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The Semantics of Emotions. PS R.Hickey “Language and Culture” Florian Peter Grundstudium LN. The Semantics of Emotions. Introduction Theories of the emotions Comparison between some English emotions “Happiness” in an European perspective Culture- related emotions.
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The Semantics of Emotions PS R.Hickey “Language and Culture” Florian Peter Grundstudium LN
The Semantics of Emotions • Introduction • Theories of the emotions • Comparison between some English emotions • “Happiness” in an European perspective • Culture- related emotions
Semantics of Emotions- Introduction • a field of semantics • emotions and colours as well highlight and sharpen the theoretical and methodological conflicts in semantics • ==> they illustrate how the study of linguistic semantics is influenced by other human science disciplines • e.g.. psychology, anthropology, semantics
Introduction • Why should we study semantics of emotions? • Emotions are a subject in which nearly everybody is interested in • ==> 1. interested in our own feelings • ==> 2. interested in the feelings of others
Introduction • in the last decade, there has been much controversial discussion about: • the nature of emotions • the meaning of emotions • ==> human science disciplines which deal with such questions are: • anthropology, psychology, semantics
W. Jamesian “Physicalism” • Founder of the “Physicalist Theory of Emotion” • he asked himself the question if emotions are essentially physical in nature • fear for example depend on • 1. bodily symptoms like trembling, excitement • 2. our awareness of them • ==> when we fear sth. we can also see it on our body
But, there are some emotions, as happiness which do not have any prototypical body signs • even so, there are some basic emotions like anger, fear, surprise, sadness, joy which all have typical body signs • other emotions are declared as amalgams: • delight= joy+ surprise
Proponents of this theory say that each feeling can be seen in the mimic of people (facial expressions) • these facial expressions match up all over the world • across language and culture barriers • But, psychologists and anthropologists found out, that there is much diversity and variation • Briggs Inuit, Lutz Ifauk, Rosaldo Hongot
two main rivals in the basic emotion theory • cognitive approach / social constructivism • first one depends on mental processes • ex. proud = there is a good reason for people to think well of one • ex. angry = on has been wronged and feeling an urge to retaliate
second one takes emphasis on the cultural aspect • therefore emotions are shaped by social judgements, cultural values etc. • in connection to that Geerts(1975) says that “emotions are cultural artifacts”
to tackle emotions across language and culture barriers, one cannot use complex, specific terms • terms are not universal • Ifaluk for example have no word for anger • What do we have to do now? • ==> we have to find words which have a counterpart, like to think, to feel, good, bad....
Linguists are not really interested if the emotion are real, • but as semantics is the study of meaning, • it is about “the meaning of the words by which people discuss and describe emotions”
Iordanskajas’s work on emotions • important points she highlighted: • firstly: emotion terms of different cultures really do not match up • secondly: the task of linguists is about analysing the meaning in such a clear way so that a cultural outsider is able to understand it
Definition of an emotion term should have two components • internal description of the emotional state (good feeling/ bad feeling; active/ passive) • reason for its occurrence • she classified Russian emotions into six groups • joy, anger, grief, fear, hope, surprise,
main features for this division is the experiencer’s assessment • if s.o. likes or dislikes the event • if s.o. wants do to anything in relation to the event
Wierzbicka on emotion concepts • founder of the prototypical scenario • inspired by the author Tolstroy who wrote Anna Karenina, • a book which describes a wide range of possible scenarios and linked to that a wide range of emotions
It is important to note, that emotions differ due to subjective reasons for its occurrence • Moreover it is important that one can feel sth. without knowing the cause • sth good is happening now • not everybody feels joy, but when s.o. feels joy s.th. good happened
Comparison between some English emotions • Differences between happy, joyful and pleased depend on the use of it • happy= self oriented or personal • x feels happy/ s.th. good has happened to me/ i wanted this/ i don’t want other things now • so beside self oriented it is past perfective and also implies further desires • ex.:Are you thinking of applying for atransfer? No I am quite happy where I am
joy= could apply to other people/ not self oriented/ has also a present perspective • x feels joy/ s.th. very good is happening now/ I want this • ex.: To his mother’s joy, he won the first price
Difference between sad and unhappy • sad: contains components like resignation and acceptance • ex.: “If my cat dies, I will be sad not unhappy!” • unhappy: suggests a more active frame of mind/ an unaccepting, active response • ex.: “I am unhappy about it” ==> could imply that s.o. intends to do s.th. about it (like changing the situation)
Happiness in an European perspective • happy is a common and everyday word in English • joy is more stylistically marked • but in other European languages words with a meaning close to joy are used more often • ex.: in German “sich freuen” and “Freude” are used on a daily basis
In contrast “glücklich” and “Glück” are not used on a daily basis • beside the difference in frequency, it is important to note that there is only a rough meaning correspondence between “glücklich and happy”
happy: a less intense emotion than “glücklich” • German “Glück”: leaving no room for any further wishes or desires • happy has a more limited character • ex.: I am happy with this answer ---> “glücklich” does not fit in here • so one has to use less intense words; in this case words like “zufrieden”
Culture-related emotions • emotion terms are culture related • every culture has a folk psychology • in connection to that emotion terms are directly related to the values and priorities of a culture
Japanese amae • Takeo Doi: “[Amae] is a key concept for the understanding not only of the psychological makeup of the individual Japanese but of the structure of Japanese society as a whole.” • it is hard for the Japanese to believe that there no word in English for amae ==>”Why, even a puppy does it” (=colleague of Doi)
Amae is a good feeling • something like “to presume upon another’s love” and “to take advantage of another’s kindness” • indicates that there is someone powerful and well intentioned (x can do things for me/ x wants to do good things) • and because of this you are completely protected (nothing bad can happen to me)
Moreover you do not have to do anything ==> it is the responsibility of X to do s.th. • Amae can exist in adult relationships like husband and wife, doctor and patient, but also in other relationships like mother and child
