Intro

Semantics and pragmatics is the study of meaning. The meaning of words and the way words are used are subjective to the speaker and may vary depending on their definition of meaning to the word. In language, words may express meanings through various words that mean the same thing. In semantics and pragmatics, sense and denotation are what describes when were use words in different ways, but to say the same thing. Sense refers to the context-independent of meaning of a word. The denotation of the word is the set of all words that could discourse its meaning. When looking further the sense and denotation of a word could mean various things depending on the context, the person using the word, and even where the person may live. Two expressions with the same sense will always have the same denotation but two expressions with the same denotation could have a different sense. If you look further into the interchangeable words that can be used when talking about the same thing you find something called expressive pairs. Expressive meaning or expressive pairs are words that have a certain kind of meaning but don’t necessarily refer to anything but an expressive emotion. Expressive pairs may also look like words that you may use every day but differently, that share the same sense but different denotation. These are words like mother and mom, home and house, father and dad, and so on. In this paper, we will discuss all things sense and denotation and expressive pairs and also include research based on survey questions that represent how individuals use different words to mean the same thing based on sociolinguistic factors.

At Thanksgiving dinner, we all prepare ourselves for the one family member to mention something we don’t want to hear about, “How’s that boyfriend of yours” We broke up. “Have you lost weight?!” No, I actually gained some. “How do you feel about this president?” I don’t care I’m not into politics. Amongst all the weird and controversial questions or statements that could be asked and said, a way person (B) could respond to person (A) could be by starting an argument, which no one wants to do on Thanksgiving, or could be to change the subject. For example, this year I’m sure there were many debates, questions, and statements regarding the COVID vaccine. No matter what someone’s opinion is on the vaccine or the topic in general, it could definitely stir up some unwelcoming and uncomfortable conversation. Person (A) is the only vaccinated person sitting at a table of people who do not believe in the vaccine because of religious reasons, “So is everyone going to get vaccinated soon?” Person (B) who isn’t really that religious but lives in a religious household and knows how their parents would react to the question, “Wow this stuffing is amazing!!” Can you pass the corn?” This conversation goes against Grice Maxim’s principles because it violates Relevance. Stuffing and corn have nothing to do with the vaccine, but it was the person’s response to the question to avoid any arguments that made happen. The response of person (B) also goes against Quantity because person (B)’s response did not include an informative contribution, they didn’t even answer the question at all.

For the final paper, my topic is going to be on ‘sense and denotation’. I am planning to use my own research for one of the main sources for this paper. I want to create a survey/form to determine what people use more in their everyday vocabulary for specific words that have many words but mean the same thing. For example, mom and mother mean the same thing, but depending on who you ask, one person might say mom, and another person may say mother, depending on the context. In this survey, I would ask questions like “who do you live with?” or “who raised you growing up?”. I also want to ask questions about the person’s background (not super extensive) and try to relate this to sociolinguistics as well. When looking at semantics and pragmatics, a big part of it is the language you speak and how you speak it. For instance, if someone lives in New York, and someone lives in California, their dialect is going to be different and not just because of their region but could be based on their background, social class, and other socioeconomic factors. I want to tie together these two topics because I feel like they can definitely relate in some sort of way. For the format of the paper, I’m hoping it’ll look something like this.

• Intro
• Definition of Sense/ Denotation and the differences
• Research analysis( with graphs)
• Sociolinguistics and how it could relate
• Conclusion

The outline is definitely just a rough draft and what it could be if it all works out, I don’t have a Plan B but hopefully, everything works out smoothly and flows because I think this paper and research could be super interesting!

P.S. Once I create the form I’m hoping everyone will participate! (It will be anonymous)

1. Simple Antonyms

Pass / Fail 

a. I will pass the test if I study.

b. Usually, if I dont study for a test I fail.

You cannot pass and fail an exam at the same time making these two antonyms.

2.Gradable Antonyms

Bright/Dull 

a. My room was looking a little dull with white walls, so I painted the walls yellow.

b. The new yellow walls in my room make the room bright and fun.

When looking at the examples used in the sentence, the walls in your room can either be bright or dull. But the walls could also be plain, colorful, dark light etc.

3. Reverse Pair

Left/ Right

a. I need to turn left in two blocks to get to my destination.

b. If I turn right the next block, I’ll have to make a U-Turn.

This set of Reverse Pairs indicate a motion or change in opposite directions.

4. Converse Pair

Teacher/ Student

a. John is Bill’s teacher.

b. Bill is John’s student.

This is a converse pair because there is asymmetric relation between the two, those being the teacher and the student.

5. Taxonomic Sisters

Deer/Moose

Moose and Deer are taxonomic sisters because Moose are the largest members of the deer family. They are both apart of the Cervidae species. The X, being moose, and Y, being deer, represents that the relationship of the two are hyponymous therefore “An X is a kind of Y”.

 

 

1a entails 1b

1a. I sold my TV because it was old.

1b. My old TV was sold.

Trigger: “sold”

2a presupposes 2b 

2a. My boyfriend loves the dinner I cooked tonight.

2b. I cooked dinner tonight.

Trigger: “cooked”

3a presupposes 3b

3a. My cousin just bought her first car.

3b. My cousin never had a car.

Trigger: “first car”

The pair of expressions that have the same denotation but different expressive meanings that I chose are “House” and “Home”. Recently my family has been looking for a new house and my mom refers to the “house” itself as what it is, the building, and then tells me she wants to make it our “home”. The two words obviously mean the same thing but denote a different meaning. The meaning of “house” is the structure or building itself where someone or many people rent, buy, or sell. Whether it’s 1 bedroom or 4, has a backyard or not, or has a garage. Though there are various rooms and amenities a house can have, it is always a house. The word “home” has a meaning of where these people live and spend most of their day and lives in. The denotation of the home has a cozy, warm and comfortable feeling that comes from the home. You make the home out of the house. Depending on how you design it, paint it or furnish it, you make it your own homey atmosphere that’s pleasant to live in, sleep in, and, depending on who you ask, spend your life in watching your family grow.