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Semantics Practice Sheet
Introduction
Semantics is the study of meaning in language. It looks at how words and phrases are used and understood in different contexts. Semantics can help us understand how language works and how it is used in everyday life.
Basic Concepts
- What is the difference between a word's denotation and its connotation?
A word's denotation is its literal meaning, or the definition given in a dictionary. Its connotation is the implied meaning or the feelings associated with the word.
- What is the difference between syntax and semantics?
Syntax is the structure of a language, or the way words and phrases are combined to form sentences. Semantics is the meaning of words and phrases, or how they are understood in different contexts.
- What is an example of a homonym?
A homonym is a word that is spelled and pronounced the same as another word, but has a different meaning. An example of a homonym is the word bat,
which can mean a flying mammal or a piece of sports equipment.
Advanced Concepts
- What is a semantic ambiguity?
A semantic ambiguity is when a word or phrase has more than one possible meaning. For example, the phrase “I saw her duck” could mean that the person saw a duck, or it could mean that the person saw the person duck down.
- What is an example of a polyseme?
A polyseme is a word that has multiple related meanings. An example of a polyseme is the word “run.” It can mean to move quickly, to operate, or to manage.
- What is an example of a lexical ambiguity?
A lexical ambiguity is when a word or phrase can have multiple meanings depending on the context. An example of a lexical ambiguity is the word “bank.” It can mean a financial institution, the edge of a river, or a pile of something.
Practice Questions
- What is the denotation of the word
happy
?
The denotation of the word happy
is feeling or showing pleasure or contentment.
- What is an example of a homophone?
An example of a homophone is the words there,
their,
and they're.
- What is an example of a lexical ambiguity?
An example of a lexical ambiguity is the phrase I saw her duck.
It could mean that the person saw a duck, or it could mean that the person saw the person duck down.