What is semantics?

Here are two senses for semantics:

1. Semantics is, generally defined, the study of meaning of linguistic expressions.

2. Semantics is, more narrowly defined, the study of the meaning of linguistic expressions apart from consideration of the effect that pragmatic factors, such as the following, have on the meaning of language in use:

   • Features of the context
   • Conventions of language use
   • The goals of the speaker

Crystal 1985 274

Leech 1983 5–6

Lyons 1981 136, 163–164

Levinson 1983 5–34

Context for this page:

• Concept module: semantics
• In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): S
• In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
• In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004

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