NAME: ANILELEYE HUMUANI KANYINSOLA LEVEL: 300

DEPARTMENT: ENGLISH MATRIC NO:2023/2302

COURSE TITLE: CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH USAGE COURSE CODE:ENG331

Module 1 unit 1 and 2 summary presentation

Module 1: DEFINITION AND SCOPE OF SEMANTICS

Unit 1: DEFINITION AND BRIEF HISTORY OF SEMANTICS

Meaning of semantics
Semantics is the study of meaning in language. It looks at how words, phrases, sentences, and texts are
used to convey meaning. In simple terms, semantics is all about what things mean when we use
language.

Definition of semantics by scholars

Here are some definitions of semantics by scholars from different perspectives:

1. Michel Bréal (considered the founder of semantics):

> "Semantics is the science of meaning in language."

2. Charles Morris (1938):

> "Semantics is the study of the relation between signs and the things to which they refer; their
denotata."

3. Geoffrey Leech (1981):

> "Semantics is the study of meaning in language. It deals with how words and sentences are used to
convey meaning."

4. John Lyons (1977):

> "Semantics is the study of meaning, and it is concerned with the relation between signifiers—like
words, phrases, signs, and symbols—and what they stand for."

5. Stephen Ullmann (1962):

> "Semantics is the study of meaning. It is the branch of linguistics concerned with meaning."

Example of semantics;

the word "bank." It can mean a financial institution or the edge of a river. That's semantics in action!
The same word can have different meanings depending on the context.
Branches of semantics

There are a few branches of semantics:

Linguistic semantics: Focuses on the meaning of words and how they combine to form meaningful
sentences.

Formal semantics: Uses logic and mathematics to understand how sentence structure relates to
meaning.

Lexical semantics: Deals with the meanings and relationships of words (like synonyms, antonyms, etc.).

Concept of semantics

The concept of semantics revolves around understanding how language conveys meaning. It's a core
area in linguistics and philosophy of language.

Here’s a breakdown of the concept:

1. Meaning of Words (Lexical Semantics)

Semantics studies the meanings of individual words and how those meanings can change depending on
context.

For example:

the word "bank" can mean the side of a river or a place where money is stored—semantics helps clarify
which meaning is intended.

2. Sentence Meaning (Compositional Semantics)

Semantics also looks at how meanings of words combine to form sentence meanings.

For example:

"The cat sat on the mat."

We understand who is doing what and where, based on how the words are arranged.

3. Context and Interpretation (Pragmatic Overlap)

While semantics deals with literal meaning, it often interacts with pragmatics, which deals with meaning
based on context.

For example:

"Can you pass the salt?" is semantically a question about ability, but contextually, it’s a polite request.

4. Ambiguity and Multiple Meanings

Semantics explores how a sentence or word can have more than one meaning and how we resolve that
based on context.

5. Truth Conditions

In formal semantics, meaning is often tied to truth conditions—what needs to be true in the world for a
sentence to be true.

Brief history of semantics

Here’s a brief history of semantics:

1. Ancient Roots

Plato and Aristotle (circa 400–300 BCE) explored the relationship between language and reality.
Aristotle's work laid the foundation for logic and categories of meaning.

Early Indian linguists like Pāṇini also developed sophisticated theories of grammar and meaning.

2. Medieval Period

Scholars in the Islamic Golden Age and medieval Europe studied logic, meaning, and grammar, often
linking language with theology and philosophy.

3. 19th Century – Birth of Modern Linguistics

Semantics began to emerge as a formal field.

Michel Bréal (French linguist) is credited with coining the term "semantics" in the late 1800s.

The focus was mainly on historical semantics—how word meanings change over time.

4. 20th Century – Structural and Formal Semantics

Ferdinand de Saussure introduced the idea of signs (signifier and signified), shaping structural linguistics.

Logical positivists and philosophers like Frege, Russell, and Wittgenstein examined how language relates
to logic and truth.

In the 1970s, formal semantics developed, using tools from logic to analyze sentence meaning (notably
by scholars like Richard Montague).

5. Modern Semantics

Today, semantics is interdisciplinary—bridging linguistics, philosophy, cognitive science, computer

science, and AI.
Topics include natural language meaning, machine understanding of language, and cognitive models of
meaning.

Major concerns of Semantics

The major concerns of semantics revolve around how meaning is constructed, interpreted, and
communicated in language. Here are the key areas:

1. Meaning of Words (Lexical Semantics)

How individual words carry meaning.

Relations between words: synonyms, antonyms, homonyms, hyponyms, etc.

Polysemy (words with multiple meanings) and ambiguity.

2. Meaning in Sentences (Compositional Semantics)

How words combine to form meaningful phrases and sentences.

Sentence structure and its effect on meaning (syntax-semantics interface).

Ambiguity at the sentence level (e.g., “I saw the man with the telescope”).

3. Context and Meaning (Pragmatics Interface)

How context affects the interpretation of meaning.

Deixis (words like "this," "that," "here," "now") and how their meaning depends on context.

Implicature and presupposition.

4. Reference and Sense

Reference: the actual object or concept a word points to in the real world.

Sense: the internal meaning or concept associated with a word.

5. Truth Conditions and Logic

Analyzing the conditions under which a sentence is true or false.

Formal semantics and logical analysis of meaning.

6. Ambiguity and Vagueness

How words or sentences can have multiple interpretations.

How speakers manage and resolve ambiguities.

7. Semantic Change

How the meanings of words change over time (historical semantics).

Factors that influence semantic shifts.

8. Cross-linguistic Semantics

How different languages express similar meanings.

Universals and variations in semantic systems across cultures.

9. Cognitive and Conceptual Semantics

How meaning is represented in the mind.

The relationship between language and thought.

References

Palner, F.R. (1996). Semantics. London: Cambridge University Press.

Microsoft Encarta. (2009). “Semantics." Microsoft® Student 2008

[DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2007.