1.4.1

Semantics

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Semantics - Semantic Fields and Collocations

The study of semantics is all about base meaning. When examining the semantics of a particular lexeme, we would be interested in its meaning.

Semantic field

Semantic field

  • When examining a text, you may notice that a number of words with a common link are used.
  • If, for example, you look at Fifth Harmony’s song ‘Work From Home’, you will notice words like 'promotion', 'night shift' and 'fired' all from what we call the semantic field of work.
  • If this was a text in your exam, you might examine the relationship between work and what the song’s message is.
Collocates

Collocates

  • Another way words can be linked is through common association.
    • For example, salt and pepper, Ant and Dec and bread and butter.
  • Words that go together like this are called collocates.
  • Collocates don’t necessarily have to be known before but can be labelled following repeated use.
    • For example, Donald Trump repeatedly referred to Hilary Clinton as 'crooked Hilary' during the 2016 election.
Patterns in texts

Patterns in texts

  • Use of collocates in texts are worth exploring, particularly if a collocate is used more than once in a text.
  • If it does start to crop up again and again, we call this a pattern.
  • The examiner can reward you highly in AO1 for the recognition of patterns.

Semantics - Hypernyms, Hyponyms and More

The study of semantics is all about base meaning. When examining the semantics of a particular lexeme, we would be interested in its meaning.

Hypernyms and hyponyms

Hypernyms and hyponyms

  • You may choose to look at whether a general or specific word is used in a text.
    • For example, whether the noun ‘dog’ is used or whether ‘poodle’ is used.
  • We call the category of word (in this case ‘dog’) a hypernym, and then we call all of its words hyponyms.
Euphemism

Euphemism

  • We often see interesting ways of expressing ideas in language use.
    • For example, newspapers will use a phrase like ‘friendly fire’ to describe the death of soldier caused by someone on the same side.
  • When text producers hide or soften the truth, we call this a euphemism.
  • You tend to find lots of euphemistic language within newspaper reports.
Dysphemism

Dysphemism

  • Dysphemisms offer a much more unpleasant version of a euphemism, for example labelling a mentally ill person as a ‘loony’.
  • Picking up on a euphemistic or dysphemistic phrase and explaining why it has been used can help you to score highly with AO3.
Jump to other topics
1

Language Levels

1.1

Assessment Objectives

1.1.1Assessment Objectives
1.2

Lexis

1.2.1Introduction1.2.2Common, Proper, Abstract & Concrete Nouns1.2.3Collective Nouns1.2.4Adjectives1.2.5Main, Auxiliary & Copular Verbs1.2.6Dynamic & Stative Verbs1.2.7Transitive, Intransitive, Active & Passive Verbs1.2.8Mood of Verbs1.2.9Adverbs1.2.10Personal, Possessive & Reflexive Pronouns1.2.11Relative & Demonstrative Pronouns1.2.12Determiners1.2.13Conjunctions1.2.14Synonyms, Antonyms & Phonological Features1.2.15End of Topic Test - Lexis
1.3

Grammar

1.3.1Morphology1.3.2Clauses1.3.3Phrases1.3.4Present Tense1.3.5Past Tense1.3.6Future Tense1.3.7End of Topic Test - Grammar
1.4

Semantics & Pragmatics

1.4.1Semantics1.4.2Pragmatics
1.5

Discourse Structure, Graphology & Orthography

1.5.1Discourse Structure1.5.2Graphology & Orthography1.5.3End of Topic Test - Semantics, Graphology etc.
2

Language, The Individual & Society

2.1

Children’s Language Development

2.1.1The Exam2.1.2Phonemes, Vocal Tract & Articulation2.1.3Writing About Phonemes2.1.4Phonological Simplification2.1.5A Child's First Year & Consonant Acquisition2.1.6Beginning Stages of Language2.1.7Lexical Development2.1.8Stages of Development2.1.9End of Topic Test - Child Language Development
2.2

Children's Language Development - Theories

2.2.1Behaviourism2.2.2Interactionism2.2.3Challenging Interactionism2.2.4Nativism2.2.5Nativism - Exam Answer2.2.6Cognitivism2.2.7Social Constructionism2.2.8Writing About Spoken Acquisition2.2.9End of Topic Test - Development Theories
2.3

Literacy Development: Reading

2.3.1Introduction2.3.2Phonics vs Whole Word2.3.3Debates in Reading2.3.4Modelling Reading Acquisition2.3.5Other Reading Theories2.3.6End of Topic Test - Reading
2.4

Literacy Development: Writing

2.4.1Orthography2.4.2Kroll's Theory2.4.3Barclay's Theory2.4.4Creativity vs Accuracy2.4.5Other Writing Theories2.4.6The Exam2.4.7End of Topic Test - Writing
3

Language Diversity & Change

3.1

The Importance of Gendered Language

3.1.1Writing About Gender3.1.2Dominance Theory3.1.3Interruptions - Zimmerman & West3.1.4Deficit Theory3.1.5Difference Model3.1.6Difference Model - Men3.1.7Diversity Model3.1.8End of Topic Test - Gendered Language
3.2

Social Groups

3.2.1Writing About Social Groups3.2.2Social Class3.2.3Social Class 23.2.4Age3.2.5Age - Teen Speak3.2.6Milroy’s Belfast Study3.2.7Labov’s Martha’s Vineyard Study3.2.8End of Topic Test - Social Groups
3.3

Occupational Groups

3.3.1Writing About Occupational Groups3.3.2Jargon3.3.3Conversations3.3.4Hierarchy & Power3.3.5End of Topic Test - Occupational Groups
3.4

Accents & Dialects

3.4.1Writing About Accent & Dialect3.4.2Introduction to Accents & Dialects3.4.3Accents - Matched Guide Experiment3.4.4Accents - Received Pronunciation & Brummie3.4.5Dialects - Dialectal Variations3.4.6Accent & Dialect Case Study - London3.4.7End of Topic Test - Accents & Dialects
3.5

Language Change

3.5.1Writing About Language Change3.5.2Modelling Change3.5.3Modelling Change 23.5.4Lexical Change3.5.5Semantic Change3.5.6End of Topic Test - Language Change
3.6

History of English

3.6.1Old English3.6.2Old English 23.6.3Middle English3.6.4Middle English 23.6.5Early Modern English3.6.6Late Modern English3.6.7Present Day English3.6.8Global English3.6.9American English3.6.10Modelling Global English3.6.11End of Topic Test - History of English

Practice questions on Semantics

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    What semantic field would we say the words __'ice'__, __'vapor'__, __'steam'__ and __'river'__ are from?Multiple choice
  2. 2
    What is labelling death as __'passing away'__ an example of?Multiple choice
  3. 3
    What is labelling a prison as a __'correctional facility'__ an example of?Multiple choice
  4. 4
    What is labelling a cigarette as a __'cancer stick'__ an example of?Multiple choice
  5. 5
    What is __'Granny Smith'__ an example of?Multiple choice
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End of Topic Test - Grammar

Pragmatics