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Understanding Semantics: Meaning, Language, and Communication Dynamics

This chapter explores the intricacies of semantics, detailing how meaning is constructed in language. It examines concepts like truth conditions, entailment, and lexical semantics, illustrating how words and meanings intersect. The text delves into various linguistic phenomena such as polysemy, ambiguity, and the principle of compositionality. Additionally, it addresses pragmatic elements like conversational maxims, urging clarity and relevance in communication. The chapter highlights the complexities of sentence meaning, providing examples and exercises to enhance understanding.

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Understanding Semantics: Meaning, Language, and Communication Dynamics

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  1. Chapter 6: Semantics What I meant to say was…

  2. It all depends… Band practice… My house 6 to 8 Band practice… My house 6 to 8 Band practice… My house 6 to 8 Band practice… My house 6 to 8 Thanks for the reminder Thanks for the reminder Thanks for the warning Thanks for the reminder

  3. Systematicness of Language Phonology Syntax Lexis Predictable Unpredictable

  4. Rose Flower Love Color Positive outlook Rose Rise +pst Woke up [os ] … [os ] Polysemy Homophony Entailment Words & Meanings

  5. Truth • Sentences may be True or False • Paraphrase: • Two sentences: the same truth conditions • Entailment • JFK was assassinated  __________ • Contradictions • *(?)The queen is a man

  6. Lexical Semantics • Property Distinctions • Blue vs. Green • Cup vs. Mug • Others…? • Property Inclusions • Pine, Oak, Maple, Chestnut, Palmetto… • Cat, Lion, Tiger, Panther… • Others…?

  7. woman + female + human - young … student + + - stalk + motion + slow + purposeful - pleasant _________ + + - Semantic Features

  8. Count dog flower deer Non-Count (Mass) bread beauty venison Count vs. Non-count • goose • egg Not in text…

  9. Nose Hana (Japanese) Naz(Russian) Fuzzy Concepts (Lexical Semantics) Ice Rain

  10. Principle of Compositionality The meaning of a sentence comes (mostly) from its constituents and the way they are positioned.

  11. Ambiguity • The man saw the fish with binoculars.

  12. Tree Structure (Constituent Structure)

  13. Thematic Roles (Phrasal Semantics) • Verb-Centered • Agent  one doing the action • Theme (patient)  one receiving the action • Experiencer  one who perceives • Humpty-Dumpty sat on a wall. • Bo Peep pushed Humpty off the wall • Miss Muffet heard Humpty shatter

  14. Themes in other lanaguages • Apache • *My horse kicked me • I allowed myself to be kicked by my horse • German • In diesem Hotel sind Hunde verboten • In this hotel are dogs forbidden • * This hotel forbids dogs

  15. Meanings & Non- • Anomaly • My brother is an only child… • Colorless green ideas… • Metaphor • Walls have ears… • My new car is a lemon… • Idiom • Eat crow… • Bite your tongue

  16. Pragmatics • What’s the message? • My wife in the car while we’re driving… • “I’m getting cold…” • Me sitting making these slides… • “Honey, do we have any fruit…?”

  17. Miscellany • Deictics • Discourse • New • Old • Topic

  18. Maxims of Conversation • Relevance • Be relevant • Quantity • Be as informative as required… • Quality • Truthful, Supportable claims • Manner • Brief, orderly • Not ambiguous nor obscure

  19. Exercises • 1 – 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 14 • Enough of each to get the point • 5, 8, 9, 12, 13, 15 – 17 • Do ‘em all

  20. Tomorrow • Read Chapter 7 • Historical Linguistics • We will skim the surface… • Coming soon to a theater near you: • Chapter 11: 1st Language Acquisition • Chapter 12: 2nd Language Acquisition • Chapter 15: Sociolinguistics

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