Difference between semantics and pragmatics

Sample Solution

• Semantics is the study of meaning in language. It is concerned with the relationship between the signs and symbols that we use to communicate and the meanings that they convey.
• Pragmatics is the study of how language is used in context. It is concerned with the factors that influence the meaning of a communication, such as the speaker's intention, the listener's knowledge, and the social context in which the communication takes place.

Full Answer Section

Two main theoretical sources of semantics

The two main theoretical sources of semantics are:

• Formal semantics: Formal semantics is a branch of linguistics that uses mathematical and logical tools to study the meaning of language.
• Cognitive semantics: Cognitive semantics is a branch of linguistics that studies the meaning of language in relation to human cognition.

Lexical decomposition

Lexical decomposition is the process of breaking down a word into its constituent parts and analyzing the meaning of each part. For example, the word "unbreakable" can be decomposed into the prefix "un-" (not) and the stem "breakable" (able to be broken). The meaning of the word "unbreakable" can be derived from the meanings of its constituent parts: it is something that cannot be broken.

Five sense properties and relations of semantics

The five sense properties and relations of semantics are:

• Reference: Reference is the relationship between a word or phrase and the thing or concept that it refers to. For example, the word "dog" refers to the species of four-legged, domesticated animals.
• Meaning: Meaning is the content of a word or phrase. For example, the meaning of the word "dog" includes the following properties: four-legged, domesticated animal, that barks.
• Sense: Sense is a specific aspect of a word's meaning. For example, the word "dog" has multiple senses, such as "pet dog," "working dog," and "wild dog."
• Truth: Truth is the relationship between a proposition and the world. For example, the proposition "dogs can bark" is true because dogs are able to bark.
• Presupposition: Presupposition is a set of assumptions that are taken for granted when a sentence is uttered. For example, the sentence "I regret telling John the news" presupposes that John has already been told the news.

Reference, extension, prototype, stereotype, and deixis

• Reference: Reference is the relationship between a word or phrase and the thing or concept that it refers to.
• Extension: The extension of a word is the set of all things or concepts that it refers to. For example, the extension of the word "dog" is the set of all dogs in the world.
• Prototype: A prototype is a typical example of a category. For example, the prototype of a bird is a robin.
• Stereotype: A stereotype is a fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a person or group of people. For example, the stereotype of a nerd is someone who is intelligent but socially awkward.
• Deixis: Deixis is the use of language to refer to things or concepts in the context of the communication. For example, the word "I" refers to the speaker, the word "you" refers to the listener, and the word "now" refers to the present time.

Three kinds of semantic truths

The three kinds of semantic truths are:

• Logical truths: Logical truths are statements that are true by definition. For example, the statement "all bachelors are unmarried men" is a logical truth because the definition of a bachelor is an unmarried man.
• Analytic truths: Analytic truths are statements that are true based on the meaning of the words used. For example, the statement "all squares have four sides" is an analytic truth because the definition of a square is a four-sided shape.
• Synthetic truths: Synthetic truths are statements that are true about the world but are not based on the meaning of the words used. For example, the statement "the Earth is round" is a synthetic truth because it is a statement about the physical world.