Semantics in Linguistics

Semantics in Linguistics

1. Semantics is the study of meaning communicated through language.

   • Levels of analysis
     • PHONOLOGY. The study of what sounds a language has.
     • SYNTAX. The study of how words can be combined into sentences.
     • SEMANTICS. The study of the meaning of words and sentences.
   • ENTAILMENT. Relationship between sentences.

2. SIGNIFICATION. Process of creating and interpreting symbols.

3. SEMIOTICS. Study of the use of sign systems.

   • Semioticians investigate the types od relationship between a sign and the object it represents.
     • ICON. Where there is a similaity between a sign and what it represents.
     • INDEX. Where the sign is closely associated with its signified.
     • SYMBOL. Where there is olny a conventional link between the sign and its signifed.

4. The knownledge aspeaker has of the meaning of words is compared to a mental lexicon or dictionay.

   • LEXICON. The mental store of words.
     • The meaning of an expression is determined by the meaning of its component pats and the way in which they are combined.

5. REFERENCE. The relationship by which language hooks onto the world.

   • UTTERANCE is created by speaking (or writing) a piece of language.
     • SENTENCES are abstract grammatical elements obtained from utterances.
       • SYNTAX. The formal relation of signs to each other.
         • SEMANTICS. The relations of signs to the objects to wich the signs are applicable.
           • PRAGMATICS. The relation of signs to interpreters.