INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
Semantics is the study of meaning. It focuses on
the relation between signifiers, like words,
phrases, signs, symbols, and
what they stand for, their denotation. Linguistic semantics is the study of meaning
that is used for understanding human expression through language.
Semantics is
the subfield that is devoted to the study of meaning, as inherent at the levels
of words, phrases, sentences, and larger units of discourse (termed texts, or narratives). The study of
semantics is also closely linked to the subjects of representation, reference
and denotation. The basic study of semantics is oriented to the examination of
the meaning of signs, and the
study of relations between different linguistic units and compounds.
In this paper,
the writers will examine about one of linguistic branches, namely semantics and
its relation study. The scope of this paper are categorized into 5 main points,
there are: semantics and linguistics, semantics and pragmatics, semantics and
semiotics, semiotics and language, and semantics and other disciplines.
1.2 Statement
of the problem
1.
What is
the relationship between semantics and linguistics?
2.
What is
the difference between semantics and pragmatics?
3.
What is
the difference between semantics and semiotics?
4. What is
the relationship between semiotics and language and also semantics and other disciplines?
1.3 Objectives
of the study
After learning this paper, readers are expected to be able to:
1.
Understand
the relationship between semantics and linguistics.
2.
Understand
the difference between semantics and pragmatics.
3. Understand the difference between semantics and
semiotics.
1.4 Significance
of the study
Hopefully,
by learning this paper students are able to differentiate semantics and
semiotics, and semantics and pragmatics Also, students are able to understand
the concept of semantics and its relation study in general. Moreover, we hope
this paper could help students in their language study.
DISCUSSION
2.1 Semantics
and Linguistics
In
linguistics branch, semantics can be referred to the meaning of words in
a language and the meaning within the sentence. Semantics considers the meaning
of the sentence without the context. The field of semantics focuses on three
basic things: the relations of words to the objects denoted by them, the
relations of words to the interpreters of them, and, in symbolic logic, the
formal relations of signs to one another (syntax). Semantics is just the
meaning that the grammar and vocabulary impart, it does not account for any
implied meaning. Semantics
is a sub discipline of linguistics which focuses on the study of meaning.
Semantics tries to understand what meaning is as an element of language and how
it is constructed by language as well as interpreted, obscured and negotiated
by speakers and listeners of language.
Semantics
looks at these relationships in language and looks at how these meanings are
created, which is an important part of understanding how language works as a
whole. Understanding how meaning occurs in language can inform other sub
disciplines such as language acquisitions, to help us to understand how
speakers acquire a sense of meaning, and sociolinguistics, as the achievement
of meaning in language is important in language in a social situation.
Semantics is also informed by other sub disciplines of linguistics, such as
morphology, as understanding the words themselves is integral to the study of
their meaning, and syntax, which researchers in semantics use extensively to
reveal how meaning is created in language, as how language is structured is
central to meaning.
Semantics plays
a crucial role in understanding how language works. Semantics has always been
at the heart of linguistic inquiry, even if it wasn't explicitly so. For
instance, Americanist anthropologists didn't officially do semantics.
Bloomfield notably opined that semantics was too poorly understood at the time
(1930's) to rely upon it for adequate description. Instead, he laid out a
program of focusing on phonology, morphology, and a bit of syntax--- a program
found in many reference grammars to this day.
In generative linguistics, semantics has come to have a very important role, both in studies of theory and of acquisition. Chomsky famously pointed out that the syntax and semantics were distinct, and they are still held to be two separate "modules" of the grammar. As Chomsky focused on the syntax, he set aside any issues of semantics.
Outside of generative linguistics, semantics plays a fundamental role in building syntactic structure. For instance, Relational Grammar is built off the notion that syntactic structures are derived from semantic (argument) relations. Cognitive linguistics relies heavily on semantics, notably lexical semantics, to draw links between language and other aspects of cognition. Functionalist theories vary a bit, but all of them involve the semantics directly in building structure. In Role and Reference Grammar, for instance, the syntax is mapped one-to-one with the semantic representation.
In generative linguistics, semantics has come to have a very important role, both in studies of theory and of acquisition. Chomsky famously pointed out that the syntax and semantics were distinct, and they are still held to be two separate "modules" of the grammar. As Chomsky focused on the syntax, he set aside any issues of semantics.
Outside of generative linguistics, semantics plays a fundamental role in building syntactic structure. For instance, Relational Grammar is built off the notion that syntactic structures are derived from semantic (argument) relations. Cognitive linguistics relies heavily on semantics, notably lexical semantics, to draw links between language and other aspects of cognition. Functionalist theories vary a bit, but all of them involve the semantics directly in building structure. In Role and Reference Grammar, for instance, the syntax is mapped one-to-one with the semantic representation.
Semantics
is the study of meaning, but what is meant by 'meaning'? Meaning can be
classified into some points.
1. Meaning =
Connotation?
Is meaning simply
the set of associations that a word evokes, is the meaning of a word defined by
the images that its users connect to it? So 'winter' might mean 'snow',
'sledging' and 'mulled wine'. But what about someone living in the Amazon?
Their 'winter' is still wet and hot, so its original meaning is lost.
Because the associations of a word don't always apply, it was decided that this
couldn't be the whole story.
2. Meaning =
Denotation?
It has also been
suggested that the meaning of a word is simply the entity in the World which
that word refers to. This makes perfect sense for proper nouns like 'New York'
and 'the Eiffel Tower', but there are lots of words like 'sing'
and 'altruism' that don't have a solid thing in the world that they are
connected to. So meaning cannot be entirely denotation either.
3. Meaning = Extension
and Intention
So meaning, in
semantics, is defined as being Extension: The
thing in the world that the word/phrase refers to, plus Intention: The
concepts/mental images that the word/phrase evokes
2.2 Semantics
and Pragmatics
Semantics is closely linked with
another sub discipline of linguistics, pragmatics, which is also,
broadly speaking, the study of meaning. However, unlike pragmatics, semantics
is a highly theoretical research perspective, and looks at meaning in language
in isolation, in the language itself, whereas pragmatics is a more practical
subject and is interested in meaning in language in use.
Pragmatics is the study of language from the point of view of usage. It has various sub-forms depending on the emphasis given by linguists, for instance it can be investigated from a strictly linguistic stance or with regard to social factors. Semantics and pragmatics are concerned with the meaning of phonetic, morphology, and syntax study the form of linguistic signs. It looks beyond the literal meaning of an utterance and considers how meaning is constructed as well as focusing on implied meanings. It considers language as an instrument of interaction, what people mean when they use language and how we communicate and understand each other.
2. 2. 1. Pragmatics and the context of meaning.
A linguist ( Jenny Thomas ) says that pragmatics considers:
1. The negotiation of meaning between speaker and listener.
2. The context of the utterance.
3. The meaning potential of an utterance.
Example of pragmatics sentence
Speaker: 'Are you putting the kettle on?'
Listener knows the speaker is hinting that they would like a hot drink.
Or
Pragmatics is the study of language from the point of view of usage. It has various sub-forms depending on the emphasis given by linguists, for instance it can be investigated from a strictly linguistic stance or with regard to social factors. Semantics and pragmatics are concerned with the meaning of phonetic, morphology, and syntax study the form of linguistic signs. It looks beyond the literal meaning of an utterance and considers how meaning is constructed as well as focusing on implied meanings. It considers language as an instrument of interaction, what people mean when they use language and how we communicate and understand each other.
2. 2. 1. Pragmatics and the context of meaning.
A linguist ( Jenny Thomas ) says that pragmatics considers:
1. The negotiation of meaning between speaker and listener.
2. The context of the utterance.
3. The meaning potential of an utterance.
Example of pragmatics sentence
Speaker: 'Are you putting the kettle on?'
Listener knows the speaker is hinting that they would like a hot drink.
Or
Speaker:
'What time do you call this?'
Listener interprets it as 'Why are you so late?' and knows it is not appropriate to reply with the literal time.
Pragmatics is studied to understand and explore conversational implicature and how meaning is constructed in interaction. This occurs when a sentence is ambiguous, for example: “Flying planes can be dangerous”.
Meaning One: Planes, that are flying, can be dangerous.
Meaning Two: Flying planes, as a pilot, can be dangerous.
This sentence is concluded to be lexically ambiguous.
Listener interprets it as 'Why are you so late?' and knows it is not appropriate to reply with the literal time.
Pragmatics is studied to understand and explore conversational implicature and how meaning is constructed in interaction. This occurs when a sentence is ambiguous, for example: “Flying planes can be dangerous”.
Meaning One: Planes, that are flying, can be dangerous.
Meaning Two: Flying planes, as a pilot, can be dangerous.
This sentence is concluded to be lexically ambiguous.
2.3 Semantics
and Semiotics
Semiotics is a study of signs and symbols, especially as elements
of language or other systems of
communication. In a
semiotic sense, signs take the forms of words, images, sounds, gestures and
objects. Signs
do not just 'convey' meanings, but constitute a medium in which meanings are constructed.
Semiotics helps us to realize that meaning is not passively absorbed but arises
only in the active process of interpretation.
"Not only are
words signs but also gestures, images, non-linguistic sounds like the chimes of
Big Ben. Obviously devices (such as flags) created by man in order to indicate
something are signs, but so are, in ordinary language, the thread of smoke that
reveals a fire……."
(Umberto Eco, Times Literary Supplement. 1973)
(Umberto Eco, Times Literary Supplement. 1973)
To understand the relation between semantics and semiotics in
communicating meaning, we must remember that both fields share a mutual
interest in the meaning of signs. John Sturrock (1979) emphasizes that whereas
semantics exclusively focuses on the denotative dimension of the meaning of
words, semiotics offers a broader prospective of the meaning by focusing on
connotative and denotative dimensions of signs. Noel Burton-Roberts (2011)
believes that meaning is not a (semantic) property but a semiotic relation (to
semantic properties). In the same manner, Patrick Zabalbeascoa (1997)
elaborates further on the role of semantics and semiotics in interpreting a
meaning of a text: “no text can be made entirely of verbal signs because such
signs always need some sort of physical support.” His statement implies that
the physical support will gain a semantic sense within a semiotic context. A
helpful analogy is to consider how computers deal with input. Computers convert
input given through a keyboard to either a zero or a one value. The human mind
receives speech input in a similar manner. For example, consider a simple
conversation between two people. Any conversation consists of at least one
sender and one receiver or it calls an addresser and an addressee. The
addresser’s main mission is to convey a message to the addressee. The message
represents the sender’s thoughts. The conversation will not be of value unless
the addresser successfully communicates his thoughts and the addressee
understands the message. However, this is a superficial account of what really
happens in a conversation. In a more scientific analysis, the principles of
semantics and semiotics can be applied. Semantically, the main concern is the
smallest constituent element of a sentence, which is a word. Consequently, a
correct sentence must have subject-verb agreement, proper use of gender or what
is called syntactic building of a sentence, and together, the components must
communicate an idea that makes sense. In contrast, semiotics addresses elements
such as codes, signifier and signified, iconicity and symbolism.
2.4. Semiotics and Language
Semiotics is the study of
meaning-making, the philosophical theory of signs and symbols. This
includes the study of signs and
sign processes (semiosis), indication, designation, likeness, analogy,
metaphor, symbolism, signification, and communication. Semiotics is
closely related to the field of linguistics, which, for its part, studies the
structure and meaning of language more specifically. The Semiotic
Tradition explores the study of signs and symbols as a significant part of
communications. As different from linguistics, however, semiotics also studies
non-linguistic sign systems. Even semiotics is outside the
linguistics context; however, semiotics has function as sings and signifiers
and sign had been appeared before the language itself. Semiotics often is
divided into three branches:
·
Semantics: relation between signs and
the things to which they refer; their denotata, or meaning.
·
Syntactics: relations among signs in
formal structures.
·
Pragmatics: relation between signs and
sign-using agents.
Semiotics
has been defined by many linguists as well as many other scientists from
various other fields. Most of these definitions are vague or difficult to
grasp. Semiotics covers not only
what is known as a sign in a linguistics analysis of human speech but also
considers the whole context that frames the situation in which the words are
uttered. In the same manner, many researchers assume that any semiotic approach
to meaning aims to reduce all meaning to a code model of communication. It is
worth mentioning that in semiotics, signs can include words, images, sounds,
gestures and objects. In that sense, we can confidently say that semiotics must
encompass semantics, and it offers a wider scope than semantics for
understanding human speech.
2.5. Semantics
and other disciplines
Semantics
has been of concern to other disciplines, which are:
1.
Philosophy: Some thought that many philosophical problems can
be solved by the study of 'ordinary l.‘. They argue that the nature of good and
evil in moral philosophy can be dealt with by seeing the way in which words as good
are used.
2.
Anthropology: They are concerned with language as an
essential part of cultural and behavioural patterns. One specific area of
anthropological research that is particularly interesting in connection to
semantics is that of kinship (complex kinship relations of many societies are
revealed in equally complex semantic patterns of the kinship terminology).
3.
Psychology: They try to understand how we process l. in
production and reception. There are problems with understanding sentences with
'selfembedding‘: The boy the man the woman loved saw ran away.‐rely on the meaning to help us with the interpretation.
4.
Sociology: In context situation, it does not even discuss
which context can be handle in systematic way, to provide a statement meaning.
5.
Etymology‐discovery of the earlier
meanings of words, the 'true' meaning of words (first serious discussion is in
Plato's Cratylus).
Chief difficulty: there can be no 'true' or 'original' meaning since human l. stretches back too far. (nice once meant 'silly'. Lat. nescius‐'ignorant').
Chief difficulty: there can be no 'true' or 'original' meaning since human l. stretches back too far. (nice once meant 'silly'. Lat. nescius‐'ignorant').
6.
Discourse Analysis (Pragmatics) – analysis of all kinds of
written and spoken texts - great development in 1970s (Austin, Searle).
7.
Communication Theory: communication system carries
information; it should have minimum redundancy (parts of the message that can
be removed without removing any information) and minimum noise (anything that
interferes with transmission). The human speaker, unlike the comm. system,
doesn‘t merely transmit the message; he also creates it.
CONCLUSION
Semantics is the study of meaning. It focuses on the relation
between signifiers, like words,
phrases, signs, symbols, and
what they stand for, their denotation. Linguistic semantics is the study of
meaning that is used for understanding human expression through language. However,
unlike pragmatics, semantics is a highly theoretical research perspective, and
looks at meaning in language in isolation, in the language itself, whereas
pragmatics is a more practical subject and is interested in meaning in language
in use. Semiotics
is a study of signs and symbols, especially as elements of language or other systems of communication. In a semiotic sense, signs take the
forms of words, images, sounds, gestures and objects. Semantics has been of
concern to others disciplines: philosophy, anthropology, psychology, sociology,
etymology,
discourse
analysis (pragmatics), communication theory.
REFERENCES
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