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4. semantics
This document discusses semantics, which is the study of meaning in language. It covers conceptual meaning, which conveys the basic meaning of a word, versus associative meaning, which involves personal associations. Semantic features and roles are also discussed, including agent/theme roles, instrument/experiencer roles, and location/source/goal roles used to analyze sentence meaning. Syntax structure and semantic features that distinguish words like animate/human are presented as examples.
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4. semantics
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- 2. Semantics • One ofthe branches of linguistics. • Study of the meaning of words, phrases, and sentences. • Words with meaning are typically the nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs.
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- 4. Conceptual Meaning Covers thosebasic, essential components of meaning that are conveyed by the literal use of a word.
- 5. Ex: • Needle: Thin,sharp, steel instrument.
- 6. Associative Meaning Has adifferent associations and connotations attached to a word and these associations may differ from one person to the next.
- 7. Ex: • Needle: Pain,illness, blood, drugs, thread, knitting, or hard to find (especially on a haystack).
- 8. In a linguisticsemantics we are more concerned with trying to analyze conceptual meaning than associative meaning.
- 9. Semantic Features • Thehamburger ate the boy. • The table listens to the radio. • The horse is riding the newspaper.
- 10. Syntax Structure: • Thehamburger ate the boy. NP V NP • The table listens to the radio. NP V NP • The horse is riding the newspaper. NP V NP
- 11. Semantic Features Table horseboy man girl woman animate - + + + + + human - - + + + + female - - - - + + adult - + - + - +
- 12. Ex: • The __________is reading the newspaper. N(+Human)
- 13. Semantic Roles • Agentand theme • Instrument and experiencer • Location, source and goal
- 14. Agent and Theme Theentity that performs the actions technically known as the agent and the entity that is involved in or affected by the action is called the theme (or sometimes the ‘patient’.)
- 15. agents and themesare the most common semantic roles. Although agents are typically human, they can also be non-human entities that cause actions.
- 16. Ex of agents: Human– The boy The boy kicked the ball. Natural force – The wind The wind blew the ball away. A machine - A car A car ran over the ball. A creature – The dog The dog caught the ball.
- 17. The theme istypically non - human, but can be human. Ex: The dog chased the boy. Agent theme
- 18. In fact, thesame physical entity can appear in two different semantic roles in a sentence. Ex: The dog chased the boy. Agent theme The boy cut himself. Agent theme
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- 20. If an agentuses another entity in order to perform an action, that other entity fills the role of instrument. Ex: The boy cut the rope with an old razor. Agent instrument He drew the picture with a crayon. Agent instrument
- 21. When a nounphrase is used to designate an entity as the person who has a feeling, perception or taste, it fills the semantic role of experiencer. Ex: The boy feels sad. experiencer
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- 23. Location - Wherean entity is in the description of an event. Ex: on the table, in the room Source - Where an entity moves from. Ex: from Chicago, from USA Goal - Where the entity moves to. Ex: to New Orleans, to Philippines
- 24. Mary saw afly on the wall. EXPERIENCER THEME LOCATION She borrowed a magazine from George. AGENT THEME SOURCE She squashed the bug with the magazine. AGENT THEME INSTRUMENT She handed the magazine back to George. AGENT THEME GOAL “Gee thanks,” said George. AGENT