy of Meaning. Seven types of meaning:. Seven types of meaning:
 Conceptual meaningConceptual meaning
 Connotative meaningConnotative meaning
 Social meaningSocial meaning
 Affective meaningAffective meaning
 Reflected meaningReflected meaning
 Collocative meaningCollocative meaning
 Thematic meaningThematic meaning
Associative
Meaning

5. 1. Conceptual meaning1. Conceptual meaning
 Also calledAlso called ‘‘denotativedenotative’’ oror ‘‘cognitivecognitive’’
meaning.meaning.
 Refers to logical, cognitive or denotativeRefers to logical, cognitive or denotative
content.content.
 Concerned with the relationship between aConcerned with the relationship between a
word and the thing it denotes, or refers to.word and the thing it denotes, or refers to.

6. 2. Connotative meaning2. Connotative meaning
 The communicative value an expression has by virtue of what itThe communicative value an expression has by virtue of what it
refers to, over and above its purely conceptual content.refers to, over and above its purely conceptual content.
 Imeaning igama eliba nayo ngaphezu nje kweleyo meaningImeaning igama eliba nayo ngaphezu nje kweleyo meaning
ejwayelekileejwayelekile
e.g. Bazangenzani; izinja zibanga uthuvi; injae.g. Bazangenzani; izinja zibanga uthuvi; inja
 A multitude of additional, non-criterial properties, including notA multitude of additional, non-criterial properties, including not
only physical characteristics but also psychological and socialonly physical characteristics but also psychological and social
properties, as well as typical features.properties, as well as typical features.

7.  Involving theInvolving the ‘‘real worldreal world’’ experience oneexperience one
associates with an expression when one usesassociates with an expression when one uses
or hears it.or hears it.
 Unstable:Unstable: they vary considerably according tothey vary considerably according to
culture, historical period, and the experienceculture, historical period, and the experience
of the individual.of the individual.
 Any characteristic of the referent, identifiedAny characteristic of the referent, identified
subjectively or objectively, may contribute tosubjectively or objectively, may contribute to
the connotative meaning of the expressionthe connotative meaning of the expression
which denotes it.which denotes it.

8. 3. Social meaning3. Social meaning
 What a piece of language conveys about theWhat a piece of language conveys about the
social circumstances of its use.social circumstances of its use.
 Dialect:Dialect: the language of a geographical regionthe language of a geographical region
or of a social class.or of a social class.
 Time:Time: the language of the 18th c., etc.the language of the 18th c., etc.
 Province:Province: language of law, of science, oflanguage of law, of science, of
advertising, etc.advertising, etc.
 Status:Status: polite, colloquial, slang, etc.polite, colloquial, slang, etc.
 Modality:Modality: language of memoranda, lectures,language of memoranda, lectures,
jokes, etc.jokes, etc.
 Singularity:Singularity: the style of Dickens, etc.the style of Dickens, etc.

9.  domicile:domicile: very formal, officialvery formal, official
 residence:residence: formalformal
 abode:abode: poeticpoetic
 home:home: generalgeneral
 steed:steed: poeticpoetic
 horse:horse: generalgeneral
 nag:nag: slangslang
 gee-gee:gee-gee: baby languagebaby language

10. 4. Affective meaning4. Affective meaning
 Reflecting the personal feelings of theReflecting the personal feelings of the
speaker, including his attitude to the listener,speaker, including his attitude to the listener,
or his attitude to something he is talkingor his attitude to something he is talking
about.about.
 YouYou’’re a vicious tyrant and a villainousre a vicious tyrant and a villainous
reprobate, and I hate you for it!reprobate, and I hate you for it!
 II’’m terribly sorry to interrupt, but I wonder ifm terribly sorry to interrupt, but I wonder if
you would be so kind as to lower your voices ayou would be so kind as to lower your voices a
little.little. oror
 Will you belt up.Will you belt up.

11. 5. Reflected meaning5. Reflected meaning
 Arises in cases of multiple conceptualArises in cases of multiple conceptual
meaning, when one sense of a word forms partmeaning, when one sense of a word forms part
of our response to another sense.of our response to another sense.
 When you hearWhen you hear ‘‘click the mouseclick the mouse
twicetwice’’, you think of Gerry being, you think of Gerry being
hit twice by Tom so you feelhit twice by Tom so you feel
excited.excited.
 Many taboo terms are result of this.Many taboo terms are result of this.

12. 6. Collocative meaning6. Collocative meaning
 The associations a word acquires onThe associations a word acquires on
account of the meanings of words whichaccount of the meanings of words which
tend to occur in its environment.tend to occur in its environment.
 pretty:pretty: girl, boy, woman, flower, garden,girl, boy, woman, flower, garden,
colour, village, etc.colour, village, etc.
 handsome:handsome: boy, man, car, vessel, overcoat,boy, man, car, vessel, overcoat,
airliner, typewriter, etc.airliner, typewriter, etc.

13. II gotgot on horseback within ten minutes after Ion horseback within ten minutes after I gotgot
your letter. When Iyour letter. When I gotgot to Canterbury Ito Canterbury I gotgot a chaisea chaise
for town; but Ifor town; but I gotgot wet through, and havewet through, and have gotgot such asuch a
cold that I shall notcold that I shall not getget rid of in a hurry. Irid of in a hurry. I gotgot to theto the
Treasury about noon, but first of allTreasury about noon, but first of all gotgot shaved andshaved and
dressed. I soondressed. I soon gotgot into the secret of getting ainto the secret of getting a
memorial before the Board, but I could notmemorial before the Board, but I could not getget anan
answer then; however, Ianswer then; however, I gotgot intelligence from aintelligence from a
messenger that I shouldmessenger that I should getget one next morning. Asone next morning. As
soon as Isoon as I gotgot back to my inn, Iback to my inn, I gotgot my supper, andmy supper, and
thenthen gotgot to bed. When Ito bed. When I gotgot up next morning, Iup next morning, I gotgot
my breakfast, and, havingmy breakfast, and, having gotgot dressed, Idressed, I gotgot out inout in
time totime to getget an answer to my memorial. As soon as Ian answer to my memorial. As soon as I
gotgot it, Iit, I gotgot into a chaise, andinto a chaise, and gotgot back toback to
Canterbury by three, andCanterbury by three, and gotgot home for tea. I havehome for tea. I have
gotgot nothing for you, and so adieu.nothing for you, and so adieu.

14. 7. Thematic meaning7. Thematic meaning
 What is communicated by the way in which aWhat is communicated by the way in which a
speaker or writer organizes the message, inspeaker or writer organizes the message, in
terms of ordering, focus, and emphasis.terms of ordering, focus, and emphasis.
 Mrs Bessie Smith donated the first prize.Mrs Bessie Smith donated the first prize.
 The first prize was donated by Mrs BessieThe first prize was donated by Mrs Bessie
Smith.Smith.
 They stopped at the end of the corridor.They stopped at the end of the corridor.
 At the end of the corridor, they stopped.At the end of the corridor, they stopped.