semantics

Definition
Semantics is the study of meaning, usually in language. The word "semantics" itself denotes a range of ideas.It is often used in ordinary language to denote a problem of understanding that comes down to word selection or connotation. In linguistics, it is the study of interpretation of signs or symbols as used by communities within particular circumstances and contexts..

semantics is also called semasiology. Or a system for looking at the semantic reactions of the whole human organism in its environment to some event, symbolic or otherwise. There are two kinds of Semantics :

Lexical - Grammatical

synonymy
It refers to :

A word having the same or nearly the same meaning as another word or other words in a language.

We cannot say that there are two words with the same exact meaning in one language . If two words have the same meaning, only one of them will survive.

Examples from the English language

buy and purchase sick and ill quickly and speedily Long and yearn Froth and foam Correct and right Differentiate/discri minate Vanish and disappear Plunder and loot Rare and scare Last and final Obvious and clear

Examples from the Arabic language / / / / / / / / / / / /

Polysemy
It refers to a word or phrase with multiple, related meanings. The capacity of a word to carry two or more meanings that have something in common. .

Reasons behind Polysemy

Using an old word to refer to a new thing. Using one word in different fields and domains The different accents and dialects

Examples from the English language

bottom: ocean garden- road- clothes garden- roadTail : animal aircraft- shirt aircraftDigest: food information- idea informationPlay: children- smile- light- CD children- smile- lightMouth: people- river- bottle people- riverFace: people- clock-mountain people- clock-

Examples from the Arabic language

: : : : : :

Hyponymy
When the meaning of one form is included in the meaning of another. Inclusion is a matter of class membership . The upper term is called Superordinate and the lower term is called the hyponym .Members of the same class are called co-hyponyms. co-

Examples
Flower ( rose daffodil- lily) daffodilFruit (orange- banana- strawberry) (orange- bananaVegetable ( potato-carrot-tomato) potato-carrotAnimals (lion-elephant- tiger) (lion-elephantFurniture ( sofa -table- chair) tableSport (tennis-football-basketball) (tennis-footballdog (boxer- bitch) (boxer-

When we consider hyponymous relation, we are looking at the meaning of hierarchical relationship.
Living things

creature

plant

animal

insect

vegetable

flower

This relationship exists also in Arabic

( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ) ) ) ) ) ) - ) )

Homonomy
When one form has two or more unrelated meanings. They are words which have quite separate meaning, but have accidentally come to have exactly the same form. They have different separate entries in the dictionary.

Examples of homonomys pairs

Bank (river-financial institution) (riverPupil (student- in the eye) (studentMole ( on skin- small animal) skinSole (only or single -flat part of foot-a footkind of fish) Mean (miser express) Spring( place where water comesthe comes season)

Kind (type friendly) Row (argument line) Lead (metal- guide)

In Arabic
( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( , ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ( ( ( ( , ) ) ( ) ) ( ( ) ) )

Antonymy
It means oppositeness in meaning . antonym - a word that expresses a meaning opposed to the meaning of another word, in which case the two words are antonyms of each other

Types of antonymy
1- Grading Big/small Hot / cold Fast / slow High / low Expensive / cheap Noisy / quiet

In Arabic
/ / / / / /

2- complementary
Man / women Dead / alive Married / un married In /out Optional/ compulsory Right / wrong

In Arabic
/ / / / /

Relational antonymy
Teacher / pupil

Give / take Buy / sell Trainer / trainee Father/ son Husband/ wife Employer/ employee

in English , there are number of ways to form English morphological antonyms . we can add prefixes ( un in -dis- de a- an- mis) or suffixes ( less- free) HappyHappy- unhappy ContinueContinue- discontinue CompleteComplete- incomplete ComposeCompose- decompose MoralMoral- amoral ColorColor- colorless

/ / / /

Homophone
It refers to two words that sound the same , but differ in their meaning.

EyeEye- I BuyBuy- by FourFour- for MeatMeat- meet KnowKnow- no RightRight- write SaleSale- sail

ProfitProfit- prophet PreyPrey- pray PiecePiece- peace SeeSee- sea KnightKnight- night PlainPlain- plane SoleSole- soul SomeSome- sum Son sun None non

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http://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/ http://www.angelfire.com/tx4/lisan/fiqhlughah/pol ysemy.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semantics /http://www.homophone.com http://www.bifroest.demon.co.uk/misc/homophon es-list.html http://www.thefreedictionary.com/antonym http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyponymy http://www.usingenglish.com/glossary/polysemy.h tml Semantics by F.R Palmer Semantics