Semantics: The
Meaning Behind
the Words
Semantics delves into the heart of language, exploring the
intricate connections between words and their meanings. It's a
fascinating field that helps us understand how we
communicate, how we interpret what others say, and how
meaning is constructed. As we navigate the complexities of
language, semantics provides a framework for understanding
the nuances of our words, allowing us to decipher the true
meaning behind the expressions we use.
NH
by Nazrin Hacıyeva
What is Semantics?
Meaning of Words Sentences and Phrases
Semantics primarily Semantics also examines
focuses on the meaning of the meaning of sentences
words and how they are and phrases, considering
used in sentences. It how the words are
explores the relationship combined to create
between words and the meaning.
concepts they represent.
Contextual Meaning
The study of semantics also encompasses the impact of
context on meaning. This includes considering factors such
as cultural background, social situations, and the
surrounding sentences.
Conceptual and Associative meaning
Conceptual Meaning Associative Meaning
Conceptual meaning refers to the literal, dictionary Associative meaning, on the other hand, goes
definition of a word. It's the core meaning that is beyond the literal definition. It encompasses the
shared by all speakers of a language. emotions, personal experiences, and cultural
associations that we associate with a particular
word.
Semantic Feature
1 Features of Meaning 2 Example: Dog
Semantic features are the The word "dog" might have
basic units of meaning that semantic features like
make up a word's definition. "animal," "mammal,"
They represent specific "domesticated," "four-
attributes or characteristics legged," and "barking."
that define a word and These features help us
distinguish it from others. understand the concept of
"dog" and differentiate it
from other animals.
3 Categorization
Semantic features play a crucial role in categorizing words and
understanding how they relate to each other. By analyzing the
features of different words, we can create a network of
relationships and connections.
Semantic Roles
Roles in a Sentence
Semantic roles refer to the functions that words play
within a sentence. They describe the relationships
between the words and their meanings in relation to the
actions or states described.
Agent
The agent is the entity that performs the action. For
example, in the sentence "The boy kicked the ball," the
boy is the agent.
Theme
The theme is the entity that is affected by the action. In
the same sentence, the ball is the theme.
Agent and Themes
Sentence Agent Theme
The cat chased The cat The mouse
the mouse.
The wind blew The wind The leaves
the leaves.
The chef cooked The chef The dinner
the dinner.
Instrument and Experience
Instrument Experiencer
The instrument is the tool or The experiencer is the entity
object used to perform the that undergoes a particular
action. For example, in the experience or state. In the
sentence "He opened the sentence "She felt sad," she
door with a key," the key is is the experiencer.
the instrument.
Location, Source, Goal
1 Location
The location specifies the place where the action or state
occurs. For example, in the sentence "The meeting took
place in the conference room," the conference room is the
location.
2 Source
The source indicates the starting point of a movement or
action. In the sentence "She drove from London to Paris,"
London is the source.
3 Goal
The goal is the destination or endpoint of a movement or
action. In the same example, Paris is the goal.
