SEMANTICS

A. Semantics
The word semantics which comes from Greece sema (noun) which means symbol
or sign. The verb is Semaino which means signify. The symbol of the synonymy of sema
is linguistic sign (France: sine linguistique) (Chaer, 1995: 2). Saussure (1996) states that
linguistic sign consists of (1) the signifier, component, in sort of sounds and (2) the signified,
the referent outside of language. Semantics is a term which is used in linguistics, which
studies the relation between linguistic sign and signified thing. In other words, semantics is
a branch of linguistics which studies about the meaning.

Halliday (1985: XVII) states that the term semantics does not simply refers to the
meaning of words;it is the entire system of meanings of a language, expressed by grammar as
well as by vocabulary. Semantics brings in symbol using and symbol system outside
language, but the central place of language in human symbol systems makes language its
primary concern. In semantics, one is trying to make explicit, the ways in which words, and
sentences of various grammatical construction are used and understood by native or fluent
speakers of a language.
Arcnoff and Miller (2003:370) says that semantics focuses on theories of meaning
which apply to sentences that make statements, and are taken to be either true are false. This
assumption shows that there is relationship between linguistic expression and the world
which is at the core of linguistic meaning.
Semantics as a general explanation is about the study of meaning of the words,
phrases, sentences, and discourse. Lyons (1977:1) states that semantics is generally defined
as the study of meaning. Palmer (1981:1) argues that semantics is the technical term used to
refer to the study of meaning, and, since meaning is a part of language, semantics is a part of
linguistics. Unfortunately, meaning covers a variety of aspects of language, and there is no
general agreement about the nature of meaning, what aspects of it may properly be included
in semantics, or the way in which it should be described.
Lehrer (1974:1) asserts that semantics, the study of meaning, is a vast field, touching
on most aspects of the structure and function of language as well as problems in psychology,
philosophy, and anthropology.Tarigan (1985:7) states that semantic s is a meaning
determination. Semantics studies about both symbols and signs that state a meaning and
connect a meaning to another. Therefore, semantics is a technical term referring to the study
of meaning, and since meaning is a part of language, semantics is a part of linguistics.
Semantics is the study of meaning. The word "semantics" itself denotes arrange of
ideas, from the popular to the highly technical. It is often used in ordinary language to denote
a problem of understanding that comes down to word selection or connotation. This problem
of understanding has been the subject of many formal inquiries, over a long period of time.
The formal study of semantics intersects with many other fields of inquiry,
including proxemics, lexicology, syntax, pragmatics and others, although semantics is a well-
defined field in its own right, often with synthetic
properties http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semantics.

B. Types of Meaning
Leech (1976) in Chaer (1995:59) divides meaning into seven types: conceptual
meaning, connotative meaning, stylistic meaning, affective meaning, reflective meaning,
collocative meaning, and thematic meaning.

1. Connotative Meaning
 Tarigan (1986:58) asserts that connotative meaning is what people think about two
words and find whether it is possible or impossible for the word to have two different
meanings from its denotative meaning. Based on it, the meaning depends on personal
interpretation. Sometimes, people have the same or different thought.
Chaer (1995:65) claims that when a word has both positive and negative sense value,
the word is called a connotative meaning word. Alwasilah (1990:147) point out that
connotation meaning is subjective, in notion that there is a shift from common meaning
because it has been added by sense and certain value.
Connotative meaning is the communicative value that an expression has by virtue of
what it refers to, over and above its purely conceptual content. It can vary from age to age,
from society to society, and from individual to individual. jpkc.hrbu.edu.cn: 8080/ jpkcjs/
Linguistics/ 6kczy/ kj/08c/2.ppt
2. Conceptual Meaning
Leech (1981:9) states that conceptual meaning or denotative meaning or
cognitive meaning is widely assumed to be central factor in linguistics
communication and the most important type of meaning among the others.
Denotative meaning is the reference of a sentence as opposed to its
'sense' http://halfanhour.blogspot.com/ 2009/01/types-of-meaning.html
Conceptual meaning refers to the logical sense of the utterance and is recognizable as
a basic component of grammatical competence. It is alternatively described as the cognitive
or the denotative meaning (denotation). This is the basic or universal meaning and can be
represented at the lexical level, as well as that of the clause or simple sentence. At the lexical
(lexeme) level, conceptual meaning is represented as a set of distinctive features. The
relevant set of distinctive features, otherwise described as semes or sememes, depends on a
given semantic field. The operant features for people lexemes are [human], [adult], [male].
The application of these features uses a binary notation whereby the value of a feature is
specified as either positive [+], negative [-], or neutral [+].
Mwihaki in http://www.ifeas.uni-mainz.de/SwaFo/SF11Mwihaki.pdf
It is the essential and inextricable part of what language is, and is widely regarded as
the central factor in verbal communication. It is also called logical, cognitive, or denotative
meaning. Here is the semantics feature of conceptual meaning:
a. Man: [+HUMAN+ADULT+MALE]
b. Women: [+HUMAN+ADULT+FEMALE]
c. Girl: [+HUMAN-ADULT+FEMALE]
d. Boy: [+HUMAN ADULT+ MALE]
e. Bull: [-HUMAN +ADULT +MALE]
jpkc.hrbu.edu.cn:8080/jpkcjs/Linguistics/6kczy/kj/08c/2.ppt
3. Collocative Meaning
Collocative meanings usually get in touch with the use of some words in the same
environment (Leech, 1974:35). Collocative meaning consists of the associations a word
acquires on account of the meanings of words which tend to occur in its environment. In
other words, it is that part of the word-meaning suggested by the words that go before or
come after a word in question. Collocative meaning is the meaning of a word produced in the
specific context. As a result of conventionality of collocation, a word will produce different
meanings when collocates with different words: - heavy smoker (a person who smokes a lot);
a. Heavy news (a piece of sad news).
b. Heavy schedule (a very tight schedule).
c. Fast color (the color that does not fade).
d. Fast friend (a reliable friend).
e. Fast woman (a lady of easy virtue).
 http://www.termpaperslab.com/term-papers/180477.html
4. Social Meaning
Lobner (2002:27) states that the term social meaning does not refer to this general
aspect of verbal interaction, and is thereby not to be confused with the communicative
meaning of a verbal act. Rather, social meaning is on par with descriptive meaning: it is part
of the lexical meaning of certain words, phrases or grammatical forms.
Social meaning refers to the use of language to establish and regulate social relations
and to maintain social roles. This type of language use is alternatively described as social or
phatic communication. In phatic communication the verbal interaction has little information
value, but instead plays an essential role in oiling the wheels of social discourse. Social
meaning is hence communicated through ritualistic use of language as found in greetings,
apologies, blessings or condolences.
Mwihaki in http://www.ifeas.uni-mainz.de/SwaFo/SF11Mwihaki.pdf.
Social meaning is the meaning which an expression conveys about the contexts or
social circumstances of its use. It chiefly includes stylistic meaning of an utterance. It is the
formality of the expression. The examples of social meaning are:
a. mother (formal), mom (colloquial),
b. mama (childs language)
c. dollar (neutral) buck (slang)
d. father, papa, old boy
jpkc.hrbu.edu.cn:8080/jpkcjs/Linguistics/6kczy/kj/08c/2.ppt
5. Affective Meaning
In a manner comparable to social meaning, affective meaning is only indirectly
related to the conceptual representation. Affective meaning is more directly a reflection of the
speakers personal attitude or feelings towards the listener or the target of the utterance. Such
feelings or attitudes are usually negative or insincere in nature. They are normally expressed
through such forms of language use as insults, flattery, hyperbole or sarcasm.
Mwihaki in http://www.ifeas.uni-mainz.de/SwaFo/SF11Mwihaki.pdf.
Affective meaning is largely a parasitic category in the sense that to express our
emotions we rely upon the mediation of other categories of meaning: conceptual, connotative,
or stylistic.
www.modlinguistics.com/EnglishLexicology/Lessons/chapter10.ppt
The level of meaning that conveys the language users feelings, including his
attitude or evaluation in shaping his use of language is called affective
meaning or emotive meaning.jpkc.hrbu.edu.cn:8080/jpkcjs/Linguistics/6kczy/kj/08c/2.ppt.
6. Reflective Meaning
Reflective meaning is the meaning which arises in cases of multiple conceptual
meanings, when one sense of a word forms part of our response to another sense. It is the
product of peoples recognition and imagination. The examples are: He took the drugs, Enjoy
yourself. jpkc.hrbu.edu.cn:8080/ jpkcjs/ Linguistics/6kczy/kj/08c/2.ppt
7. Thematic Meaning
Lyons (1995:154) states that one part of the meaning of sentences as sentences are
commonly defined that is definitely not part of their proportional content is thematic
meaning. For example, the following sentences, which differ in thematic meaning, all have
the same truth-conditions, and therefore the same propositional content:
a. I have not read this book,
b. This book I have not read,
c. It is this book (that) I have not read,
d. This book has not been read by me.
 The meaning arising out of the way in which the writer or speaker organizes his
message is calledthematic meaning. The examples are:
a. Tomorrow I plan to have an outing.
b. I plan to have an outing tomorrow.
S1seems to answer the question: When will you have an outing?; S2 What will you do
tomorrow?
jpkc.hrbu.edu.cn:8080/jpkcjs/Linguistics/6kczy/kj/08c/2.ppt