What Is Semantics?
At its core, semantics is the study of meaning. But meaning can be found in many places: in life, in art, in music. The focus here, however, is on the meaning found specifically in language.
The Meaning in Language
When we talk about meaning in language, it’s important to clarify what kind of language we mean. Are we studying meaning in English, Spanish, Arabic, or any other specific language? If we tried to analyze meaning in every individual language, it would be an endless task, and we wouldn’t be able to make the broad generalizations that linguistics seeks.
To address this, linguists distinguish between:
- language (with a small “l”): Refers to specific languages like English, Arabic, Spanish, etc.
- Language (with a capital “L”): Refers to the universal principles and systems that underlie all human languages.
The study of semantics is concerned with Language in the universal sense—what is true of meaning across all human languages.
Semantics as a Branch of Linguistics
Semantics is a branch of linguistics, the scientific study of human Language. To understand how semantics fits into linguistics, let’s break down a simple sentence:
Lily ate the apple.
This sentence is made up of words, which can be grouped into phrases. If we look even closer, words are made up of individual sounds. All these components work together to create language.
The Three Basic Components of Language
Language can be divided into three fundamental components:
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Sounds
- The individual sounds that make up words.
- Studied by phonetics and phonology.
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Form
- How sounds combine to form words, and how words combine to form phrases and sentences.
- Studied by morphology (words) and syntax (phrases, clauses, sentences).
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Meaning
- What words, phrases, and sentences mean.
- Studied by semantics (literal meaning) and pragmatics (meaning in context).
Components of Grammar
In linguistics, grammar refers to everything that makes a language function—not just rules about tenses or sentence structure. Grammar encompasses:
- Sounds and syllables (phonetics, phonology)
- Morphemes and words (morphology)
- Phrases, clauses, and sentences (syntax)
- Meaning (semantics, pragmatics)
All these elements are essential for a language to work.
The Importance of Meaning
Is meaning really necessary in language? Can we focus only on sound and form? Consider the sentence:
Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.
This sentence is grammatically correct, but it doesn’t make sense. This example highlights the crucial role of semantics: without meaning, language loses its communicative power. Understanding meaning is essential to understanding how language works.
Conclusion
Semantics is the study of meaning in human language. It is a vital part of linguistics, helping us understand not just how language is structured, but how it conveys meaning. By exploring semantics, we gain insight into one of the most fundamental aspects of human communication.
Reference:
Dr. Nimer Abusalim. "SEMANTICS-1: What is Semantics?" YouTube video, 18:19. September 18, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlRNrSajB-0