Theories of

Meaning
Roma Marian F. Guadana
GRES 205
Introduction to Semantics and Pragmatics
 Theories of Meaning

PLATONIST THEORIES
view meanings as abstract
relationships between expressions
existing independently of speakers,
hearers, and actual speech acts
-Goddard (1998)
 Theories of Meaning
Jerrold Katzs theory of meaning
(1981) from Goddard (1998)
meanings are abstract entities
exist outside the mind
not necessarily located within peoples
conscious experience
From Saeed(2009)
The relationship between is not arbitrary
it is also not unitary.
meaning is compositional
The way words are combined into
phrases and phrases into sentences
determines the meaning of the
sentences
 Lets look at these examples
pen
board
friend
Art visited Roms. Roms visted Art.
KRAs is very difficult to do.
LIS is very annoying to do.
 Theories of Meaning
STRUCTURALIST THEORIES
Ferdinand de Saussure
to understand the meaning of a word
we have to understand how it
functions together with and in contrast
to other related words
constituted by the totality of
relationships the word has with other
words -Goddard (1998)
 Ferdinand de Saussures theory of
meaning (1974) from Goddard (1998)
meaning of linguistic expressions
derives from two sources: the language
they are part of and the world they
describe
Words stand in a relationship, or our
mental classification of it
words also derive their value from
their position within the language
system
Reference and sense
Signifier and signified
-Saeed(2009)
 Lets look at these examples
chair
green/white
Joan saw Gjmae.
Gjmae bought chocolates.
 Theories of Meaning
The Semiotic Approach
Translational
The meaning of a linguistic
expression is regarded as a kind of
translation; that is, you give the
meaning of one expression by way of
a translation into another, more easily
understood expression.
-Goddard (2009)
 Charles Sanders Pierces Theory
something that relates to something
else for someone in some respect or
capacity (Merrell, 2001)
Icon- similarity between a sign and
what it represents
E.g. portrait and real-life subject
Index- where the sign is closely
associated with its signified
e.g. smoke is index of fire
Symbol- there is only a conventional
link between the sign and signified
e.g. mourning is symbolized by
wearing of black clothes
-Saeed(2009)