Meaning. Its Essence and Structure

 

Key words: semantics, meaning, denotation, connotation, referent, extension, concept, intension, implication, meaning postulates, semantic components: markers and distinguishers, categorial and subcategorial features.

Look up these terms in the glossary or in the sources indicated in the bibliography to the glossary. Compare the definitions given in English and in Russian.

 

 

Problems for Discussion

 

1. Semantic theories: various semantic models.

2. Interpretations of word meaning:

а) a referential approach;

b) a contextual (functional) approach;

c) a behaviouristic approach;

d) a cognitive approach (prototype theory);

e) a generative approach;

f) a semantic differentiation theory.

3. Types of meaning:

a) lexical vs. grammatical;

b) conceptual (denotative, cognitive) vs. connotative (pragmatic, associative);

c) affective vs. stylistic;

d) intended vs. interpreted, etc.

4. Meaning as structure:

a) meaning as a set of meaning postulates;

b) meaning as a set of semantic components;

c) meaning as a set of prototypical features;

d) meaning as a unity of pragmatic and cognitive elements (extension, intension, implication, negative implication).

5. Meanings of correlative words in different languages (a contrastive description).

 

 

Questions and Tasks

 

1. Define the aspects of the word that make it possible to describe its meaning in various ways. Try to establish a correlation between the aspect of the word chosen for description and a semantic theory.

2. Say on what grounds each of the semantic models can be criticized.

3. Define the major points of difference between the referential and the contextual approaches to word meaning.

4. Compare the relationships between the form of the word and its referent, on the one hand, and meaning of the word and its referent, on the other. Say which of the relationships is arbitrary and which is causal. Try to find linguistic examples to prove your point.

5. Compare the referential approach to word meaning and the cognitive semantic model, the behaviouristic approach to word meaning and the semantic differentiation theory and state whether they possess any features in common and what differentiates them.

6. Say which semantic model is best suited, in your opinion, to learners’ purposes. What semantic theories are EFL teaching methods based on?

7. Compare the following word forms and say on what ground they can be classified into sets and subsets: telephones, desks, paintings, curtains, men, books, students; asked, reflected, smiled, smoked, told, wished, brought; happiest, bravest, best, most interesting; smell, scent, odour, aroma; intelligent, clever, alert, quick-witted, bright, smart, brainy, sharp, shrewd, canny; goal, jail, clink, trunk, jug, can, cooler; head, nob, nut, bean, upper storey, belfry, crumpet.

8. Describe the meaning of the words writer, student, water, salt, cow, bull, mare, stallion in terms of semantic components.

9. Study the meanings of words bird, heron, sparrow, swallow and name the constituent prototypical features.

10. Study the meanings of correlative English and Belarusian (Russian, German, French, etc.) words red – чырвоны (R красный, G rot …), dog – сaбака (R собака, G Hund …), make – рабiць (R делать, G machen …) and state whether their spheres of denotation are identical. Find your own examples of analogous semantic relationships in correlative words.

 

 

Recommended Reading

Obligatory

Арнольд, И.В. Лексикология современного английского языка / И.В. Арнольд; на англ. яз. – 3-е изд. – М.: Высш. шк., 1986. – C. 27 – 50.

Лексикология английского языка / Р.З. Гинзбург [и др.]; на англ. яз. – 2-е изд., испр. и доп. – М.: Высш. шк., 1979. – C. 13–22.

Смирницкий, А.И. Лексикология английского языка / А.И. Смирницкий. – М.: Изд-во лит. на иностр. яз., 1956. С. 138 – 157.

Харитончик, З.А. Лексикология английского языка / З.А. Харитончик. – Минск: Вышэйш. шк., 1992. – С. 27 – 47.

Cruse, D.A. Lexical Semantics. A Contextual Approach to Lexical Semantics / D.A. Cruse // Тексты по лексической семантике: Хрестоматия по лексикологии английского языка / сост. С.А. Игнатова [и др.]. – Минск: МГЛУ, 1998. – С. 23 – 27.

Crystal, D. Linguistics. Major Themes in Linguistics. Semantics / D. Crystal // Тексты по лексической семантике: Хрестоматия по лексикологии английского языка / сост. С.А. Игнатова [и др.]. – Минск: МГЛУ, 1998. – С. 4–6.

Leech, G. Semantics. Seven Types of Meaning / G. Leech // Тексты по лексической семантике: Хрестоматия по лексикологии английского языка / сост. С.А. Игнатова [и др.]. – Минск: МГЛУ, 1998. – С. 28 – 41.

Nilsen, D.L.F. Semantic Theory: A Linguistic Perspective / D.L.F. Nilsen, A.P. Nilsen // Тексты по лексической семантике: Хрестоматия по лексикологии английского языка / сост. С.А. Игнатова [и др.]. – Минск: МГЛУ, 1998. – С. 6–22.

Ullmann, S. Language and Style / S. Ullmann // Английская лексикология в выдержках и извлечениях / C.С. Хидекель [и др.]. – Л.: Просвещение. Ленингр. oтд-ние, 1969. – C. 9 – 25.

Ullmann, S. Semantics. An Introduction to the Science of Meaning / S. Ullmann // Английская лексикология в выдержках и извлечениях / C.С. Хидекель [и др.]. – Л.: Просвещение. Ленингр. oтд-ние, 1969. – C. 26–34.

 

Optional

Беляeвская, Е.Г. Семантика слова / Е.Г. Беляевская. – М.: Высш. шк., 1987. – С. 4 – 55.

Никитин, М.В. Курс лингвистической семантики / М.В. Никитин. – СПб.: Науч. центр проблем диалога, 1996. – С. 3–202.

Allan, K. Linguistic Meaning / K. Allan. – London; N.Y.: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1986. – Vol. 1.

Palmer, F.L. Semantics: A New Outline / F.L. Palmer. – M.: Vysshaja Skola, 1982. – P. 23 – 33.