Scribd
Upload
41 views3 pages

Elsy Mardhatillah - 1

The document discusses the concept and definition of semantics. It covers the different levels of linguistic analysis including phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics. It also discusses the brief history of semantics and how it relates to other disciplines such as sociology, psychology, anthropology and philosophy. The major concerns of semantics discussed are naming, concepts, sense and reference.

Uploaded by

Elsy Mardhatillah
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
41 views3 pages

Elsy Mardhatillah - 1

The document discusses the concept and definition of semantics. It covers the different levels of linguistic analysis including phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics. It also discusses the brief history of semantics and how it relates to other disciplines such as sociology, psychology, anthropology and philosophy. The major concerns of semantics discussed are naming, concepts, sense and reference.

Uploaded by

Elsy Mardhatillah
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

Elsy Mardhatillah

231787
PBI 7 C
Semantics Pragmatics
Concept and Definition of Semantics

A. Concept of Semantics

Study of meaning is one of the major areas of linguistic study. Linguists have
approached it in a variety of ways. Members of the school of interpretive semantics
study the structures of language independent of their conditions of use. In contrast,
the advocates of generative semantics insist that the meaning of sentences is a
function of their use. Still another group maintains that semantics will not advance
until theorists take into account the psychological questions of how people form
concepts and how these relate to word meanings.

Based on the introduction to linguistics that the grammar has at least four levels of
analysis:

1) Phonology which decodes sounds or phones into functional sound units or


phonemes of the given language. (The Study of sounds in language)
2) Morphology which decodes the series of phonemes into morphemes (the
minimal meaningful units of a language) and morphemes into words. (The
Study of Words)
3) Syntax which decodes the words into phrases, phrases into clauses and
clauses into sentences.
4) semantics which decodes syntactic out put into meaningful representation.

B. The definition of semantics

Semantics is concerned with the study of meaning and is related to both philosophy
and logic. Semiotics is the study of communication systems in general. Sign
language is a common means of communication among those who are deaf and can,
if learned from childhood, approach natural language in terms of scope and
flexibility.

C. Brief History of Semantics

Generally speaking, Semantics is the study of language and its meaning. As a word,
Semantics was first used by Michel Bréal, a French philologist in 1883, and can be
used to describe how words can have different meanings for different people, due to
their experiential and emotional backgrounds. A language can be a natural language,
such as French, Dutch, or Hindi, or it can be an artificial language, such as a
programming language for computers. Theoretical computer scientists study and
develop artificial languages, while linguists study natural languages. In the last two
decades, the dream of adding natural languages to computers, and having them
speak as casually as humans, has developed significantly.

D. Semantics and other related disciplines


1) Semantics with sociology
Semantics associated with sociology because reality is often encountered
in the community in using certain words to say something that could
mark the identity of speakers and groups.
2) Semantics to psychology
Study of semantics associated with psychology is certainly more to do
with mental, because the expression of one's soul is expressed through
language and have the meanings according to context.
3) Semantics with Anthropology
Semantics is considered an interest in anthropology since the analysis of
meaning in a language, through the choice of words used by speakers,
will get a promising practical classification of the cultural life of native
speakers.
4) Semantics in Philosophy
Is basically questioned the meaning of linguistic philosophers in the
relationship between speech, thought, reality, and nature.
E. Major the concern of Semantics

Semantics is associated with different issues related to meaning including :

1. Naming
Naming as a semantic process derives from the understanding that words are
names or labels for things. The major problem with this naming view of
semantics is that it is only nouns and nominal expressions that can be analysed
semantically.
2. Concepts
Concepts mediate between the mind constructs and objects in the real world. The
approach emphasises the power of the mind to make images and to associate
these images to objects and ideas. The approach is highly mentalistic, relying on
the ability to associate one thing with another.
3. Sense
Sense explains the system of linguistic relationships which a lexical item
contracts with others. If that relationship is paradigmatic, we have synonymy,
antonymy, etc. But if the relationship is syntagmatic, we have collocation.
4. Reference
Referece relate to things, people and events in the world. It is the object or
entity to which al linguistic expression relates.

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy