Semantics

Semantics

-analyses the meaning of linguistic signs

-meaning can be analysed with reference to the outside world

-meaning can be analysed within a language

the linguistic sign

-has two sides: signifier/signifiant/form and signified/signifié/meaning

-the relation: arbitrary; not motivated, but conventionalised

-when learning a new language relation between form and meaning has to be learnt

-comparison of different languages - on meaning can have various different dorms in different languages

Synonymy

-similarity/equivalence in meaning

-e.g. good, well, fine

-differences in use

-varieties

-e.g. fall, autumn

-stylistic level

Antonymy

-contrary antonyms/gradable antonyms:

-opposites along a scale

-e.g. hot-cold, long-short, old-young

-pairs are gradable (comparative, superlative)

-complementary antonyms/binary antonyms:

-either/or relationship

-e.g. dead-alive, pass-fail, inhale-exhale

-converse antonyms/relational antonyms:

-different positions/perspectives of one situation:

-e.g. borrow-lend, give-take, teacher-student

Hyponymy

-hierarchical relationship

-differentiates:

-hyperonym/superordinate e.g. furniture

-hyponyms/subordinates e.g. chair, table, bed, cupboard

Monosemy

-one word = one single meaning

-e.g. candle

Polysemy

-one word = several meanings

-e.g. look = see, search, seem, appearance

Homonymy

-two words with different meanings which are spelt and pronounced the same

-e.g. match = team, streichholz

-homography: same spelling, different pronunciation

-e.g. lead

-homophony: same pronunciation, different spelling

-e.g. see, sea