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Semantics by RJ Phillips

Semantics by RJ Phillips. The Study of Meanings. Denotation & Connotation. Denotation refers to the straightforward meaning of a word, as you might find in a dictionary e.g. winter denotes the season between autumn and spring.

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Semantics by RJ Phillips

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  1. Semanticsby RJ Phillips The Study of Meanings

  2. Denotation & Connotation • Denotation refers to the straightforward meaning of a word, as you might find in a dictionary e.g. winter denotes the season between autumn and spring. • Connotation refers to the associations we have with a word, the emotions and attitudes that it provokes. • What do the following words mean to you? • Beach • England

  3. Positive & Negative Connotation • A newspaper editor describing a politician who is delaying a decision can choose either the word open-minded or indecisive. • Which of these descriptions suggests the politician is strong and which suggests that he is weak?

  4. Semantic Fields • Also know as lexical fields, these are groups of words with associated meanings and uses. • For example in a text about computers we might expect to find such terms as: software modem mouse keyboard memory disk USB document file menu monitor upgrade insert cursor What words might occupy a semantic field around the topic of hairdressing?

  5. Hyponyms & Hypernyms • A hypernym is a word that covers a general topic, whereas a hyponym describes specific items within a hypernymic field i.e. flower is a hypernym, but carnation is a hyponym of flower.

  6. Examples colour (hypernym) Black blue green yellow orange red (hyponym) music road cake

  7. Synonyms & Antonyms • Synonyms are words that are similar in meaning e.g. chat-conversation-talk. • Antonyms are words whose meanings are opposite in meaning e.g. hot/cold, start/finish, boy/girl, always/never.

  8. Tasks • The following words are hypernyms: • Furniture, stationery clothing. • List four hyponyms for each. • What do you think are the differences in connotation between these pairs of words: • Slim/thin, new/innovative/untried.

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