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Semantics_Assignment

The document discusses different types of meaning in semantics, specifically distinguishing between conceptual meaning, thematic meaning, connotative meaning, and collocative meaning. Conceptual meaning refers to the literal definition of a word, while thematic meaning focuses on how sentence structure influences emphasis. Connotative meaning encompasses emotional and cultural associations, whereas collocative meaning involves typical word pairings in language use.

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4 views

Semantics_Assignment

The document discusses different types of meaning in semantics, specifically distinguishing between conceptual meaning, thematic meaning, connotative meaning, and collocative meaning. Conceptual meaning refers to the literal definition of a word, while thematic meaning focuses on how sentence structure influences emphasis. Connotative meaning encompasses emotional and cultural associations, whereas collocative meaning involves typical word pairings in language use.

Uploaded by

austinemzemba53
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Semantics Assignment: Types of Meaning

A. Thematic Meaning vs. Conceptual Meaning

Conceptual Meaning (also called denotative or cognitive meaning) is the core, literal, dictionary meaning of a

word. It represents the basic, essential features of a word or phrase, independent of context or speaker

intention. For example, the word 'woman' has the conceptual meaning: [+human], [+adult], [+female].

Thematic Meaning, on the other hand, refers to how meaning is organized or emphasized within a sentence,

depending on the structure or focus. It deals with the role of sentence structure in conveying emphasis or

point of view, not the literal meaning. For instance, consider the sentences: 'John gave the book to Mary' and

'Mary was given the book by John.' Both convey the same conceptual meaning but differ in thematic meaning

because of the different focus or emphasis.

In summary, conceptual meaning is concerned with what a word denotes or refers to, while thematic meaning

is about how the information is arranged and presented in a sentence.

B. Connotative Meaning vs. Collocative Meaning

Connotative Meaning refers to the emotional, cultural, or associative meanings that a word carries in addition

to its literal meaning. These associations include feelings, values, or imagery that a word evokes in a listener

or reader. For example, the word 'home' suggests warmth, family, and comfort, beyond just being a physical

place of residence.

Collocative Meaning, however, pertains to the typical word associations or patterns that a word tends to occur

with. It highlights the habitual co-occurrence of words in language use. For instance, the word 'blond' typically

collocates with 'hair,' and 'rancid' is commonly used with 'butter' or 'oil.'
Semantics Assignment: Types of Meaning

To differentiate, connotative meaning is largely based on subjective or cultural interpretations of words, while

collocative meaning is grounded in linguistic habit and word pairings commonly found in actual usage.

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