SEMANTICS

 Is the study of meaning in language. And it can be

applied to entire text or to single words.
 It investigates the meaning of language.
 Seme meaning sign, from Greek term.
 Semantique meaning semantikos or significant and
comes from semainien “to show, signify, indicate by a
sign.” , from Michael Bréal, French.
 In 19th century, the term Semantics was invented.
 Ludwig Wittgenstein, a German Philosopher
defined that, “the meaning of a word is its
USE in the language” in other words, the
role a word plays in the language.

Ex. “Destination” and “last stop”

 One of the central issues with semantics is the distinction
between literal meaning and figurative meaning.
 LITERAL MEANING
 Takes concepts at face value.
 Literal meaning involves taking the strict or the most basic
meaning without any metaphorical usage.
 Literal meaning is to be taken on the face value.
 FIGURATIVE MEANING
 figurative meaning involves depiction of a meaning other than
the most basic meaning with the use of a figure of speech.
 helps one to exaggerate the expression so that the feeling is
expressed in a better way. It's meant to convey the message in
a witty manner.
 LITERAL MEANING
 Grass looks green.
 Sand feels rough.
 The flower smells sweet.
 Grasshoppers make a high pitched noise.
 FIGURATIVE MEANING
 “I will kill you”
 “I'm so hungry that I can eat a horse
myself.”
 The grass looks like spiky green hair. (simile)
 Sand is solid water. (metaphor)
 The flower has the sweetest smelling petals
in the world. (hyperbole)
 Grasshoppers are fiddlers who play their
legs. (personification)
 DENOTATIVE MEANING
 Covers those basic, essential components of meaning
which are conveyed by the literal use of a word.
Ex.
Needle– thin, sharp, steel
Home— place where a person lives
Diamond– jewelry

2 TYPES OF MEANING
 CONNOTATIVE MEANING
- refers to a meaning that is implied by a word apart from the
thing which it describes explicitly. Words carry cultural and
emotional associations or meanings, in addition to their literal
meanings or denotations.
Ex.
Needle– painful
Home-- place of security, comfort, and family.
Diamond– solid form of the element carbon, elegance

2 TYPES OF MEANING