Semantics is a branch of linguistics that examines meaning or meaning.

Various

theories about meaning began to emerge, Ferdinand de Saussure, with his theory

which states that linguistic signs consist of significant and signifie components.

Hockett (1954) in Chaer (1994), states that language is a complex system of

habits. Chomsky in his first book did not address the issue of meaning, but in the

second book (1965) he stated that semantics is one component of grammar.

Semantics is actually a science of meaning. The semantic word come from

Yunani, namely 'sema' which means 'mark' or 'symbol'. The verb is 'semaino'

which means 'mark' or 'symbolize'. Then the semantics are agreed upon as a

term used in the field of linguistics to study the relationships and meanings

contained in a sentence.

*Semantic element.

Semantics are related to signs. Classification of signs can be done by:

1. Signs caused by nature, known to humans because of experience, for example:

a. An overcast day is a sign of rain.

b. Continuous rain will cause flooding.

c. Floods can cause disease outbreaks and hunger.

2. Signs caused by animals, are known to humans from the sounds of these

animals, for example:

a. The dog barks as someone enters the yard.

b. Cats fight loudly as a sign that there is an outbreak of disease or commotion

(for people in West Java).

3. Signs caused by humans, this sign is distinguished by:

a. Verbal, the sign produced through talking.

b. Nonverbal, can be divided into:

-Signs produced by limbs, known as sign language, for example, thumbs up

meaning good or great.

-Signs produced through sound, for example whistling which means happy,

calling, or wanting to know.

Types of meaning:

1. Lexical, the true meaning, which is in accordance with the results of our
sensory observations, the meaning as it is, the meaning that is in the dictionary.

For example horses, in lexical meaning is a kind of four-legged animal that can be

driven.

2. Grammatical meaning, occurs when there is a process of affixation,

reduplication, and composition. For example, riding, which means riding a horse.

3. Contextual meaning, meaning of a word that is in a context. For example, there

is no white hair on grandma's head (meaning head). As headmaster, he must

rebuke the student.

4. Associative meaning, the meaning of the word relating to the relationship of

the word with something that is outside the language. For example, the word

jasmine is associated with saint or chastity, the word red associates with brave.