Semantics
English Language: AQA A Level, topic 1.4.1
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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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.
Test yourself on Semantics
What semantic field would we say the words 'ice', 'vapor', 'steam' and 'river' are from?
What is labelling death as 'passing away' an example of?
What is labelling a prison as a 'correctional facility' an example of?
What is labelling a cigarette as a 'cancer stick' an example of?
What is 'Granny Smith' an example of?