Script in Intro to Linguistics

1. Conceptual Meaning
 It is the literal meaning of the word
 Detachable from the context; if u take out the word, the definition and description of
the word is still the same. Ex: Tara wears a blue shirt today.
 Defined in terms of distinctive features
 Stylistically neutral and objective
 Core meaning; shared universally.
 Basis/ Base/ Foundation for all other types of meaning for it is essential for linguistic
communication.

2. Connotative Meaning
 Refers to a meaning that is implied by a word apart from the thing which it describes
explicitly.
 Subjective and it is based on our personal interpretations, experiences and expressions.
 The meaning varies from one person to another.
 It is also varies from age, environment or the society
 Viewpoint adopted by the individual, group or society.
 Connotative meaning is regarded as incidental, comparatively unstable, in determinant,
open ended, variable according to age, culture and individual.
 Incidental – likely to happen
 Unstable – changes from generation to generation
 In determinant – affects the outcome of something
 Open – minded – it has no limit nor boundary; acceptable.
 Putative – accepted/acknowledge
 Viewpoint – stance, perspective

Example:

Before passing the Woman’s Right Law women are described as

 Weak
 Cowards
 Housewives
 Emotional
 No work privilege

Now

 Strong
 Powerful
 Businesswomen
 Independent
 Maternal Rights

3. Social Meaning
  Dialect words inform us the regional and background of the speaker.
 Through utterances we come to know about the social facts, social situation, class,
region, and speaker-listener relations by its style and dialect used in sentences.
 Language used by the speaker.

Examples:

 Aeta Community
o Belong to the Endogenous People in the Philippines
o Marginalized and Discriminated due to skin color, culture and status
o Less privilege people, minorities or uneducated.
 French
o France
o Educated
o Privilege
o Bad in English

4. Affective Meaning
 Involves the personal feelings or attitudes
 Conveys feelings or attitudes through the use of language.
Ex: Shut up – indicates that u’re annoyed
Be quite – politely asking someone to be quiet.

It may also be:

 Effect of words evoked the reader or listener.

 Ex: Home for a homeless man/soldier.
 Mother for a motherless child

5. Reflected Meaning
 Arises when a word has multiple meaning.
 In such cases while responding to one sense of the word we partly respond to another sense
of the word too
 If we communicate a certain message, the listener interprets it in a completely different way
from the meaning you want to deliver.
 Taboo words – restricting the use of a certain language.