semantics
practice
shack
flat
house
abode
palace
apartment
mansion
cottage
bungalow
crib
LEXIS &
Can you rank these words?
How would you do it?
According to their literal meaning, by size, desirability?
SEMANTICS
What we are looking at here is
literal meaning
walk
includes
- a definition (or definitions)
- any synonyms
- any antonyms
SEMANTICS
freedom
how words function in sentences / utterances
literal
denotation
definition, synonym, antonym
metaphor
connotation
collocation
figurative
associative
But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: in the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds.
Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.
We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline.
We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence.
Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.
3 SEMANTIC concepts relating to meaning
denotation
1 - literal meaning
- the primary meaning
- what the word refers to
literal
Martin Luther King's 1963 speech
I have a dream
2 - associative meanings
3 SEMANTIC concepts relating to meaning
home
associative
3 - figurative meanings
3 SEMANTIC concepts relating to meaning
1 - literal meaning
denotation, definition, synonym, antonym
connotation
1 - literal meaning
2 - associative meanings
connotation, collocation
2 - associative meanings
- added meaning(s)
- an idea or feeling the word carries in addition to its denotation
3 - figurative meanings
metaphor
50th anniversary BBC presentation
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23853578
literal
denotation
definition, synonym, antonym
metaphor
connotation
collocation
figurative
The marvellous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny.
They have come to realise that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.
We cannot walk alone.
And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall march ahead.
We cannot turn back.
associative
___ thirst
thirst ___
associative meaning
___ valley
valley ___
semantic extensions
you're a rock
figurative meaning
this project is my baby
relates to the use of a word in a non-literal manner
to suggest a comparison
your fate is tied up with mine
- write an analysis of either or both of these extracts
- watch the whole BBC presentation or read the text of the full speech (Moodle), and find other examples of the semantics in the speech
- compare King's speech with Nelson Mandela's inauguration speech as South African President or Barack Obama's 2008 inauguration speech as U.S. President (Moodle)
- read the emagazine article "Give words a makeover" (Moodle)
HIGH
figurative meaning
or
LOW
also relates to the repeated use of a metaphor so that it influences how we think
which is "better"
in terms of
life as a ____