15 - Semantics 1
Page 1: Semantics Overview
Title Page
Page 2: What is Semantics?
Semantics is a branch of linguistics.
It focuses on understanding meaning in language.
Page 3: Definition of Semantics
Semantics studies meaning as a central part of linguistic communication.
Page 4: Exploring Meaning
The concept of "meaning" involves different aspects:
Meaning can be linguistic or non-linguistic.
Animals and pre-lingual infants have their own concepts, albeit not expressed linguistically.
The term "conceptual system" refers to how we understand and categorize meaning.
Semantics helps organize information into the structure that language communicates.
Page 5: Elements of Meaning
Key components of semantics:
Concepts: the mental representations linked to meaning.
Non-linguistic meaning: meaning derived from contexts beyond language.
Semantics discusses how to articulate these meanings in language.
Page 6: Specifying Actions
Different ways to specify actions:
"The vase broke" vs. "The woman broke the vase"
Variations in phrasing can alter the specification of an action.
Examples of different verbs also convey distinct nuances:
Bumped, collided, toppled, smashed.
Page 7: Non-linguistic Meaning
Concepts can exist without language; animals understand concepts without verbalization.
Page 8: Branches of Semantics
Two main branches:
Lexical Semantics: Focuses on the meanings of words.
Compositional Semantics: Examines how words combine to form phrases and sentences.
Page 9: Focus of Semantics
Semantics is concerned primarily with the ordinary meaning of language.
Emphasizes the importance of literal meaning, influenced by lexical meaning and syntax.
Page 10: Theory of Semantics
Aims of semantics theory include:
Philosophy: Investigating the nature of meaning.
Linguistics: Understanding how people express their perceptions of the world through language (Ray Jackendoff).
Page 11: Lexical Semantics
Focus on:
Sense and reference.
Semantic relations among words.
Different theories of lexical meaning.
Page 12: Lexicalization
Refers to how languages express concepts through words.
Page 13: Conceptual Mapping
Semantics illustrates how meaning is organized for language:
Concepts may be universal while semantics is language-specific.
Page 14: Defining Lexicalization
Lexicalization occurs when a language has a specific word for a concept.
Not all languages lexicalize the same concepts or ideas.
Page 15: Example of Lexicalization
Concept of wearing something for the first time.
In Spanish: "estrenando"
Example: “Do you like my new shoes? I'm wearing them for the first time.”
English lacks a direct equivalent.
Page 16: Example from Spanish to English
Concept for phloem bundles.
Distinction in vocabulary between languages.
Page 17: Conceptual Mapping Differences
Mapping of emotions and perceptions:
Variance in expression of similar feelings across languages.
Example: Enjoyment
Italian: "piace" (like) vs. English "love."
Page 18: Example of Polish Prepositions
Differences in spatial and locational vocabulary:
English: "at"
Polish: "w, na, przy, u" showing nuanced functional usage.
Page 19: Semantic Relations Introduction
Overview of how words relate to each other semantically.
Page 20: Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms: Words with similar meanings (e.g., purchase-buy).
Antonyms: Words with opposite meanings (e.g., dark-light).
Page 21: Types of Antonyms
Types include:
Complementary: Either/or states (married/single).
Gradable: On a continuum (warm/cold).
Reverses: One action undoes another (expand/contract).
Converses: Each necessitates the other (lend/borrow).
Page 22: Hypernyms and Hyponyms
Hypernym: A broader category (e.g., furniture.
Hyponym: A more specific instance (e.g., chair).
Page 23: Meronyms and Holonyms
Meronym: Part of a whole (e.g., mast of a sailboat).
Holonym: A whole that contains parts (e.g., sailboat contains mast).
Page 24: Recap of Semantic Relations
-Synonyms, antonyms, hypernyms, hyponyms, meronyms, and holonyms.
Page 25: Words with Multiple Meanings
Polysemy: A word with multiple related meanings (e.g., "bright").
Page 26: Homophony
Unrelated meanings for a single word (e.g., "bank").
Page 27: Sense and Reference
Introduction to thematic roles and primitive conceptual categories.
Page 28: Sense/Reference Explained
Focus on distinctions between sense and reference in meaning.
Page 29: Reference Explained
Words reference real-world objects:
Reference/denotation: Items a word refers to.
Referent: Specific thing indicated by a word.
Page 30: Illustrative Example (MUG)
Reference example to clarify what is denoted.
Page 31: Common and Proper Nouns
Common nouns: refer to multiple entities (e.g., cat).
Proper nouns: refer to singular entities (e.g., Lin-Manuel Miranda).
Page 32: Same Reference, Different Expressions
Different expressions can refer to the same referent.
Example: Lin-Manuel Miranda via various titles.
Page 33: Understanding Sense
Sense: mental representation linked to words, including definitions and associations.
Page 34: Examples of Sense vs. Reference
Sense elucidated through various meanings of a word like "book."
Page 35: Relationship Between Sense and Reference
A sense may exist without a referent.
Page 36: Example of Venus
Examining different senses: Morning Star, Evening Star.
Page 37: Importance of Reference
Reference connects language to the world.
Page 38: Contextual Understanding of Statements
Hypotheticals about expressions and their truth values.
Page 39: Continued Contextual Questions
Further exploration of referents based on contextual statements.
Page 40: Thematic Roles & Conceptual Categories
Roles of participants in action as an important part of semantics.
Page 41: Thematic Roles Defined
Roles detail the participation of entities in actions or relations.
Page 42: Descriptivity of Thematic Roles
Types of roles include:
Agent, Patient, Theme, Source, Goal, Location, Experiencer, Instrument, Cause, and Stimulus.
Page 43: Example - To Like
A cross-linguistic example of how to express liking.
Page 44: Thematic Roles in Action
Thematic roles showing similarities in different languages.
Page 45: Behavior of Words
Understanding semantics through primitive conceptual categories.
Page 46: Talmy's Categories
Describing physical or abstract actions through manner or path-focused verbs.
Page 47: Typology of Languages
Language typology regarding the encoding of path or manner.
Page 48: English as a Manner Language
Characteristics of English language pertaining to motion.
Page 49: French as a Path Language
Characteristics of French language and its encoding strategies.
Page 50: Summary of Primitive Concepts
Key roles of path and manner in language studies as outlined by Talmy and Jackendoff.
Page 51: Important Categories to Know
Manner and Path as key categories, others are supplementary.
Page 52: Analyzing the Verb 'Pass'
Contextual usage of the verb in various sentences.
Page 53: Clausal Construction of 'Pass'
Syntax surrounding the usage and different meanings of 'pass.'
Page 54: Comparing 'Pass' and 'Climb'
Identifying differences in how these verbs convey action.
Page 55: How 'Climb' Works
Analyzing the action within the context of climbing.
Page 56: Clarification of Differences
Specific distinctions between climbing and passing.
Page 57: Generalization of Conceptual Primitives
Application of thematic roles to verbs of transfer like rent, lend, and borrow.
Page 58: Role of Possession Transfer
Using scenarios to illustrate changes in possession through thematic roles.