Meaning

Definitions and Theories

Josef Kosch
University of Technology Chemnitz Department of English Language and Linguistics 12/04/2006

Meaning
Definitions and Theories
1. 2. 3. Meaning what for? The nature of meaning Linguistics approaches to meaning

1. Meaning what for?

Message-Signal-Encoding-Model

channel {message} sender (encoding) transmitted signal ---received signal (decoding) {message} receiver

In the case of an established signaling system like language, the meanings of the signs are not under the control of the users; the signs are the property of the speech community and have stable semantic properties. Alan Cruse

noise

Example 1: Mary is wearing a light coat; so is Jane.

They are both lightweight They are both light-coloured Marys coat is lightweight and Janes is light-coloured Janes coat is lightweight and Marys is light-coloured

Example 2:

2. The nature of meaning

thing that bears meaning sign

2.1 Idea theories of meaning

Each Idea is supposed to be about something external and internal, real or imaginary

dog

this dog
particular

tree

abstract

universal dog

Maybe real life chihuahua

2.1 Idea theories of meaning

Ideas
Mental representation stronger not presently held on to because of a rather vague proposition of what meaning is

2.1.2 Weaker idea theories of meaning

Example 1:

Mental activity weaker Reanimated recently by Rosch/Lakoff Development of the prototype theory

2.1.2 Weaker idea theories of meaning

Example 2: (GEO) ratings
1 very good example 2 good example 3 fairly good example 4 moderately good example 5 fairly poor example 6 bad example 7 very bad example/not an example at all

2.2 Truth-based theories of meaning

Evolved with the philosophical turn to language determined meanings by truth conditions.
Example:

Vegetable
1 potato 2 cabbage 3 celery 4 aubergine 5 parsley 6 rhubard 7 lemon

It is snowing in Chemnitz!
The statement is exactly true when it in fact is snowing in Chemnitz

2.2.1 Sense and Reference

Example:

2.3 Usage and meaning

Example: definition of the word game
involves physical activity

Two different names refer to the same object

Hesperus Morning Star Phosphorus Evening Star

has winners and losers is played for amusement has rules, etc.

Planet Venus
Name: Hesperus Phosphurus Sense: Morning Star Evening Star Reference:

Venus

3. Linguistic approaches to meaning

3.1 Semantic principles of word meaning
If it is possible to categorize different ways of presenting meanings, mainly semantics are of interest.

Lexical versus grammatical meaning

Obvious cases: the different parts of speech tend to give an allusion of wether being lexical or grammatical. verbs, nouns articles, conjunctions lexical grammatical

Example: past,present,future one,many

highly combinable grammatical

measure: degree of co-occurence

Monosemic versus polysemic meaning

Example 1: Clear-cut cases of homonymy: bank (river) and bank (money)

Hyponomy versus Hypernomy

Superordinate terms and sub-classes taxonomic hierarchies
tableware cutlery fork knife teaspoon spoon crockery cup plate bowl table linen tablecloth napkin

Consider the following sentence: We finally reached the bank! Example 2: glass glasses pen pencil Obvious kind of derivative!

tablespoon soup spoon

interesting: meronomy lack of clear generalized levels

Linear structures
Example: Bipolar chains: spottless clean dirty filthy fantastic excellent good bad awful - abysmal Monopolar chains: degree: breeze wind gale hurricane stages: infancy childhood adulthood old age

Sources:
Alan Cruse (2004) Meaning in Language An introduction to Semantics and Pragmatics, Oxford: Oxford University Press Ludwig Wittgenstein (2001) Tractatus-Logico-Philosophicus, London, New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul Gabriel Falkenberg (2001) Sinn, Bedeutung, Intensionalitt. Der Fregesche Weg, Mohr Siebeck GmbH & Co. K