Semantics

Semantics

Study of meaning in human language

Word form

Grammatical modification of a word

Lexeme

Unit of lexical meaning with underlying set of words related through inflection

Reference

Relationship between linguistic expression and language external world created by speaker

Referring expression

Linguistic expression used by speaker to identify a referent

Referent

Real world entity identified by speakers using linguistic expression (King Charles)

Denotation

1. Relationship between linguistic expression and non-linguistic objects
2. What a word means/directly represents
3. Dictionary definition

Sense

1. Meaning of a word defined in terms of concept in speaker’s mind
2. Stable property

Polysemy

Lexeme with multiple (historically/semantically) related meanings

Homophony

One phonological form but two different meanings and spellings (beach/beech)

Homography

Words that are spelled the same but have different meanings

Heteronomy

Words that are spelled the same but pronounced differently

Synonymy

Two or more forms, one meaning

Connotation

Something suggested/implicated beyond a word’s literal meaning, culture dependent

Antonymy

Words in pairs with opposite meanings

Relational opposites

Describe the same situation from different perspectives

Directional opposites

Describe opposite directions of a movement

Complementary antonyms

Assertion of an antonym entails the negation of another

Gradable antonyms

Negative of one is not synonymous with the other antonym

Definite reference

1. Definite determiners (this, these)
2. Definite pronouns

Indefinite reference

1. Indefinite determiners (some, several)
2. Indefinite pronouns

Hyponymy

Meaning of a word is included in another (mango - fruit)

Hyperonym

Superordinate word (fruit)