Semantic
SEMANTICS AND PRAGMATICS
Unit One: Basic Ideas in Semantics
Objectives:
Definition of semantics.
Sentence/word meaning vs. speaker's meaning.
Informativeness vs. meaningfulness.
Page 1: Definition of Semantics
Semantics:
Study of meaning in language.
Focuses on conventional meanings of words and sentences.
Key to semantic analysis lies in language system.
Page 2: Key Concepts
Semantic Analysis
Examines how conventional meanings are derived from the language.
Page 3: Practice with Meaning
Analyze a passage from Through the Looking Glass:
Identify instances of the word "mean."
Questions to consider:
Subject of verb "mean" in line 6.
Subject of verb "mean" in line 9.
Understood subject of verb "mean" in line 12.
Instances where “mean” has a personal subject.
Instances where “mean” has a linguistic subject.
Page 4: The Word "Meaning"
Utilization of the Word "mean":
Indicating intention of speakers.
Indicating equivalence for words/sentences (conventional meaning).
Page 5: Word/Sentence Meaning vs. Speaker Meaning
Practice Questions:
Comparison of sentence meanings and implications regarding speaker intent.
Page 6: Distinction in Meanings
Definitions:
Word/Sentence Meaning: Conventional significance as per language rules (semantics focus).
Speaker’s Meaning: Intended significance by the speaker in context (studied in pragmatics).
Page 7: Examples of Speaker’s Meaning
Exchange:
Passage illustrating speaker meaning through implied communication (e.g. sarcasm).
Page 8: Meaning Beyond Sentences
Even when sentences appear straightforward, speakers often convey deeper meanings or nuances.
Page 9: Understanding Meaning
Consideration of phonology, morphology, syntax, and context is crucial for grasping meaning.
Page 10: Literal vs. Intended Meaning
Communication is nuanced; not all expressions are intended to convey factual information.
Page 11: Meaningfulness in Interaction
All sentences used in normal interaction convey meaning, though not all are information-driven.
Page 12: Contextual Communication
Example of using weather comments for socialization rather than factual information.
Page 13: Knowledge of Meaning
Competence in language includes understanding conventional meanings and nuances of expressions.
Page 14: Analysis of Meaning Example
Analyze how expressions can have various interpretations based on pragmatic context.
Page 15: Key Concepts Summary
Notions Covered: Semantics, speaker’s meaning, informativeness, and meaningfulness.
Unit Two: Sentences, Utterances, and Propositions
Aims: Introduce definitions of utterances, sentences, and propositions, exploring their relationships and structures.
Page 18: Definitions
Utterance:
Any stretch of talk with identifiable use in language.
Can be single or multiple in terms of grammatical completeness.
Page 25: Understanding Propositions
Propositions:
Content of declarative sentences expressing states of affairs.
Can be true or false depending on reality.
Page 30: Propositional Integrity
Propositions within declarative sentences commit speakers to truths.
Page 49: Referring Expressions
Introduction of concepts surrounding definite and indefinite noun phrases for clarity in language use.
Page 84: Extensions and Prototypes
Extension of a Predicate:
Complete set of entities the predicate can truthfully apply to.
Page 102: Sense Relations
Relations between Expressions: Explore similarities and differences in meanings through synonymy, hyponymy, paraphrase, and entailment.
Page 115: Antonymy and Ambiguity
Antonymy: Definitions and classifications of oppositional meanings in language.
Page 126: Introduction to Pragmatics
Pragmatics:
Study of meaning based on speaker intentions and context.
Page 129: Key Aspects of Pragmatics
Involves speaker meaning, contextual meaning, and implied meaning in communication.
Page 139: Conversational Implicature
Recognize that conversations involve multiple layers of meaning, influenced by speaker intentions.
Page 142: Speech Acts
Types of Speech Acts: Declarations, expressives, directives, and commissives as how utterances translate to actions.