The Semantics of Emotions

1. The Semantics of Emotions PS R.Hickey “Language and Culture” Florian Peter Grundstudium LN

2. The Semantics of Emotions • Introduction • Theories of the emotions • Comparison between some English emotions • “Happiness” in an European perspective • Culture- related emotions

3. Semantics of Emotions- Introduction • a field of semantics • emotions and colours as well highlight and sharpen the theoretical and methodological conflicts in semantics • ==> they illustrate how the study of linguistic semantics is influenced by other human science disciplines • e.g.. psychology, anthropology, semantics

4. Introduction • Why should we study semantics of emotions? • Emotions are a subject in which nearly everybody is interested in • ==> 1. interested in our own feelings • ==> 2. interested in the feelings of others

5. Introduction • in the last decade, there has been much controversial discussion about: • the nature of emotions • the meaning of emotions • ==> human science disciplines which deal with such questions are: • anthropology, psychology, semantics

6. W. Jamesian “Physicalism” • Founder of the “Physicalist Theory of Emotion” • he asked himself the question if emotions are essentially physical in nature • fear for example depend on • 1. bodily symptoms like trembling, excitement • 2. our awareness of them • ==> when we fear sth. we can also see it on our body

7. But, there are some emotions, as happiness which do not have any prototypical body signs • even so, there are some basic emotions like anger, fear, surprise, sadness, joy which all have typical body signs • other emotions are declared as amalgams: • delight= joy+ surprise

8. Proponents of this theory say that each feeling can be seen in the mimic of people (facial expressions) • these facial expressions match up all over the world • across language and culture barriers • But, psychologists and anthropologists found out, that there is much diversity and variation • Briggs Inuit, Lutz Ifauk, Rosaldo Hongot

9. two main rivals in the basic emotion theory • cognitive approach / social constructivism • first one depends on mental processes • ex. proud = there is a good reason for people to think well of one • ex. angry = on has been wronged and feeling an urge to retaliate

10. second one takes emphasis on the cultural aspect • therefore emotions are shaped by social judgements, cultural values etc. • in connection to that Geerts(1975) says that “emotions are cultural artifacts”

11. to tackle emotions across language and culture barriers, one cannot use complex, specific terms • terms are not universal • Ifaluk for example have no word for anger • What do we have to do now? • ==> we have to find words which have a counterpart, like to think, to feel, good, bad....

12. Linguists are not really interested if the emotion are real, • but as semantics is the study of meaning, • it is about “the meaning of the words by which people discuss and describe emotions”

13. Iordanskajas’s work on emotions • important points she highlighted: • firstly: emotion terms of different cultures really do not match up • secondly: the task of linguists is about analysing the meaning in such a clear way so that a cultural outsider is able to understand it

14. Definition of an emotion term should have two components • internal description of the emotional state (good feeling/ bad feeling; active/ passive) • reason for its occurrence • she classified Russian emotions into six groups • joy, anger, grief, fear, hope, surprise,

15. main features for this division is the experiencer’s assessment • if s.o. likes or dislikes the event • if s.o. wants do to anything in relation to the event

16. Wierzbicka on emotion concepts • founder of the prototypical scenario • inspired by the author Tolstroy who wrote Anna Karenina, • a book which describes a wide range of possible scenarios and linked to that a wide range of emotions

17. It is important to note, that emotions differ due to subjective reasons for its occurrence • Moreover it is important that one can feel sth. without knowing the cause • sth good is happening now • not everybody feels joy, but when s.o. feels joy s.th. good happened

18. Comparison between some English emotions • Differences between happy, joyful and pleased depend on the use of it • happy= self oriented or personal • x feels happy/ s.th. good has happened to me/ i wanted this/ i don’t want other things now • so beside self oriented it is past perfective and also implies further desires • ex.:Are you thinking of applying for atransfer? No I am quite happy where I am

19. joy= could apply to other people/ not self oriented/ has also a present perspective • x feels joy/ s.th. very good is happening now/ I want this • ex.: To his mother’s joy, he won the first price

20. Difference between sad and unhappy • sad: contains components like resignation and acceptance • ex.: “If my cat dies, I will be sad not unhappy!” • unhappy: suggests a more active frame of mind/ an unaccepting, active response • ex.: “I am unhappy about it” ==> could imply that s.o. intends to do s.th. about it (like changing the situation)

21. Happiness in an European perspective • happy is a common and everyday word in English • joy is more stylistically marked • but in other European languages words with a meaning close to joy are used more often • ex.: in German “sich freuen” and “Freude” are used on a daily basis

22. In contrast “glücklich” and “Glück” are not used on a daily basis • beside the difference in frequency, it is important to note that there is only a rough meaning correspondence between “glücklich and happy”

23. happy: a less intense emotion than “glücklich” • German “Glück”: leaving no room for any further wishes or desires • happy has a more limited character • ex.: I am happy with this answer ---> “glücklich” does not fit in here • so one has to use less intense words; in this case words like “zufrieden”

24. Culture-related emotions • emotion terms are culture related • every culture has a folk psychology • in connection to that emotion terms are directly related to the values and priorities of a culture

25. Japanese amae • Takeo Doi: “[Amae] is a key concept for the understanding not only of the psychological makeup of the individual Japanese but of the structure of Japanese society as a whole.” • it is hard for the Japanese to believe that there no word in English for amae ==>”Why, even a puppy does it” (=colleague of Doi)

26. Amae is a good feeling • something like “to presume upon another’s love” and “to take advantage of another’s kindness” • indicates that there is someone powerful and well intentioned (x can do things for me/ x wants to do good things) • and because of this you are completely protected (nothing bad can happen to me)

27. Moreover you do not have to do anything ==> it is the responsibility of X to do s.th. • Amae can exist in adult relationships like husband and wife, doctor and patient, but also in other relationships like mother and child

28. Thank you for paying attention