Theories of Meaning

1. Theories of Meaning Approaches to semantics

2. 04.06.2008 Nadine Schuchmann, Franziska Beeck, Kathrin R�wer und Inga Sch�rmann 21/8 Content Different Requests a Theory has to Grant Semantic Metatheory Fundamental Approaches to Meaning Meaning and Reference Meaning in Different Cultures/Metalanguage Dictionary Entries Related Meanings of Different Lexical Units Different Meanings of the Same Lexical Unit

3. 04.06.2008 Nadine Schuchmann, Franziska Beeck, Kathrin R�wer und Inga Sch�rmann 31/8 Different Requests a Theory has to Grant (Katz/Fodor) Projection problem Settings the right readings of a sentence (abstract form) setting disambiguates the sentence still ambiguous despite of the setting special setting ? no connection ? no sense two kinds of realization of the abstract form setting has to represent all speakers know about the world ? complete kind of theory ? impossible written or spoken discourse

4. 04.06.2008 Nadine Schuchmann, Franziska Beeck, Kathrin R�wer und Inga Sch�rmann 41/8 Semantic Metatheory (Katz/Fodor) must represent semantic universals must provide criteria for evaluating theories and establish the adequacy of such criteria exhibit relations between semantics and other areas

5. 04.06.2008 Nadine Schuchmann, Franziska Beeck, Kathrin R�wer und Inga Sch�rmann 51/8 Fundamental Approaches to Meaning Extensionalists / Intensionalists (Ullmann) Conceptional Semantics / Cognitive Semantics (Jackendoff) Radical Semantics / Radical Pragmatics (Wierzbicka)

6. 04.06.2008 Nadine Schuchmann, Franziska Beeck, Kathrin R�wer und Inga Sch�rmann 61/8 Meaning and Reference reference (�the relation between a particular form and its specific reference�) meaning (�the structural cluster of semantic components which make possible a number of different instances of reference�) (Ullmann) ? cp. Cognitive Linguistics (Jackendoff) ? fluent speaker interprets lexical items automatically (Katz/Fodor, Wierzbicka)

7. 04.06.2008 Nadine Schuchmann, Franziska Beeck, Kathrin R�wer und Inga Sch�rmann 71/8 Meaning in Different Cultures/ Metalanguage (Wierzbicka) Meaning is language-specific Metalanguage language-independet culture-independent

8. 04.06.2008 Nadine Schuchmann, Franziska Beeck, Kathrin R�wer und Inga Sch�rmann 81/8 Dictionary Entries (Katz/Fodor) different elements grammatical markers (enclosed) semantic markers (enclosed in parentheses) distinguishers (expressions enclosed in brackets) Bachelor Noun Human Animal Male (who has the first Male or lowest academic (who has degree) Young never Young married) (Knight serving under the (fur seal when Standard of another king) without a mate during the breeding time)

9. 04.06.2008 Nadine Schuchmann, Franziska Beeck, Kathrin R�wer und Inga Sch�rmann 91/8 Related Meanings of Different Lexical Units (Ullmann) contiguity inclusion overlapping complementation

10. 04.06.2008 Nadine Schuchmann, Franziska Beeck, Kathrin R�wer und Inga Sch�rmann 101/8 Different Meanings of the Same Lexical Unit (Jackendoff & Ullmann) Homonomy Polysemy

11. 04.06.2008 Nadine Schuchmann, Franziska Beeck, Kathrin R�wer und Inga Sch�rmann 111/8 Meaning of Cardinal (Jackendoff) 1. principal ? 2. church official ? 3. colour ? 4. bird

12. 04.06.2008 Nadine Schuchmann, Franziska Beeck, Kathrin R�wer und Inga Sch�rmann 121/8 Conclusion It is hardly possible to design a semantic theory which corresponds to all languages

13. 04.06.2008 Nadine Schuchmann, Franziska Beeck, Kathrin R�wer und Inga Sch�rmann 131/8 Bibliography Katz, Jerrold J., J. A. Fodor. 1963. The structure of a semantic theory. Language 39:170-210. Jackendoff, Ray. 1996. Conceptual semantics and cognitive semantics. Cognitive Linguistics 7:93-129. Ullmann, Stephen. 1976. �Structural and componential approaches to semantics�. Semiotica 17(2):181-190. Wierzbicka, A. 1987. Boys will be boys: �radical semantics� vs. �radical pragmatics�. Language 63:95-114.

14. 04.06.2008 Nadine Schuchmann, Franziska Beeck, Kathrin R�wer und Inga Sch�rmann 141/8 Abstract �Theories of Meaning � Approaches to Semantics� In our presentation �Theories of Meaning � Approaches to Semantics� we give an overview of how to approach semantics. Meaning in language is something we are confronted with every day. Without meaning we would not be able to communicate. So how is meaning produced and how do we know about the meaning of words, sentences etc.? We compare four texts of different authors, written in different times, and pick out the most important points of each of them to give you an introduction to some theories of meaning. We start with different requests a theory has to grant when it claims to be a theory. This will help you to understand the general meaning of a theory. In this context we will talk about a semantic metatheory to give you an insight on how a metatheory would work if it was possible to develop one. After this we will show you some fundamental approaches to meaning and also explain the difference between meaning and reference. In this context it is also very interesting to look at meaning in different cultures and to consider the possibility to develop a metalanguage. Furthermore we will present you the importance of dictionary entries which is especially relevant for non-native speakers. You will understand in this context that it is hard to develop a comprehensible dictionary entry because there are many words which cause problems. We will introduce two of these problem cases and explain related meanings of different lexical units and different meanings of the same lexical unit. It is our main concern to provide you an insight into different theories of meaning even though it is very hard if not impossible to find one theory which fits every language.