What is Semantics?

1. According to Lyons (1977), "Semantics is the study of meaning in language" (p. 1). 

2. Katz (1972) defines semantics as "the study of the relation of signs to the things they stand for, or to the things that they make present, and the ways in which signs themselves relate to one another" (p. 1). 

3. From a cognitive perspective, Langacker (2008) states that semantics involves "the organization of meaning in the mind, as reflected in the structure of language" (p. 1). 

4. Pinker and Jackendoff (2005) describe semantics as "the study of how language relates to the world, how it mediates the expression of thoughts, and how it is processed in the mind" (p. 1). 

5. According to Cruse (1986), "semantics is the study of linguistic meaning, both in the abstract and as it relates to specific contexts" (p. 5). 

6. From a functional perspective, Halliday (1994) defines semantics as "the study of the meaning potential of language, how it is exploited in discourse, and how language users make choices between alternative meanings" (p. 1). 

7. Finally, Hurford (2007) states that semantics involves "the investigation of the systematic relations between language and the world it represents and the ways in which it constrains and reflects the way we think" (p. 1). 

References:

Cruse, D. A. (1986). Lexical Semantics. Cambridge University Press.

Halliday, M. A. K. (1994). An Introduction to Functional Grammar. Arnold.

Hurford, J. R. (2007). The Origins of Meaning: Language in the Light of Evolution. Oxford University Press.

Katz, J. J. (1972). Semantic Theory. Harper & Row.

Langacker, R. W. (2008). Cognitive Grammar: A Basic Introduction. Oxford University Press.

Lyons, J. (1977). Semantics. Cambridge University Press.

Pinker, S., & Jackendoff, R. (2005). The faculty of language: what's special about it? Cognition, 95(2), 201-236.

1. According to Lyons (1977), "Semantics is the study of meaning in language" (p. 1). 

2. Katz (1972) defines semantics as "the study of the relation of signs to the things they stand for, or to the things that they make present, and the ways in which signs themselves relate to one another" (p. 1). 

3. From a cognitive perspective, Langacker (2008) states that semantics involves "the organization of meaning in the mind, as reflected in the structure of language" (p. 1). 

4. Pinker and Jackendoff (2005) describe semantics as "the study of how language relates to the world, how it mediates the expression of thoughts, and how it is processed in the mind" (p. 1). 

5. According to Cruse (1986), "semantics is the study of linguistic meaning, both in the abstract and as it relates to specific contexts" (p. 5). 

6. From a functional perspective, Halliday (1994) defines semantics as "the study of the meaning potential of language, how it is exploited in discourse, and how language users make choices between alternative meanings" (p. 1). 

7. Finally, Hurford (2007) states that semantics involves "the investigation of the systematic relations between language and the world it represents and the ways in which it constrains and reflects the way we think" (p. 1). 

References:

Cruse, D. A. (1986). Lexical Semantics. Cambridge University Press.

Halliday, M. A. K. (1994). An Introduction to Functional Grammar. Arnold.

Hurford, J. R. (2007). The Origins of Meaning: Language in the Light of Evolution. Oxford University Press.

Katz, J. J. (1972). Semantic Theory. Harper & Row.

Langacker, R. W. (2008). Cognitive Grammar: A Basic Introduction. Oxford University Press.

Lyons, J. (1977). Semantics. Cambridge University Press.

Pinker, S., & Jackendoff, R. (2005). The faculty of language: what's special about it? Cognition, 95(2), 201-236.

From the Archive of:
Muhammad Arabi Umar
Department of Languages and Cultures
Federal University Gusau, Nigeria