Approaches to Study meaning L2-From P11- to 23 Approaches to Study meaning

As you know the study of meaning relates to linguistics and philosophy It interested in general communicator. Therefore there are many perspectives to study meaning: means study meaning through ages using diff. approaches. So, there four types of approaches to study meaning:

L2 these Approaches to the Study of Semantics are: Transitional Semantics Behavioral Semantics Structural Semantics Generative Semantics (Transformational Generative Grammar

1. Transitional Semantics is: related o great works of philosophers like: (Socrates)( Plato)(Aristotle)+ who come after them, those are focus on: “the Nature of human language mainly” Those philosophers are two types: 1. Naturalists 2. Nurturists

Form and Meaning: Languages to them is: For Naturalist: see it as: God given no need for hard work to understand language. No need to make alteration, they just: { observe}-{ describe the rules of language} Greek is known as a chosen language. Other language based on them. Later, Latin became the focus of philosophers analysis

2. For nurturistsمنشأ language is: A social property common to speech community. Language is understood as human creation for convenience of communication. No differences between language all for communication.

So transitional semantics views : Concerned with: Relation between form and meaning of language. The philosophers views about meaning: 1/Carnap (1972)+ Firth(1957+ Ayer (1936): That meaning of words is actually what is refer to 2/Ogden and Richard( 1933) share same views

But, later scholars as “ Grice (1957)+ Katz( 1972) are believed that: 1- {images of a word is shaped in human speaker’s mind. the second view of transitional semantics: Is that the meaning of a word can be decode from its shapes or sound. Words in this view is{onomatopoeic}اونو-مو- تيوبيا Mean mime- imitate

{reference}-{ concepts}-{ truth} condition} Finally, The major idea of transitional semantics are” {reference}-{ concepts}-{ truth} condition}

{something established in the hearers’ and speakers’ mind} 2. Behavioral Semantics The father of it is{Watson Bloomfield+ Skinner} Types of behavioral semantics are” Idealism Mentalism Both look for meaning as: {something established in the hearers’ and speakers’ mind}

It is: a non physical process of concept or feeling generate a mental experience To what does behaviorism rely on? They relies on: {Observe}&{ records} what? Human utterance Both are linked to their relationships to situation in which are happen.

No belief in mentalistic construct as mind concep and idea No room for:{introspection} تأمل النفس as a media of getting info. why? Because thought and feeling- is personal. This theory believes that human and animal behavior= is identical (same in both) Experience come from: senses as a major source of knowledge

- There is determinationثبات on the world affairs or issue Universal laws always govern situations. (الحالات1 Determination leads to: No prediction in evaluating human behavior. The environment is a major stimulus to all human utterance. Stimulus response= is synonymy to cause and effect in the most natural situation.

Arguments: Who belief on behavioral approach to semantics argued that: 1/ {reduce meaning to: observable entities, language} as aspect to human favor lend itself to: {examination} 2/ meaning is influenced by reinforcement 3/ theory stresses nurture rather than nature: Here the physical environment contributes to meaning rather than internal thought.

Therefore, the behaviorism lends Meaning to experimental explanation but it was criticized. Why Because it rejects concepts الفهمand ideas. Because not everything in language can be observed physically. Over rely on enforcing animal and human behavior as identical(same)

3. Structural Semantics The father of it is: Ferdinand De Saussure Structuralism theory considers: “the structure and system in language support: the process of segmenting and classifying the features of utterances” Under structuralism emphasis: Analyze sense relations that connect (words+ meaning)

What is sense: An expression of system of semantic relationship a given word keeps with other words in the given language This relation is Paradigmatic (نموذجيه) in (similarity and dissimilarity) But: the relation in similarity: as synonymy the relation in similarity: as anatonymy

The useful of structural processes In lexical relation in study of words

4. Generative Semantics The father of it is Noam Chomsky. This theory of transformational generative grammar assumes that: knowledge of L is generated in the mind. 2. the L users has a finite set of rules. 3. From these rules the users can form limitless number of sentences 4. The power of form or generative is supported by Transformation rules, how?

How? Convert deep structure sentence types into other different form(surface structure from deep one). At the beginning of this theory of ,there is assertion(agreement) that: syntax was independent from semantics. But later in 1965 Chomsky pointed out that {semantics component specifies the rules needed to interpretation of deep semantics.

This observation: Enhanced the semantic representation of sentences. deep structure specify the original meaning of sentences before the application of transformation. There was immediate problem to explain the meaning of multiple paraphrases from a single deep structure. What is it? First: generative semantics concerned with sentences meaning and interpretation. Interpretation for what??

To: 1. Interpret the functional roles in sentences. 2. this interpretation of functional roles explained by a theory called{Case} theory of Charles Fillmore 3. later elaborate by Chomsky’s case theory and thematic theory.

Semantics component: Presented as being partially dependent on syntax and at the same time distinct. This makes the relationship bw {grammar+ meaning} Deep structure considered(deemed) to determine : {how sentence parts combine to make meaning for the whole}

Syntax component Is the generative source of grammar How: the output of syntax forms the input to semantics components The semantics component operates the structural description of the sentence to give the meaning of the sentence, Grammar as used here is totality of {mechanism} &{rules} of L organization includes meaning

because of Aristotleارستوتل philosophical postulation: It impetus(motivate) critical thinking in semantics. finally Based on this there are many types of semantics: Traditional- behavioral- structural- generative semantics..

conclusion Syntax is the base for sentences structure semantics is the key of meaning. Semantics therefore, is critical for communication.

Question Bank List the approaches to the study of semantics Discuss the contribution of naturalist and nurturalist. Discuss the contribution of traditionalists to the development semantics. Explore how generative grammar has featured in the study of semantics

L2-1 P: 16 the study od meaning 1. the nature of meaning Theories of meaning

L2-2(P:16) The study of Meaning Part1: The Nature of Meaning As you studied: semantic is the linguistics study of meaning And meaning is the core of communication But, there is always controversy about the nature of meaning

Meaning is a center of the study of semantics for philospher and linguists: there differences in opinion and thought based on approaches and methods. The following are the difference schools of these thought.

1. The schools of though Coz both Philosopher and linguist agree that the meaning is central to semantic0 Here are disparity(differences) among the scholars on the exact conception of meaning. Based on understanding the meaning of meaning and procedure comes the different types of school of thought.

These schools like: 1. naturalist 2. conventionalist contextualists

1, Naturalists(Plato) For them: The meaning of words is the entity or the thing represents. No intrinsic relation between sound and meaning. the criticism for it: How word is the entity it represent and many words have no physical entities

2. Conventionalists ( traditional) For them: Words and their meaning no necessary to have a direct link. If it happens this will be as a concept in the language users’ mind. it has relation with Aristotles works.

3. conceptualists For them: firth): Meaning of words derive from their usage ------------------------------------------------------------ These types of meaning contribute much to texts progress Which are: (thematic- conceptual and associative types of meaning as follows

question Mention the different types of schools of thought, then compare them?

1. Thematic and conceptual types We are going to focus on the above types, and later will discuss the associative meaning and its two parts connotative- collocative – affective- reflected- stylistic meaning) now back to thematic and conceptual: A)- Thematic Meaning: From: The organization of the msg presented in a L

2. It is the arrangement of communication components 2. It is the arrangement of communication components. That determine the point of emphasis. What this arrangements: As: Passivissation Topicalizaton focus

Look at the following examples: Jane bought the house (normal SVO) No special meaning 2. It was Jane that bought the house (topicalized) Emphasis on Jane (prominence info) مهمه 3.The house was bought by Jane(passivised) Emphasis on the house that was bough 4.The house Jane painted (focus)

LooK at these sentences She BOUGHT my newspaper (she did not steal it) 2. She bought my NEWSPAPER (not my text book). 3. SHE bought my newspaper( not any other person)

2. Conceptual meaning Conceptual meaning is synonymy to : Primary- central- logical= cognitive- denotative meaning of a word. Is first ordinary meaning listed in dictionaries It is not affected by context or emotional that affected with act of communication. There universal implication of he conceptual meaning.

It is possible to use (contrastive semantic feature ) to represent conceptual meaning of a word the feature indicates the attributesصفات present or absent . If it is present is (+) If it is absent is (-) The feature specificstion for the word man and woman are as follows:

Componential anslysis man women Human(+) Male(+) Male(-) Adult(+) these are the major process of structural semantics

Continue next Lecture Which is the last lecture After it the Midterm exam

3, Associative Meaning The meaning of a word Is affected by the context, background- time and cultural realities of the users of a language. This types of meaning nor static It is variable and open ended. the emotional reaction is arouse in the hearer through: special words and structure. We use associative meaning to generate certain attitudes and forms of behavior.

These great variation it is not always easy to (P: 19) - express form of meaning