ASSIGNMENT# 1

COURSE: Semantic& Discourse Analysis

Code: 557

Q.(1)
Semantics
Ans: It is a technical term and generally means meaning of the word. But meaning
covers a long range of aspects of language, and also there is no general agreement oh the
nature of just one type on meanings.
Since its introduction, it has been used for many purposes. In Read (1948)
it occurred once Semantick Philosophy to mean divination. Before that, it was used in
American philological Association in 1894 entitled Reflected Meanings: a point in
semantics. However in Greek and French language it was referred simply as meaning.
One of the anthrolopologists Malinowski also referred this term in his book. H.G. Wells
referred it but in the meaning of significs. In some of English newspapers, it was used
quite in different meanings than those that were usually accepted. And what it generally
means is also vague. Meaning has also many connotations. Before going deeper in to
the meanings of the meaning we must accept this and this term as a part of Linguistics
and scientific study of language. However, Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary (2002)
defines it as the study of the meanings of words and phrases.
Q. (2)
Relationship between semantics and linguistics.
There is an irrevocable relationship between semantics and linguistics. Linguists
refer it as a component side by side with phonetics and grammar. They say that
semantics is at one end, Phonetics is at the other and grammar is in between both of
them. It can be shown in digammas:

SEMANTICS GRAMMAR PHONETICS

Thus side by side with correction (grammatically) and sound system (phonetics )
it is very important to have a knowledge of semantics( that is to convey message through
signs).
A Swiss Linguist Saussure (1959-67) relates both of them as signifier and
signified however he could not explain these two terms thoroughly. And as language is
basically a communication system , and it convey many messages at the same time. So
language is quite different from signs and we have to constantly refer to the components
of linguistics to interpret any utterance or sentence to get the real message. In this sense it
becomes an empirical process, hence scientific being based on experiments. However,
there are still difficulties. Meanings of any utterance and sentence do not seem always to
be stable. They depend upon different factors.
1. Speaker.
2. Hearer.
3. Content.
And as for as its claim of being a scientific study is concerned, it must be concerned with
generalizations. So there is assumed a distinction between linguistic system and use
make of that system by speakers and hearers. So the distinction was made by Saussure
was as language and speaking and Chomsky as performance and competence.
Both insist that the proper study of linguistics is language or competence. However, one
point has not been explained that is specific meanings in specific circumstances. That
may be a matter of meaning and use.
Q.(3)
Speaker meaning is what a speaker means i.e. intends to convey when he uses a
piece of language. So in order to extract meaning from a spoken sentence se have to
remain careful. Firstly, we have to judge the tone, intonation pattern, stress and pitch of
the speakers voice. Not all these things can be written down on the paper.

While Sentence meaning or word meaning is what a sentence means, i.e. what it
counts as the equivalent in the language. There is only one meaning, unless it has been
intentionally punctuated and replaced by weak or strong words. While in Speaker
meaning, there is a much room for the speaker to manipulate the written context
according to his intentions. In just a written sentence, there is no option. Therefore, there
is a wide gape between them. It is even, for example, possible for a speaker to convey a
quite intelligible intention by using a sentence having nonsensical meaning
Q. (4)
Utterance
An utterance is any stretch of talk, by on person, before and after which there is
silence on the part of that person. It is just a single spoken string of words.
An utterance is the use by a particular speaker, on a particular occasion, of a piece
of language, such as a sequence of sentences, or a single phrase, or even a single word.
It must not be a just long sentence.
Q.(5)
Proposition
It is the part of meaning of the utterance of declarative sentences,
which describes same state of affairs on condition.
Theory
It is precisely specified, coherent and pithy pattern of
interdependent statements, remarks and definitions, constructed so that as large number
as possible of particular basic facts, can be seen either to follow from it or to be
describable in term of it.
Q.(6)
 Utterance is a word or sentence or a phrase spoken. Sometimes an utterance may
be much long that it consists of all, i.e. sentence, phrase or a word and sometimes very
short. So short that it may consist of a single word, or single phrase, or a single sentence.
The utterance may have a sequence or may be without sequence. While a sentence is a
complicated string of words grammatically correct but an utterance is no so. Just a word
may be an utterance. In addition, all these examples of utterances are used in spoken
language. These short forms are called the utterances of non-sentences that means, short
phrases or single words.
Therefore, utterances are not always complete sentences. For example fine, Shhhhhh,
and, oh, are utterances but they are hardly called sentences. Exactly like that phrases,
clauses, and single words may be utterances.
Q.(7)
Linguistics is the area of study of language, which is not only restricted to the
study of written skill in but also to the study of other skills, amongst which most
important is the speaking. It is because of various reasons.
1. Human race had learnt to convey their message in spoken from, before
written.
2. It has also been learnt that a child naturally learn speaking first.
3. Spoken form of the language plays a vital and wider role.
4. Written language is easily converted into spoken form but vice versa is
very tough.
There is the fourth point that needs discussions. In written language, there are many
points that are not conveying the message in spoken form of the language. However, we
miss many of such points as, italics should be spoken loudly and punctuation should be
uttte4red accordingly. Exactly like that spoken language cannot be written down as it is
presented. In particular, it has two linguistic features;
1. Prosodic features
2. Paralinguistic features
The prosodic features include primarily what is generally handled under intonation and
stress. Hence, there are different interpretations of the same sentence in British and
American accents.
So is the reason that grammarians were misled about written form. For the written
language is the language is largely narrative or the presentation of actual information.
Hence, it was assumed that meanings are largely concerned with information. However,
the main function of language, especially the spoken one not to inform. It performs many
other functions. Therefore, it can be termed even more important than written.
ASSIGNMENT#1

COURSE:SEMANTICS AND DISCOURES ANALYSIS

CODE: 557

TUTOR : PROFESSOR S. MALIK

MAZHAR ABBAS BHATTI

ADDRESS: 133- GULSHAN PARK OPPOSITE MELAD
HOUSE MANSOORAH MULTAN ROAD LAHORE.

ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY ISLAMABAD