语言学概论Chap5语言学概论Chap5.pptVIP

Chapter 5 Meaning I. Quick check Write out the tree diagram of the sentence: Brown knows everything about the tree diagram. II. Warm-up questions 1. How many kinds of meaning does a word usually have? 2. Are there words that have exactly the same meaning? 3. What does “He is more dead than alive” mean? 4. Do you remember the concept of distinctive features of phonemes? 5. How many basic meanings do the following sentences have and what is it / are they: a. They are planning a film and television base in Doumen. b. A film and television base is being planned in Doumen. c. It is a film and television base that they are planning in Doumen. III. Major points to study 1. Sense and reference; 2. Sense relations; 3. Componential analysis (语义成分分析); 4. Logical semantics IV. Discussion of the major points 1. Sense and reference: 1) Definitions: (1) Sense: The semantic relations between a linguistic unit and another. (2) Reference: The relation between a linguistic unit and a non-linguistic entity it refers to (in the real world). 2) Major difference between sense and reference (p.95): (1) Sense: Abstract properties of an entity (when you think of the entity); Reference: The concrete entities having these properties (when you refer to the entity). (2) Every word has a sense but not necessarily reference. e.g. home: Reference: The place where one (and one’s family) usually lives (live). Sense: a. A place one misses when away (for a long time) from it; b. A place where one can enjoy peace and get revitalized; c. A place where one can be given care and love; d. A special social unit formed of members of the same blood; e. The opposite of “foreign / imported”; f. A sub-class of social units 2. Sense relations: 1) Synonymy: Similarity of meaning between linguistic units. (Cf. p.97) e.g. father, dad; kill, murder; thin, skinny; possibly, probably 2) Antonymy: Oppositeness of meaning be