Semantics

Lecturer: Nguyen Kim Phuong, M.A

 Bachelor in English Translation &
Interpretation, HCMC University of Education

Master in TESOL, University of Huddersfield,

UK
Lecturer’s
info Phone: 0966 747 339

Email: nkphuong@ntt.edu.vn
5 facts about my life in numbers

1 16
100

3 13
1 sister
16 months in the UK
13 countries
Learning to play guitar in 3 months
100 desserts
Be punctual

Participate in group activities Rules in class

Complete homework

Deadline means deadline. No excuses

Try to learn, not to earn grades only

Assessment

• Attendance: 10%
• Group work: 10% (Discussion)
• Midterm: 20% (Presentation)
• Final project: 60% (Reflection)
Presentation Guidelines

• Number of students in a group: 5

• Time allotted: 15 mins
• Showcasing date: 06/08/2020
• Design a presentation based on your UNDERSTANDING, not the book.
• Example-giving is encouraged.
• Activities to engage other member are highly recommended.
• Every member should have a chance to speak.
Presentation rubric

– Content: The insights of analysis for the topic (50%)

– Language use: The appropriacy of the use of language in
the presentation (20%)
– Interaction: The degree of interactions between the
presenters and the audience (20%)
– Visual aids: 10%
Topics

1. Propositions 1. Homonyms, Homopho

2. Context in semantics & Homograph
3. Sense relations 2. Connectives
4. Ambiguity in meaning 3. Metaphor
5. Predicates 4. Metonymy
5. Speech acts
Unit 1: ABOUT SEMANTICS
Components of Language
What are the components of language?
Unit 1: ABOUT SEMANTICS
1. What is semantics?
Semantics is the study of MEANING in LANGUAGE.
Unit 1: ABOUT SEMANTICS
2. What is meaning?
How many meanings do you know of the word ‘meaning’?
• The thing/idea that a sound/word/sign/etc. represents
e.g. What’s the meaning of the word ‘karma’?
• The quality/sense of purpose that makes you feel your life is valuable
e.g. Having a child give meaning to their lives.
• The real importance of a feeling/experience
e.g. With Anne he learned the meaning of love.
Unit 1: ABOUT SEMANTICS
2. What is meaning?
• The ideas that an artist wishes to communicate through a
book/painting/etc.
e.g. That fiction contains a great number of layers of meaning.
• What somebody communicate by what they SAY/DO
e.g. I don’t quite get your meaning (= understand what you mean
to say).
Unit 1: ABOUT SEMANTICS
2. What is meaning?
Meaning:
• affected by speaker’s tone
• affected by speaker’s will
• can be divided into two main categories:

What sentence means What speaker means

• Literal meaning • Literal/figurative meaning

• Giving information • Heavily influenced by what a
• An act of courtesy to tighten speaker intends to CONVEY
social relationships
Unit 1: ABOUT SEMANTICS

3. Speaker meaning
What aspects of life do you think ‘speaker meaning’ may include?
• Courtesy (politeness)
• Hostility (unfriendliness)
• Praise (positive remarks)
• Insult (negative remarks)
• Endearment (love)
• Taunt (bothering/unkind remarks)
Unit 1: ABOUT SEMANTICS

4. Sentence meaning
Do the same sentences used by different speakers in different situations
mean the same?
• Same sentences + different people = different meaning / same
meaning
• Same sentences + different situations = different meaning
• Same sentences + different situations + different people = different
meaning
Unit 1: ABOUT SEMANTICS

4. Sentence meaning
Different or same?
A: ‘Where’s Alex?’ - B: ‘I don’t know. He’s gone.’
He’s gone. He’s sacrificed himself to save the victims.

‘Can you pass me the salt, please?’ (at a table in a restaurant)

‘Can you pass me the salt, please?’ (in a kitchen)
Unit 1: ABOUT SEMANTICS

5. Speaker meaning vs. sentence meaning

Does sentence meaning always stay the same?
It is possible for a speaker to convey a quite intelligible (easy to understand)
intention (aim/plan) using sentence whose literal meaning is contradictory or
nonsensical.
Unit 1: ABOUT SEMANTICS

5. Speaker meaning vs. sentence meaning

Do the wife and husband in the conversation mean what actually the
sentences intend to mean?
Husband: ‘When I go away next week, I’m taking the car.’
Wife: ‘Oh. Are you? I need the car here to take the kids to school.’
Husband: ‘I’m sorry, but I must have it. You’ll have to send them on the
bus.’
Wife: ‘That’ll be nice for the family. Up at the crack of dawn, and not
home till mid-evening! Sometimes you’re very inconsiderate’
Husband: ‘Nice day’
Unit 1: ABOUT SEMANTICS

5. Speaker meaning vs. sentence meaning

Sentence meaning may be greatly influence by speaker meaning and context.
What do the utterances below actually mean?
a. ‘Sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite.’
b. ‘Try to stay calm. Don’t snap her head off.’
c. ‘I could even eat an elephant.’
d. ‘He kicked the bucket last night.’
Unit 1: ABOUT SEMANTICS
5. Speaker meaning vs. sentence meaning
a. ‘Sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite.’
 Good night.
b. ‘Try to stay calm. Don’t snap her head off.’
 Don’t shout at her.
c. ‘I could even eat an elephant.’
 I’m hungry.
d. ‘He kicked the bucket last night.’
 He died last night.
Unit 1: ABOUT SEMANTICS

6. Native speakers and ‘knowing' the meaning(s) of a word

What’s the role of native speakers in the study of meaning of a word?
• Main source of authentic information about meaning(s) of a word
 A non-native-English-speaking learner/professor may be able to
explain words, but has no advantage over any normal native speaker.
• Different dialects display different meanings
 The form of a language that is spoken in one area with grammar,
words and pronunciation that may be different from other forms of the
same language.  dialects
Unit 1: ABOUT SEMANTICS

7. Theory of Semantics
Is Linguistics a science of human language?
4 theories to the meaning of words:
• Dictionary meanings
• Mental image
• Referents
• Componential
 More information can be found at
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/meaning/
Unit 2: SENTENCES, UTTERANCES, AND
PROPOSITIONS

1. Sentences
I have a car.
She loves me.
If I were you, I would grab and kiss her.
 sentences
Unit 2: SENTENCES, UTTERANCES, AND
PROPOSITIONS

1. Sentences
Sentences:
• contain a SUBJECT and a predicate that always includes a VERB
• must be GRAMMATICAL
Types of sentence:
• declarative sentence (to express truth)
• interrogative sentence (to ask questions)
• imperative sentence (to give orders)
Unit 2: SENTENCES, UTTERANCES, AND
PROPOSITIONS

2. Utterance
‘I have a car.’
‘She loves me.’
‘If I were you, I would grab and kiss her.’
 utterances
Unit 2: SENTENCES, UTTERANCES, AND
PROPOSITIONS

2. Utterance
Utterance:
• is an act of saying.
• is used by a particular speaker, on a particular occasion, of a piece of
language, such as:
+ word(s): Ouch; Bye!; Quiet!; Wow!; etc.
+ phrase(s): in the afternoon!; beautiful dresses; etc.
+ sentence(s): He works hard.; Look out!; etc.
• is not unusual if GRAMMATICALLY INCOMPLETE
Unit 2: SENTENCES, UTTERANCES, AND
PROPOSITIONS

2. Utterance
Utterances of non-sentences, e.g. short phrases, or single words, are
used by people in communication all the time.
e.g. Hostess: ‘Would you like tea or coffee?’
Guest: ‘Coffee, please’
Unit 2: SENTENCES, UTTERANCES, AND
PROPOSITIONS

2. Utterance
Which of the following can represent utterances?
1. ‘Hello’
2. ‘Not much’
3. ‘Utterances may consist of a single word, a single phrase
or a single sentence’
4. ‘Pxduyerb’
5. ‘Schplotzenpflaaaaaaargh!’
Unit 2: SENTENCES, UTTERANCES, AND
PROPOSITIONS
Let’s check if you understand the concept of sentences & utterances.
1. Do all (authentic) performance of Son Tung MTP begin by using the
same sentence?
2. Do all (authentic) performance of Son Tung MTP begin by using the
same utterance?
3. Does it make sense to talk of the time and place of a sentence?
4. Does it make sense to talk of the time and place of an utterance?
5. Can one talk a loud sentence?
6. Can one talk a slow utterance?
Unit 2: SENTENCES, UTTERANCES, AND
PROPOSITIONS

3. Differences between sentences and utterances

• Sentences: can be understood literally (without context given) or
figuratively according to given context
• Utterances: can be understood literally or figuratively according to
given context and voice/tone (how you utter pieces of language)
 It’s better to understand sentences before trying to understand
utterances.
Unit 2: SENTENCES, UTTERANCES, AND
PROPOSITIONS
4. Propositions
A PROPOSITION is
• that part of the meaning of the utterance of a declarative sentence which
describes some state of affairs (persons/things + situation/action).
• the claim about the world.
• a (potential) fact about the world, which can be true or false.
e.g. The boy is playing football.
Two plus two makes four.
Unit 2: SENTENCES, UTTERANCES, AND
PROPOSITIONS

4. Propositions
The notion of truth can be used to decide whether two
sentences express different propositions.
 If there is any conceivable set of circumstances in which
one sentence is true, while the other is false, we can be sure
that they express different propositions.
Consider the following pairs of sentences. In each case, say whether there are
any circumstances of which one member of the pair could be true and the
other false.
(1) John gave Mary a book
Mary was given a book by John
(2) Isobel loves Tony
Tony loves Isobel
(3) George danced with Ethel
George didn’t dance with Ethel
(4) Dr Findlay killed Janet
Dr Findlay caused Janet to die
 Unit 2: SENTENCES, UTTERANCES, AND
PROPOSITIONS
4. Propositions
• True propositions correspond to facts.
• False propositions do not correspond to facts.
 Only true proposition is known.
In the present-day world,
(1) Is it a fact that there are lions in Africa?
(2) Is the proposition that there are lions in Africa a true proposition?
(3) Is it a fact that the state of Arkansas is uninhabited by human beings?
(4) Is the proposition that the state of Arkansas is uninhabited by human beings true?
Unit 2: SENTENCES, UTTERANCES, AND
PROPOSITIONS
4. Propositions
Propositions are clearly involved in the meanings of declarative,
interrogative, and imperative sentences.
• You said something.
• What did you say?
• Tell me what you say.
• Tell me now!
 Proposition: expression to propose sth
Unit 2: SENTENCES, UTTERANCES, AND
PROPOSITIONS

4. Propositions
Does it make sense to ask what language a proposition belong to?
Propositions, unlike sentences, cannot be said to belong to any
particular language. Sentences in different languages can correspond to
the same proposition, if the two sentences are perfect translations of
each other.
e.g. I’m cold.
Tôi lạnh.
Unit 2: SENTENCES, UTTERANCES, AND
PROPOSITIONS
Fill in the chart below with + or – as appropriate.

Utterances Sentences Propositions

Can be loud or quiet
Can be grammatical or not
Can be true or false
In a particular regional accent
In a particular language
Unit 2: SENTENCES, UTTERANCES, AND
PROPOSITIONS
Fill in the chart below with + or – as appropriate.

Utterances Sentences Propositions

Can be loud or quiet + – –
Can be grammatical or not + + –
Can be true or false + + +
In a particular regional accent + – –
In a particular language + + –
Unit 3: SENSE AND REFERENCE
1. Reference
Reference: relationship between WORDS and the REAL WORLD
e.g. ‘The apple tree in our garden has been watered.’

The apple The garden Someone

tree that we we have has given the
grew several behind our tree some
years ago house. water.

Referent: what actually exists or happens in the real world

Unit 3: SENSE AND REFERENCE

1. Reference
e.g. this page
+ expression (part of the language)
+ the thing you could hold by your hand (part of the world)
 reference
Unit 3: SENSE AND REFERENCE

1. Reference
Exercise: Touch your left ear.
1. Write down the last three words.
2. Is the thing you touch a part of the world or a part of the language?
3. Is what you have written down part of the language?
4. If you say to your mother ‘There’s a mosquito on your left ear’, does
your left ear here refer to the thing you touched before?
 The SAME EXPRESSION can have DIFFERENT REFERENTS
Unit 3: SENSE AND REFERENCE

1. Reference
Do you think…
1. Does the moon have constant reference?
2. Does The People’s Republic of China have constant reference?
3. Does Halley’s Comet have constant reference?
 There is very little constancy of reference in language.
Unit 3: SENSE AND REFERENCE

1. Reference
Does the Morning Star and the Evening Star have the same referent?
 Different expressions can have the same referent.
e.g. automobile and car
a lame duck and an outgoing politician
Unit 3: SENSE AND REFERENCE

1. Reference
• Different dialects make the same expression have different referents.
e.g. pants:
+ British English: underwear
+ American English: trousers
• Different contexts make the same expression have different referents
e.g. I’ve broken my nail
Did you hammer the nail into the wall?
Unit 3: SENSE AND REFERENCE
2. Sense
• Sense: the relationship between WORDS and CONCEPT in your mind
e.g. ‘There’s bark out there on the street.’

The sound of a dog

Happen inside
What kind of dogs that made that sound? your mind

Depends on the experience you had in the past

Unit 3: SENSE AND REFERENCE

2. Sense
• The same word can have more than one sense.
e.g. (1) I have an account at the Bank of Scotland.
(2) We steered the raft to other bank of the river.
• One expression in different dialects can have the same sense.
e.g. pavement – sidewalk
Unit 3: SENSE AND REFERENCE
2. Sense
Relationships of WORD, SENSE and REFERENCE

sense/the image of thing in your mind

de
o f te
k rm
h in in
t e
linguistic signal object/real
my little goldfish
expression/ thing/referent
word(s)
Discussion
• Work in group of 3.
• Find examples for the followings:
1. Same sentences + different situations = different meaning
2. The SAME EXPRESSION can have DIFFERENT REFERENTS
3. Different dialects make the same expression have different referents.
4. Different contexts make the same expression have different referents.
5. The same word can have more than one sense.