Sem2 oct42019
- 1. Overview of Semantics in Linguistics
- 2. Semantics is important in other fields
- 4. Philosophy
- 5. Psychology
- 8. Semiotics
- 9. But Semantics is mainly about words
- 10. So how about Semantics in Linguistics?
- 11. Word • 1. Sound • 2. Grammar • 3. Meaning • Meaning = semantics
- 13. Morphology: internal structure of words
- 14. Morphology: usually part of grammar
- 15. But ALL of these bits must carry MEANING
- 16. Syntax: words combining to form bigger phrases and sentences
- 17. All these words must carry MEANING
- 18. Pragmatics: meaning in situations
- 19. Semantics originally meant “Meaning Change”
- 20. Word meanings change all the time
- 21. Gay
- 22. Wicked
- 24. Important book
- 27. Applied Linguistics, Second Language Acquisition
- 29. Meaning is fundamental to language learning • Meaning in • Meaning out • Reading (Meaning in) • Writing (Meaning out) • Listening (Meaning in) • Speaking (Meaning out)
- 30. Language learning is a struggle with meaning • Learning English? • Memorizing vocabulary lists? • Explaining Grammar in Japanese?
- 31. The Struggle with meaning
- 32. Subconscious changes in the brain
- 33. What do you think? • Is memorization a waste of time? • Are explanations about grammar a waste of time? • Is language learning purely a struggle with meaning?
- 34. How about reading or repeating conversations?
- 35. Is it a struggle with meaning? • Do you have to struggle to get your meaning out?
- 36. Meaning is at the root of just about everything in language
- 37. Sherlock saw the man using binoculars
- 38. Sherlock saw the man using binoculars
- 41. Stress changes MEANING •I didn’t eat the apple
- 42. • I didn’t eat the apple • “John or somebody else did” • I didn’t eat the apple • “I strongly deny it” • I didn’t eat the apple • “I threw it out of the window” • I didn’t eat the apple • “I ate one of the other ones” • I didn’t eat the apple • “I ate the orange”
- 43. Tone • You are a stranger here. • You are a stranger here? • I ate a banana, an orange, an apple…. • (Rising tone) • I ate a banana, an orange, and an apple • (Falling tone)
- 44. Morphology
- 45. Internal structure of words (sometimes) changes meaning
- 47. Syntax (building phrases and sentences from words)
- 48. Word order influences meaning • The angry bear chased the frightened little squirrel • The frightened little squirrel chased the angry bear • The rat ate the cockroach • The cockroach ate the rat
- 49. Pragmatics
- 50. Context matters
- 51. Situations count
- 53. Implications
- 54. Implications • It’s hot in here • “Can you open the window?” • “Is it OK if I take my tie off?” • “Let’s turn the heater off” • “Let’s put the air conditioner on”
- 55. • The rat ate the cockroach • The cockroach ate the rat
- 56. Background information • Conversations with loved ones • Lots of shared experiences • Lots of shared information • No need to SAY everything • The other person gets the meaning
- 57. INFORMATION • Is information the same thing as meaning? • And what IS meaning, anyway?
- 58. What kind of information? • Noun • Grammatical information • Information about grammar (or syntax) /ˈmiː.nɪŋ/ Information about sound Phonetic (or phonological) information
- 59. What kind of information? • Girl • Young (not old) • Female (not male) • Human (not animal)
- 60. What kind of information? • Young • Information about meaning • Semantic information • Female • Information about meaning • Semantic information
- 61. What kind of information? • Human • Information about meaning • Semantic information
- 62. Take a word like “walks” /wɔːks/ Phonetic (phonological) information Verb Grammatical (syntactic) information Semantic information?
- 63. Walks (Semantic information) • Movement • Using legs • One step at a time • One foot on the ground at all times • Not jumping off the ground
- 64. Meaning of “walks” Movement Using legs One foot on the ground at all times Not jumping off the ground Etc.
- 65. Meaning Frame Movement Using legs One foot on the ground at all times Not jumping off the ground Etc.
- 66. It’s like a window frame Movement Using legs One foot on the ground at all times Not jumping off the ground Etc.
- 67. “Walks” Meaning Frame Movement Using legs One foot on the ground at all times Not jumping off the ground Etc.
- 69. “Walks” Meaning Frame All the meaning of “walks” is contained in this frame
- 70. Imagine all the Meaning in this Frame
- 71. But there’s something else
- 72. Some person or thing that walks walker x
- 73. A simple verb frame walker x
- 74. Are all verb meanings the same?
- 76. All the meaning of “kicks”? hit against something use foot
- 77. “kicks” frame hit against something use foot
- 78. But there’s something else hit against something use foot
- 79. A person or thing who kicks Kicker x
- 80. A person or thing that gets kicked Kicker x Kicked y
- 84. “buy” frame
- 85. “buy” frame Use money Receive something you want
- 87. “sleep” frame
- 88. What’s in the “sleep” frame?
- 89. What’s in the “sleep” frame? Eyes closed In bed or comfortable place Not walking around Not conscious
- 91. Person, thing, or animal that sleeps Sleeper x
- 92. How about the “give” frame?
- 93. How about the “give” frame? Moves from one to another Possessed by one individual Received by another Do not receive money etc
- 94. But what else? Moves from one to another Possessed by one individual Received by another Do not receive money etc
- 95. But what else?
- 96. But what else? An individual that gives An individual that receives A thing that is given
- 97. But what else? Giver x Receiver y Given z
- 98. Someone who gives, a receiver, and a thing that is given Giver x Receiver y Given z
- 99. ”write” frame
- 100. ”write” frame Use a pen, word processor or other tool Put words on paper or a screen etc Create words or sentences, not drawing
- 101. ”write” frame: what else? Writer x Written y