REVIEW ARTICLE ABOUT SEMANTICS
A REVIEW BY MIKE
YULFA ACMI
TITLE
: SEMANTICS
POST BY : DEWI
AYU TRI ANJANI at Academia edu
PAGES
: 6
2.1 Definition and Object of Semantics
Semantics
is the study of meaning in language. As a branch of linguistics, semantics
interconnected with other linguistics’s scope like syntax, phonology even
morphology. This relation has shown by Wallace L.Chafe in 1970, whom proposed a
theory called Generative Semantics Grammar,entitled Meaning and Structure of Language.
Semantics is generally considered to be the study of meaning (and related
notions) in language, while in the field of logic, semantics is generally
considered to be the study of linguistic reference and truth conditions in
languages. Semantics as a study of meaning must include sense-the meaning of the words and sentences without relation to
the world outside and reference-the
meaning of the words or sentences in relation to the world outside. Hence, the
study of meaning in language must include the meaning of words, sentences, and
utterances,namely sentences which are used in context.
2.2
Theory In Semantics
·
Model theoretic semantics
- Originates from Montague's work (see above). A highly formalized theory of natural language semantics in which expressions are assigned denotations (meanings) such as individuals, truth values, or functions from one of these to another.
- Formal (or truth-conditional) semantics
Pioneered
by the philosopher Donald
Davidson, another formalized theory, which aims to associate each
natural language sentence with a meta-language description of the conditions
under which it is true.
-
· Lexical semantics
- Computational semantics
Computational
semantics is focused on the processing of linguistic meaning. In order to do
this concrete algorithms and architectures are described.
2.3
Approaches to study Semantics
There
are two approaches to the study of meaning in language, those are; The
Contextual Approach and The Menatlistic approach ( Leech, 1981; Palmer, 1982).
A.
The
Contextual Approach
The contextual approach to meaning views
meaning in language in terms of context, situation, or use. This approach
necessitates the existence of an external stimulus that triggers the human
brain to produce meaning as a response to the stimulus.
FERDINAND DE
SAUSURE --Course
in General Linguistics
Examples of these elements include
his notion of the linguistic sign, which is composed of the signifier and the
signified.
B.
The
Mentalistic Approach
The mentalistic approach to meaning in
language views meaning as concepts, ideas, images, and associtions which are
stored in the long-term memory of the human brain; meaning is inside the brain.
According to the Caroll ( 1986;257), concepts, ideas, images , and the
associations are derived from mentalese- the mental representations of world
reality. Charles Kay Ogden and Ivor Armstrong Richards identified that
understanding comes from within the people rather than from the words they just
interpret. They set a model called “The Triangle of Meaning” for better
understanding how language works and basically it is a theory of signs. The
triangle is meant to show the word’s relationship between thoughts and
things.
Example:
▪ The Word love makes a different sense to different
people. The way in which they understand this word must be in reference with
their experiences and ideas relating to this word
▪ In America, socialism and communism are considered as a
negative word. People even use the word communist to degrade other people.
whereas in china the word communism is much of a great word and idea.
CONCLUSION
3.1
Suggestions
As a part of language , semantics has scope
and interconnected with others linguistics scope in a language meaning, such as
syntax, phonology, and even it in the discussion of word structure-morpheme;
furthermore, any attempt to study language can not secape from the study of
meaning is. However, the study of meaning in traditional linguistic has not clearly
shown what meaning is, so it’s really important to study about semantics.
3.2
Conclusion
Semantics is a study of meaning and as a part of grammar in
language. As a study of meaning , semantics include of words, sentences and
utterances meaning. It always interconnected with other scope ; just like
syntax, phonology and morpheme.
In
lingustics, there aare some theories of Semantics ; for instance,Lexical Semantics,
Formal Semantics, compositional Semantics, etc. Those are the theory which talk
about meaning. To study about semantics, we can approach by two ways. First,
contextual approach. It approaches the meaning in language in terms of context,
situation or use. Second, mentalistic approach. It approach to meaning in
langauge views meaning as a concepts,
ideas, images and associations which are stored in the long-term memory of
human brain: meaning is inside the brain.
The strengthness of this
journal are:
ThisJurnal has a great definition with the discovery of theexperts, and then explains the theories in thesemantics, and approaches to studying semantics .
The Weakness:this journal does not clearly explain the examples of what it was semantics,does not clearly explain the examples of what it was semantics, semantic parts and its kinds.
REFERENCES
Adisutrisno,
Wagiman. 2008. Semantics, An introduction
to the Basic Concepts. Yogyakarta : ANDI Yogyakarta
Hurford,
J.R . 2007. Semantics, A Course Book.
Cambridge
Semantics.wikipedia.org
Thomason,
Richmond H. 2012. What is Semantics.
Education.
