Meaning semantics Language without meaning is meaningless Linguistics

Meaning semantics ‘Language without meaning is meaningless. ’ Linguistics for ELT

Objectives n n Semantics: word meaning, phrase and sentence meaning, meaning in context, figurative meaning. References: Fromkin, Rodman & Hyams Chap. 6, Pp. 205 – 226 Finegan, Chap 6, pgs 179 -199

definition n ‘The branch of linguistics which studies meaning. ’ RL Trask 2004 “Is the study of the systematic ways in which languages structure meaning, especially in words and sentences. ” Finegan 2004 The study of linguistic meaning of morphemes, words, phrases, and sentences. Fromkin 2004

So, what is meaning? Semantic meaning? Truth in sentences themselves. Eg. n “I went to the store this morning” and n “All dogs are mammals”. n The first sentence, its meaning depends on the speaker, but the second one is true. n

So, what is meaning? synonymous ‘You are too young to marry. ’ and n ‘You are not old enough to get married’. n - Do they mean the same thing? n These are synonymous sentences, or they paraphrase each other. I’m your mother/I am the woman who gave birth to you. Will you be the mother of my children? n

Implied meaning Halim spent several years in UIA n Halim was once in UIA n The first sentence implies the second, but not the other way round. n Implied meaning n I was convicted for stealing. n He served a sentence in Pudu Jail. n

Contradiction The unmarried woman is married to a bachelor. n These contradict each other, but not anomalous. n

Anomaly My toothbrush is pregnant. n The bread chased the rainbow, and the rainbow climbed a tree. n semantically anomalous - making no sense at all. n

Ambiguous I saw her duck. n Meet you by the bank. n - this is ambiguous as it has 2 meanings. n

Vague She ate the pie. n This is not ambiguous but has an imprecise quality because it is taken out of context. More info is needed for it to have more meaning. Taken out of context, therefore this is vague. n

Uninterpretable The poem by Lewis Carrol - Jabberwocky n Or like the one you read – Pengkredok n

conclusion Meaning has a multifaceted notion. n What do we actually mean when we want to know what meaning is? n

What do you mean? So according to Fromkin, ‘meaning of an expression’ is not always obvious. n Read on Idioms and Metaphor n Synonymy, antonymy, polysemy, homonymy, . n

Finegan Linguistic meaning (covers sense and reference) n - referential meaning (smthg which makes the word a reference to) n - sense (because not all words or sentences have references. ). n

Linguistic meaning Meanings carried by actual word or words n Eg. Scott’s dog – the word ‘Scott’ gives meaning that the dog belongs to Scott. n - therefore, the exact meaning of the word refers not only with the word itself but by other words associated with it. n Referential meaning – meaning which refers to another party – person, (word or phrase), etc. n

Referential Meaning Not all expressions or words have referents. n - eg. The present king of France. n - the unicorn. n These 2 have no referents in the actual world. n

Sense in meaning Jacqueline Bouvier married the 35 th president of the USA. n John Kennedy – was not the president yet. n Jacky Kennedy – Jacky O n

Sense in meaning n n n Najib wants to become the president of UMNO. Najib wants to become Pak Lah. KL is a big city. KL is NY. We cannot equate the meaning of an expression with the reference of the expression.

Social meaning pg 185 finegan Expressions or words which indicate about the social status of the speaker. n Eg. ‘You can’t do nuthin right!’ n ‘Y’ all did not see it. n Comelah. n

Affective Meaning Showing the feelings or affective nature of the speaker. n 2 meanings on what Tina is in 2 diff sentences. Finegan 183 n Meanings change through intonation ‘Erin is really smart. ” “Sayang…sayang. ” n Intonation in sentences express ‘feelings, attitudes, etc. pg 184. n