Slide semantic meeting 2

Semantics 1
Meeting 2


Section 2: Word Meaning
2.2 Componential analysis
Ex1.: boy

+ human
+ male
- adult

Ex2.: man

+ human
+ male
+ adult

Ex3. bachelor: + human

Ex4. spinster: + human

+ mature

+ mature

+ male

+ female

+ stay single

+ stay single

 Componential analysis is used for a group of related words which
may differ from one another only one or two semantic features


Section 2: Word Meaning
2.3 Semantic fields
Ex6.: rose

Ex5.: pen

lily

pencil
ruler

stationery

tulip

eraser

daisy

stickers

sunflower

paper

violet

flower

2.3.1 Definition
 “ The organization of related words and expressions into a system which shows
their relationship to one another”
[ Richards et al, 1987:53]


Section 2: Word Meaning
2.3.2

Ways of organizing semantically similar items into
semantic fields

(a) items related by topics
Ex8.: dog

Ex7.: pen
pencil

cat

red pen

pig

blue pen

bear

black pen

Types of pen

goat

correction pen

tiger

highlight pen

deer

Types of animal


Section 2: Word Meaning
2.3.2

Ways of organizing semantically similar items into
semantic fields

(b) items similar in meaning
Ex9.: stew

Ex10:

shout

boil

whisper

fry

mutter

steam

drawl

roast
grill
smoke

ways of cooking

holler

ways of talking


Section 2: Word Meaning
2.3.2

Ways of organizing semantically similar items into
semantic fields

(c) Terms describing people’s weight
Ex11: thin
bony
skinny
scrawny
underweight
emaciated
slender
slim

People’s weight


Section 2: Word Meaning
2.3.2

Ways of organizing semantically similar items into
semantic fields

(d) Items which form pairs of antonyms
Ex12:

long/short
light/heavy
alive/dead
love/hate
approve/disapprove

begin/end
Inside/outside
upstairs/downstairs

Pairs of antonyms


Section 2: Word Meaning
2.3.2

Ways of organizing semantically similar items into
semantic fields

(e) Items which form pairs or trios of synonyms
Ex13.:

smart/bright/intelligent
conserve/reserve/safeguard
fix/repair/mend
kind/short/type/variety
happy/glad

Pairs/trios of synonyms


Section 2: Word Meaning
2.3.2

Ways of organizing semantically similar items into
semantic fields

(f) Items grouped as an activity or a process
Ex14: clean the rooms

Ex15: make hypotheses

do the washing

collect data

iron the clothes

analyze data

get the food

get results

prepare a meal

come to conclusions

wash up
do the housework

do research


Section 2: Word Meaning
2.3.2

Ways of organizing semantically similar items into
semantic fields

(g) Items classified according to
Ex17: waitress

Ex16: waiter
tiger

tigress

actor

actress

host

hostess

landlord

landlady

sir

madam

male

female

sex


Section 2: Word Meaning
2.3.2

Ways of organizing semantically similar items into
semantic fields

(g) Items classified according to
Ex18: grown-ups
adults
elderly people
middle-aged people
teenagers
children
infants
babies

age


Section 2: Word Meaning
2.3.2

Ways of organizing semantically similar items into
semantic fields

(g) Items classified according to
Ex 20: dog

Ex19: cock
hen

bitch

chicken

puppy

chick

Age & Sex

dog


Exercise 4,P.24
2/

shirts

1/

amble

socks

limp

hats

tiptoe

coats

articles of clothing

plod

shorts

trudge

trousers

stomp

Ways of walking

stump
tramp
3/

long/short
forward(s) / backward(s)
in/out
beginning/end

lend/borrow

Items which form pairs of antonyms


Section 2: Word Meaning
2.4

Lexical gaps
Ex21:

stallion
mare
foal

billy -goat
horse

nanny-goat

bull
goat

kid

cow

???? lexical gap

calf

“ The absence of a word in a particular place in a lexical field of
a language” [ Richard et al, 1987]


Exercise 5,P.25-26

ram
ewe
lamb

male - giraffe
sheep

female-giraffe
baby-giraffe

giraffe


Section 2: Word Meaning
2.5

Referent, reference and sense

2.5.1
Ex22:

Referent
 real things?

school
classmate

can see?

teacher

can touch?

 An object or an entity in the real world or in the world of your
imagination that is talk about.
Ex23:

the
could
in
since

 real things?
 function words

can see?
can touch?

Notes: Function words have no referents

 not referents

Section 2: Word Meaning
2.5

Referent, reference and sense

2.5.2
Ex24:

Reference
Peter’s house
in the E language

Ex25:

Reference

hairdresser
in the E language

Reference

The house that belongs to Peter
in the real world
One who dresses or cuts hairs
in the real world

 The reference of a word is the relationship between that word
and the thing, the action, the event, the quality etc. it refers to.

Section 2: Word Meaning
2.5

Referent, reference and sense

2.5.3 Sense
Ex26: teacher
The one who gives a lesson.

student
The one who has the lesson
given by the former.

Ex27: A dog is chasing a cat.
A dog

chasing a cat

A dog is human.
A dog



human

Ex28: The King of Vietnam is bald.
The King of Vietnam
in the E language

NO REFERENCE

????????
in the real world

 The sense of a word is the internal relationship between that
word and others in the vocabulary of a language


Section 2: Word Meaning
2.5

Referent, reference and sense

2.5.4

Variable reference, constant reference and co-reference

Ex29: Teachers in Tay Do university

Ms. Bao Dung
Ms. Uyen
Ms. Hanh
Mr. Hai
etc.

Ex30: Presidents in Viet Nam  Uncle Ho
 Tran Duc Luong

 The same linguistic expression refers to different referents, it
has variable reference.

Section 2: Word Meaning
2.5

Referent, reference and sense

2.5.4

Variable reference, constant reference and co-reference

Ex31: The sun

 one referent

Ex32 The moon

 one referent

 One linguistic expression refers to one and the same referent, it
has constant reference.
Ex33 Lan is a monitor in class A
Lan = a monitor  the same referent
Ex34 Marry is the girl standing over there.
Marry = the girl standing overthere  the same referent

 Two or more linguistic expression shares the same referent, it
has co- reference.

Exercise 6, P.29
1. When Albert talks about “his former friend”, he means me. Reference
2. Daddy, what does logic mean?

Sense

3. Purchase has the same meaning as buy.

Sense

4. Look up the meaning of democracy in your dictionary.

Sense

5.If you look out of the window now, you’ll see who I mean.

Reference