The Types of Meaning
Semantics is the study of meaning; it concerns itself specifically with logical and conceptual meaning. Specificity is necessary in this case, as the search for meaning has been the remit of various fields of research and study for centuries - each defining “meaning” according to their own needs. Whilst it is difficult to justify such a demarcation it is nonetheless necessary, to separate the fields of “real world” knowledge from meaning in language itself. Broadening the definition of meaning too widely, as Leech accuses Bloomfield of, would result in a vast area of knowledge impossible to pierce in any systematic manner (qtd. In Bloomfeld 9). Thus, Leech concerns himself primarily with the science of language, that is, the way in which words and sentences work to together in order to relate to the real world actions, objects and processes. He seeks then to break this still, very broad definition into manageable parts recognizing seven different types of meaning which work together to allow effective communication through language. The first, and of primary importance is conceptual meaning. The other five falling under the banner of associative meanings, are connotative meaning, social meaning, affective meaning, reflected meaning and collocative meaning. With the last being thematic meaning.
Conceptual meaning is widely considered to be a basic building block of all linguistic communication. Leech considers it to prove necessary in almost all forms of language based communication (10). It provides the complex organization which mirrors the order apparent in the other key areas of language, phonology i.e. sound and, syntax concerning grammar and the construction of sentences. In particular the principle of...
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...red by Leech, though he states that it would be very possible to add many more types. In addition, the lines which distinguish between the seven types of meaning can often blur. For example, there might be arguments about whether the differences in a sentence arise due to conceptual or connotative meaning.
“He put the box under the bed.”
“He placed the box under the bed.”
Some might point to the difference being solely stylistic, with the latter being more formal than the former thus being concerned with connotation. Whilst you might argue that the concept of putting and placing an item differ in terms of preciseness and care. In such cases, it might be easier to assume that the difference in meaning occurs on more than one of these planes and that they often overlap.
Works Cited
Leech, Geoffery. Semantics the Study of Meaning. Penguin Books. 1983. Print.
First, a brief background in the three dimensions of language discussed throughout this paper. The functional, semantic, or thematic dimensions of language as previously mentioned are often used in parallel with each other. Due, to this fact it is important to be able to identify them as they take place and differentiate between these dimensions i...
Fromm, Erich. “The Nature of Symbolic Language.” Class Handout: English 101. Cerro Coso Community College, 2010. 121-26. Print.
In the field of Modern Languages and Linguistics, words are of great importance. A language’s phonology (study of how sounds are organized and used), morphology (study of the form and structure of words), syntax (study of the rules that govern sentence structure), semantics (study of meaning of words, sentences, and expressions), pragmatics (study of aspects of meaning and language use and context), and phonetics (study of human speech sounds) all play an important part in everyday life. These have a major impact in understanding the intent of what is spoken or heard. Due to the importance of communication, literary elements such as metaphors (which are defined as a figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea that is used in place of another to suggest a likeness between them), takes on greater cultural significance. This is especially true of the Spanish language.
In the book Metaphors We Live By, authors George Lakoff and Mark Johnson address the traditional philosophic view denouncing metaphor's influence on our world and our selves (ix). Using linguistic and sociological evidence, Lakoff and Johnson claim that figurative language performs essential functions beyond those found in poetry, cliché, and elaborate turns of phrase. Metaphor permeates our daily experiences - not only through systems of language, but also in terms of the way we think and act. The key to understanding a metaphor's effect on behavior, relationships, and how we make sense of our environment, can be found in the way humans use metaphorical language. To appreciate the affects of figurative language over even the most mundane details of our daily activity, it is necessary to define the term, "metaphor" and explain its role in defining the thoughts and actions that structure our conceptual system.
The theory of descriptions is Russell's solution to the problem's caused by the interpretation of denoting phrases.
Paying attention to the connotative meaning of words means that when writing a paper or any kind of message you have to be careful to use/not use words that have their deffinition along with a different meaning. There are negative and positive connotative meanings and you should always be careful that you are getting the correct meaning across.
Language, according to Owens (2012, p. 6), “can be defined as a socially shared code or conventional system for representing concepts through the use of arbitrary symbols and rule-governed combinations of those symbols”. Language is thought to be a complex system; however, it can be broken down into three different components. These three components consist of content, form, and use. Within these three components, language has five main components which includes semantics, morphology, phonology, syntax, and pragmatics (Owens, 2012, p. 18).
While different words may mean virtually the same thing in general terms, the intricate nuances of meaning and imagery associated with specific words goes far beyond generic lexical definitions. Connotative meanings contain the real power to evoke identification and emotional response in the reader. Owen's revisions to "Strange Meeting" show his desire to achieve the best synergy between lexical meaning and connotative imagery.
Linguistic knowledge mainly consists of four parts, and they are Phonology, Morphology, Syntax and Pragmatics. Phonology forms systems and patterns, which allows speakers to produce sounds in order to make meaningful sentence. For example, nt always appears in the middle or at the end of the words but not at the beginning. Morphology studies how words are formed as well as their relationship to other words in the language you know, which allows you to know the internal structure and the category of the word. For example, “undesirability” has four morphemes: un + desire + able + ity. Syntax refers to rules that are used to form a sentence. We have some fixed rules to determine the structure of a sentence such as “S+V+O”. In order to attain the certain effect, however, the sentence structure can change. For example, “I cannot do this thing” can be changed into “Do this thing I cannot” to emphasis the degree of rejection by the word “cannot”. Pragmatics mainly concerned with the use of language in social contexts. For example, “Turn left and you will find the post
The choice of a signifier is nowhere near arbitrary; words may not have transcendental meaning, but they certainly relate to each other within a given linguistic structure - a language, a dialect, or even a piece of fiction. One interesting way to explore the mystery of the signifier is through constructs like metaphor and metonymy. These work within a text, simultaneously concealing and betraying meaning. Metaphor an...
Semantics can be defined as the study of "meaning" of lexical words and expressions independently of context. Where pragmatics is the process of recognising the "invisible meaning" of lexical items and expressions; taking into account the speaker's/ addressee's intention, the status of hearer/ receiver and the actual situation.
There are many types of polysemy, some of which view the polysemous word as having primary meaning and secondary meaning, i.e. the meaning which a word refers to in the external world and what it refers to in the second understanding of the word. Other types of polysemy can be dealt with lexically, i.e. these types view the literal meaning and the figurative meaning of the polysemous word. Accordingly, there is referential polysemy, and lexical polysemy which is subdivided into linear polysemy and subsuming polysemy.
Language is a means of human communication whether verbally or nonverbally. In everyday life we use language to express our thoughts, feelings ,attitudes,etc.A great amount of social interactions takes place every day over the telephone ,by online chats, face –to face interaction or at workplaces .We use language of different forms for different functions as in to inform, question , and sometimes to strengthen social relationships or just to keep the social wheels turning smoothly. Moreover, understanding one's own language and even other cultures’ language is important to arrive at a successful and effective communication with others . The study of language can be undertaken in various ways .Semantics and pragmatics are two branches of linguistics which are concerned with the study of meaning.
Syntax is the study of how words are combined to create phrases and causes in the sentences of a specific language (Freeman and Freeman, 2014). Syntax helps us to make clear sentences that “sound right,” where words, phrases, and clauses each serve their function and are correctly ordered to form and communicate a complete sentence with meaning. The rules of syntax combine words into phrases and phrases into sentences. Not only does it focus on the correct word order for a language, but it also helps show the relationship between the meaning of a group of words. Without proper syntax, a sentence can be meaningless. It is key to understand that while every language does have certain syntax, the syntax does vary from language to language. It