Universität Wien
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120064 SE Linguistics Seminar / BA-Arbeit / MA historical & descriptive linguistics (2010W)

Semantics

11.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 12 - Anglistik
Continuous assessment of course work

Topic: Lexical semantics: synchronic and diachronic aspects

Early topics

1. The meaning of meaning: approaches to the definition of meaning
2. Lexical fields and lexical relations: principles of analysis (Coseriu, Lyons, Cruse)
4. The role of semantic features/lexical decomposition in semantic analysis and problems with this approach
5. Prototype semantics: an alternative?
6. Scenes and frame semantics: meaning vs. reference?
7. Approaches to antonymy and complementarity
8. The role of syntagmatic semantic relations (lexical solidarities) in the lexicon

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 18 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Tuesday 12.10. 10:00 - 12:00 Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
  • Tuesday 19.10. 10:00 - 12:00 Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
  • Tuesday 09.11. 10:00 - 12:00 Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
  • Tuesday 16.11. 10:00 - 12:00 Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
  • Tuesday 23.11. 10:00 - 12:00 Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
  • Tuesday 30.11. 10:00 - 12:00 Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
  • Tuesday 07.12. 10:00 - 12:00 Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
  • Tuesday 14.12. 10:00 - 12:00 Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
  • Tuesday 11.01. 10:00 - 12:00 Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
  • Tuesday 18.01. 10:00 - 12:00 Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
  • Tuesday 25.01. 10:00 - 12:00 Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

Lexical semantics deals with the description of lexical meanings on the basis of lexical relations present in sets like flower: tulip, rose, daffodil, violet… size: big, small; sex: male : female, etc., called lexical fields. It also investigates relations such as bite : tooth, kick : foot, kill : die, etc. (called lexical solidarities). and of semantic implications, e.g. If A killed B, B is dead. Moreover, such relations are also the basis of metaphorical expressions such as the cold is biting, the mouth of a river, etc.
Lexical meanings also change over time, as is amply documented in the OED. The historical part will be concerned with this aspect, investigate the various mechanisms (amelioration, pejoration), but especially the phenomenon of grammaticalisation, which turns a lexical item into a grammatical one, e.g. the modal auxiliaries or particles such as well, etc.

Assessment and permitted materials

Assessment: oral presentation of a paper in class (ca. 45 minutes), written version of the oral presentation (ca. 20 pages), active participation in the seminar discussions. Note that the language quality both of nthe oral presentation and the written paper will form an important part of the evaluation.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Familiarisations with the main semantic theories and their application to the description of synchronic and diachronic English data.

Examination topics

Oral presentation (ca. 45 min.), written paper (ca. 20 pages), class participation. Note that the

Reading list


The will be a selective biliogrphy aavailable on this page in September. As preparation for the seminar, the following should be considered mandatory reading:

Cruse, David Allan. 2000. Meaning in language. An introduction to semantics and pragmatics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Kastovsky, Dieter. 2002. Semantics and pragmatics. Lecture manuscript (available by request from: Dieter.Kastovsky@univie.ac.at)

Association in the course directory

Studium: Diplom 343, UF 344, BA 612, ME 812;
Code/Modul: 222, 226/228, 236/238, 721-723, 821, BA8, ME4;
Lehrinhalt: 12-0211

Last modified: Mo 07.09.2020 15:33