1. Semantics:
Meaning of
Language
Dr. Jessie Grace U Rubrico
PBET 1101 TESL Program
Faculty of Education
University of Malay
2. SEMANTICS
lexical semantics – word meaning
and relationships
words – containers of meaning
phrasal/sentential semantics-
meaning of syntactic units larger
than words
Linguistics for language teachers/Dr. Jessie Grace U. Rubrico
3. Conceptual and Associative
conceptual : denotation
equate meaning of word to the
thing/entity it refers (referent)
associative : connotation
set of associations a word’s use can
evoke
4. Lexical relations
m
synonymy- e
antonymy t
a
polysemy
p
h homophony
metonymy o
r collocation
5. Synonymy
conceal - hide
reply –answer
No absolute synonyms
Answer the phone.
Reply to the phone.
Linguistics for language teachers/Dr. Jessie Grace U. Rubrico
6. antonymy
gradable antonyms
set of words in a continuum-
> tiny-small-medium-large-huge
negative does not imply opposite
> my car is not old ≠ my car is new
7. antonymy
non-gradable: complementary pairs
> single – married; true – false
negation of one implies the other
reversives
enter- exit lengthen – shorten
pack – unpack come–go
8. Hyponomy – inclusion
SUPERORDINATE/ COLOR
HYPERNYM
BLUE GREEN YELLOW PURPLE
HYPONYMS
Linguistics for language teachers/Dr. Jessie Grace U. Rubrico
9. animals
bird dog human
hawk sparrow fowl
quail turkey chicken
Linguistics for language teachers/Dr. Jessie Grace U. Rubrico
10. homophony
homophones
> different form, same pronunciation
bear – bare meat- meet
to-too-two right – write
11. homonyms/homographs
one form, different meanings
light not heavy
illumination
bank financial institution
small cliff at the river edge
pen writing instrument
cage
race contest
ethnic group
Linguistics for language teachers/Dr. Jessie Grace U. Rubrico
12. polysemy
one form, multiple related meaning
head – part of the body;
top man in a company
foot – of a person, of a bed, of a mountain
date – point in time
arranged meeting/social meeting
a person one goes out with
Linguistics for language teachers/Dr. Jessie Grace U. Rubrico
13. metonymy
whole-part relation
car/wheels; house/roof
container – content relation
bottle/wine; can/juice
representative – symbol relation
-the Palace announced
-answering the door
Linguistics for language teachers/Dr. Jessie Grace U. Rubrico
14. metaphor
understanding the concept in terms of another
extension beyond the primary sense
eye of the needle; see the point
buying time; budget time; spend time
borrowed time
peak of health
fell into depression
Linguistics for language teachers/Dr. Jessie Grace U. Rubrico
16. Semantic Features
a. The table listens to the radio.
b. The hamburger eats the boy.
c. The horse reads the newspaper.
Syntax: well-formed
Semantics - odd
Linguistics for language teachers/Dr. Jessie Grace U. Rubrico
17. Semantic features : ±
table horse boy man girl woman
animat - + + + + +
e
human
female
adult
Linguistics for language teachers/Dr. Jessie Grace U. Rubrico
18. Semantic Roles or Thematic Roles
roles of NPs in a sentence
a. The boy kicked the ball
doer V entity affected
by the action
1 2
Agent theme/patient
thematic roles: Agent, Patient
Linguistics for language teachers/Dr. Jessie Grace U. Rubrico
19. Semantic Roles or Thematic Roles
b. The boy hurt himself
Agent theme
c. Johnny cut the rope
Agent theme/patient
1 2
with a knife.
instrument
3
20. Semantic Roles or Thematic Roles
d. The boy feels sad
experiencer : one who sees, knows or
4 enjoys something
e. Mary saw a fly on the wall
experiencer theme location
5
location - the place of action
21. Semantic Roles or Thematic Roles
f. Mary borrowed a book from George
Agent theme source
6
- starting point
of movement
g. She returned the book to George.
goal
7
- end point
of movement
Linguistics for language teachers/Dr. Jessie Grace U. Rubrico
22. References
O'Grady, William D., Archibald, John,
[eds.] (2009). Contemporary Linguistic
Analysis: An Introduction, 6th edition.
Ontario: Pearson Education Canada.
Yule
G. 2006. The study of language.
Cambridge: CUP.
