Semantics is the systematic study of meaning in language. This lesson introduces the scope of semantics and distinguishes it from other areas that study language and signs.
Semantics investigates what linguistic expressions mean and how their meanings arise. It studies meaning at several levels, from morphemes and words to clauses, sentences, and texts. It is generally descriptive: it aims to explain how people associate meanings with expressions rather than prescribe what meanings they should assign.
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What is the difference between sense and reference?
Reference is the object an expression points to; sense is the way the expression presents that object.
What distinguishes public meaning from speaker meaning?
Public meaning is conventional and shared among language users; speaker meaning is what an individual intends or has in mind.
What does the use theory of meaning propose?
An expression's meaning is given by how it is used within language practices and social conventions.
What is possible-world semantics?
An approach that evaluates meanings by considering possible worlds in which statements may be true.
What is polysemy?
A word's having several related meanings, such as “head” referring to a body part or an organization leader.
Quiz questions
What is the principle of compositionality?Answer: A complex expression's meaning depends on its parts and how they are combined.
Which lexical relation describes “wheel” in relation to “car”?Answer: Meronymy: the wheel is a part of the car.
Which approach uses logic and mathematics to represent meaning precisely?Answer: Formal semantics.
In logic, what does semantic entailment mean?Answer: Every interpretation making the premises true also makes the conclusion true.
Based on the Wikipedia article Semantics, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.