unit 6, semantics - vnese

8/9/2019 Unit 6, Semantics - VNese

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SemanticsUNIT 6:PREDICATES, REFERRING EXPRESSIONS

AND UNIVERSE OF DISCOURSE

GROUP 4:

1. !"n# T$% Gian#

&. ' T$% Di(m )!"n#*. P$+m i N$i

4. N#-(n T/n San#

0. P$an N#c 23 T5n


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718 Sa 9$ic$ t$e ;;9in# sentences a5ee 9$ic$ a5e nt 7N8

(a) My parrot is holidaying in the South of France.

(b) Dr Kunastrokins is an ass.

(c) Tristram Shandy is a funny book.

(d) Our net guest is Dr Kunastrokins.

(N)

(N)

(E)

(N)

ENTRY TEST


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(!) "ircle the referring epressions in the

follo#ing sentences.

(a)$ am looking for any parrot that can

sing.

(b)%asil sa# a rat.

(c)These matches #ere made in

S#eden.(d)& dentist is a person #ho looks after

people's teeth.


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Introduction

Distinction and relationshipbet#een referring epressions andpredicates.

o# the same #ords can be used#ith different functions ofreference and predication

o# these t#o functions fittogether in the oerall languagesystem


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P5actice 1:

(1) Can the proper nameMohammedAliever be usedas the predicatorof asentence?

(2) In general, can propernames ever be used aspredicators?That man is an *instein(That man is similarto *instein)

predicate Referring

expression

+es , -o

+es , -o


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() "an the erb hiteer be used as a

referring epression/(0) "an the preposition oneer be

used as a referring epression/

(1) $n general2 can any erborprepositionbe used to refer/

3repositions and 4erbs are al#ays predicates and can neer

be used as referring epressions.

+es , -o

+es , -o

+es , -o

*amples5

() Marry hitTom. 67Hitcan't be a referring ep.(0) The cat is onthe desk.67 onis not a referring ep.


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CONCLUSION

? The distinction bet#een referring epressionsand predicates is absolute5

@ There are somephrases2 in particular indefinitenoun phrases2 that can be used in t#o #ays2 either

as referring expressions2 or as predicating

expressions.

? *amples5@ Tommy is a boy.@ Tommy hit a boy yesterday.


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This is me This is you & man & #oman

Thean

stole my

#allet888

$n this situation2 ho# #ould you

kno# the referent of the sub9ect

referring epression/

%y finding in the rooman ob9ect to #hich the

predicate contained in

the sub9ect referring

epression.


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PRACTICE3

In many situations it can, but notalways.


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PRACTICE3

Shestole mywallet YO

U

She

female


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Shestole mywallet

PRACTICE3

? 2 women in theroom

? No indication

She female

The re!erent o! She

co"ld not #e "ni$"el%identi&ed

YOU


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(1) Predicatesdo not refer.(2) Predicatescan be used by a

hearer when contained in themeaning of a referringepression, to indentify thereferent of that epression.

PRACTICE3


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PRACTICE'

T(E


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PRACTICE'

(1) !pea"ers refer to things in thecourse of utterancesby meansof referring expressions.

(2) #he words in a referringepression give clueswhichhelp the hearer to identify its

referent.($) Predicatesmay be

embedded in referring

epressions.


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PRACTICE*


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(!) $f in the situation described

aboe $ had said2 :& man stolemy #allet'2 #ould you

automatically kno# the referent

of the sub9ect epression a man/() So does the definite article2

the2 prompt the hearer to (try to)

identify the referent of a referringepression/

+es , -o

1%

+es , -o


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(0) Does the indefinite article2

a2 prompt the hearer to (try to)identify the referent of a

referring epression/

The presence of apredicate (:the' ;in the aboe;

mentioned eample)in a referring epression(:man') helpsthe hearer to identifythe referentof

a referring epression.

+es , -o

1&


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A +ENERIC ,ENTENCE -or characteri.ingsentence/ is a sentence in which some statement ismade about a wholeunrestricted class o!

indiid"als, in comparison with any particularindividual.In 'ietnamese, eneric !entence C0" 1hi $"t*+ The whale is a mammal (understood in the

most usual way) is a generic sentence. - That whale over there is a mammal is not ageneric sentence.-re the following generic sentences? (1) Gentlemen prefer blondes Yes / No

(2)Jasper is a twit Yes / No ($) The male of the species guards the eggs Yes /No ()A wasp makes its nest in a hole in a tree Yes /No

(/)A wasp just stung me on the neck Yes / No

PRACTICE


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? Catsare animals!? A catis an animal!

? The cathas been an integral partof civili"ation!

0ote that generic sentences can beintroduced by either a or the (orneither).


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#arrot

#aper-clip$ab%

*istent things

-n utterance - noneistent thing

*+

&nicorn

-n utterance - realthing in the

world

eference

3 a bird

3 a thing3 a person


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(1) 4o unicorns eist in the real world? Yes /

No(2) In which twoof the following contets are unicornsmostfre5uently mentioned? Circle your answer.

(a) in fairy stories

(b) in news broadcasts(c) in philosophical discussions about reference(d) in scienti6c tet boo"s

PRACTICE4


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($) Is it possible to imagine worlds di7erent in certainwaysfrom the world we "now actually to eist?

Yes / No

() In fairy tale and science 6ction worlds iseverything

di7erent from the world we "now?Yes / No

(/) In the ma8ority of fairy tales and science 6ction

stories thatyou "now, do the 6ctional characters discourse witheach otheraccording to the same principles that apply in reallife?

Yes / No


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PRACTICE5

-lthough we can let our imagination stretch tocases where the things in the world are di7erent,some e6pressions co"ld neer #e a re!erring

e6pression, such as the con8unction and' as well ashowever!

(1) President Ho Chi Minh Yes / No

(


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1. 4o you thin" the ietnamese national anthemrefersto a particular song? Yes / No

2. 4o you thin" one o.clock in the morning refers to aparticular time?Yes / No

$. 4o you thin" +0 million milesrefers to a particular

distance?Yes / No

REMEM7ER *ven though epressions li"e tomorrow' the

ietnamese national anthem' one o.clock in themorning, etc. do not indicate physical ob8ects, language

treats these epressions in a way eactly parallel toreferring epressions. #herefore, we can call themre!erring e6pressions.


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UNI9ER,E O) :I,COUR,E

)e1nition+ =e de6ne the&N23453 67 )25(6&453 for

any utterance as the particularworld, realor imaginary(orpart real, part imaginary), thatthe speaker assumes he istal"ing about at the time.


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38ample9

-n astronomy lecturer statesthat+ >The 3arth revolves aroundthe 5un.3 the real world


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I tell my children a bedtime story and say

:The dragon set 1re to the woods with his

hot breath9

38ample9

3 the ctitious

world


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3 l


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38ample9

Theist= >4iseases must serve somegood purpose, or od would notallow them.9Atheist= >I cannot accept yourpremisses.9


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>?@ A +ENERIC ,ENTENCE is a sentence in whichsome statement is made a#o"t @

-. an individual @. animalsC. human beings 4. a whole class of individuals

>2@ ;hich o! the !ollowing is generic sentenceB

-. -mericans li"e to eat apple pie.@. Ared li"es to buy Bis.C. - bird lays eggs.4. y pet 6nch 8ust laid an egg.

>3@ UNI9ER,E O) :I,COUR,E is de&ned as an%"tterance as the partic"lar world @-. real or imaginary @. unreal worldC. real world 4. o answers are correct.

RE9I,ION


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>'@ ;hich o! the !ollowing is NOT re!erringe6pressionB

-. eleven hundred @. Deter DanC. but for 4. -ll are correct.

>*@ ;hich o! the !ollowing is a case o! &ctitio"s

worldB-. other to child+ >ale6cent is a powerful fairy.9@. ewspaper on Eanuary $1st2F1/+ >'ietnam

Dhilippines commission meets on strategic partnership

establishment.9C. 4octor to patient9s family+ >:our son contracted arare tropical disease.G

4. Aather to daughter+ >4on9t touch the electric wires.:ou can be shoc"ed.G

RE9I,ION


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1. !pea"ers use referring epressions torefer to+Concrete or real entities-bstract or 6ctitious entities

2.#he predicates embedded in a referringepression help the hearer to identify itsreferent.

$. !emantics is not concerned with thefactual status of things in the world butwith meaning in language.

#h ti f i f di i

,UMMARY

unit 6, semantics - vnese

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