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The Dimensions of Meaning - NOTES

The document discusses the three dimensions of meaning in language: 1) reference and denotation, which is the relationship between linguistic expressions and real-world phenomena; 2) connotation, which involves the emotional associations words evoke; and 3) relationships to other words like synonyms and antonyms. Reference refers to how speakers use expressions to communicate about real things, while denotation is the potential meaning. Connotation involves personal and cultural feelings. Examples show how words can have positive, neutral, or negative connotations depending on context.

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Waad Majid
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74 views

The Dimensions of Meaning - NOTES

The document discusses the three dimensions of meaning in language: 1) reference and denotation, which is the relationship between linguistic expressions and real-world phenomena; 2) connotation, which involves the emotional associations words evoke; and 3) relationships to other words like synonyms and antonyms. Reference refers to how speakers use expressions to communicate about real things, while denotation is the potential meaning. Connotation involves personal and cultural feelings. Examples show how words can have positive, neutral, or negative connotations depending on context.

Uploaded by

Waad Majid
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SEMANTICS, Fall 2021/2022 Dr.

Najib Ismail Jarad

THE DIMENSIONS OF MEANING

 Any linguistic expression must have a form and a function.

We recognize three different aspects of meaning in lexemes:


1. The relation to phenomena outside language; [Reference & denotation].
2. The relation to people's attitudes and feeling; [connotation].
3. The relation to other lexemes; [synonyms, antonyms, etc].

 Two lexemes that have the same form (pronunciation and spelling) are called ‘homonyms’.
Ex. [Bank, saw].
 A single lexeme with a wide range of meaning is called ‘polysemous’.

1. The relation to phenomena outside language; [Reference & denotation].

Reference: [Tree, red, run]; have obvious relation to objects and events.

We make a distinguishing between Denotation and reference:

Denotation is the potential of a word/lexeme such ‘door’ or ‘dog’ to enter into such language
expressions. Denotation is the knowledge that they have that makes their use of communication
successful.

 Arbitrary association between the linguistic expression and the object that exist in the
physical word.

[Tree; Dog] = There isn’t one to-one relationship between ‘Tree’ and the object that exist in the real
word.

Reference is the way speakers and hearers use an expression successfully.

We have two types of reference:

1. Unique/constant reference.

We have so many linguistic expressions that have one single reference. [All names of countries,
cities, rivers, seas, oceans, mountains, in which they all are unique].

For example,
London = The capital city of England
Dubai = City in United Arab Emirates.
Paris = The capital city of France.

(They all refer to that particular place)

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SEMANTICS, Fall 2021/2022 Dr. Najib Ismail Jarad

2. Variable reference.

[Names of persons = The refence varies according to context]

Sara, Ahmad, Nour, Waad

The denotation of 'dog' identifies the central aspect of its meaning, which everybody agrees
about.

2. The relation to people's attitudes and feeling; [connotation].

Connotation refers to the personal aspect of meaning, the emotional associations that a
word arouses. [Personal feelings, some are universal some are very culture specific].

The word ‘dog’, in western culture have positive connotation, but in Eastern culture have
negative connotations.

Svelte (P) Slim (P)

Petite (P) Thin (N)

Skinny (N) Slender (P)

Lean (P) Scrawny (N)

Home, Positive connotation, (A place of one’s comfort and positivity).

House: Neutral connotation, (The physical building in which someone lives).

Shanty: Negative connotation, (A small crudely build shake).

Sea: Negative connotation, (Instability, danger, insecurity).

Land: Positive connotation, (fertility, stability).

Woman: (An adult female = denotation), (Strong = Positive connotation).

Lady: (An adult female = denotation), (High-regard, title of respect = Positive connotation).

Chick: (An adult female = denotation), (sexual = Negative connotation).

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SEMANTICS, Fall 2021/2022 Dr. Najib Ismail Jarad

3. The relation to other lexemes; [synonyms, antonyms, etc].

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