Transcript Semantics: The meanings of language

Semantics:
The meanings of language
Deny A. Kwary
http://www.kwary.net
Airlangga University
Lexical Semantics


Semantic properties: The components of
meaning of a word.
Semantic feature: A notational device for
expressing the presence or absence of semantic
properties by pluses and minuses.
E.g. baby is [+ young], [+ human], [– abstract].
Example
(a) widow, mother, sister, aunt, maid
(b) widower, father, brother, uncle, valet
 The
(a) and (b) words are “human”
 The (a) words are “female”
 The (b) words are “male”
Exercise # 1, A- D, pp. 222-223
A. The (a) and (b) words are “male”
The (a) words are “human”
The (b) words are “animal”
B. The (a) words are [+ count]
The (b) words are [ - count]
C. The (a) words are “concrete”
The (b) words are “abstract”
D. The (a) and (b) words are “plant”
The (a) words are “tree”
The (b) words are “flower”
Lexical Relations (1)
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Homophone: Different words pronounced the
same but spelled differently, e.g. two and too.
Homograph: Different words spelled the same but
pronounced differently, e.g. minute and minute.
Homonym: A word which has two or more
unrelated meanings, e.g. club: ‘a social organization’
; ‘a blunt weapon’.
Polisemy: A word which has two or more related
meanings, e.g. bright: ‘shining’ ; ‘intelligent’
Lexical Relations (2)


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Hyponym: Words whose meanings are specific
instances of a more general word, e.g. isosceles and
equilateral are hyponyms of the word triangle.
Metonym: A word substituted for another word
with which it is closely associated, e.g. diamond for
a baseball field.
Retronym: An expression that would once have
been redundant, but which societal or
technoligical changes have made nonredundant,
e.g. silent movies  movies  silent movies
Exercise #4A, Page 224
Lexical Relations (3)
Synonym or Antonym
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Flourish – thrive
Intelligent – stupid
Casual – informal
Flog – whip
Drunk – sober
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
synonym
antonym
synonym
synonym
antonym
Semantic Ambiguity
 An
utterance
which has more
than one meaning
Exercise #2 a-d, pp. 223-224
Exercise #3 a-b, p.224