Semantics is the study of meaning. More specifically, semantics is the study of the meaning of linguistic units, words and sentences in particular.
The theory of meaning which relates the meaning of a word to the thing it refers to, or stands for, is known as the Referential Theory.
The naming theory 命名说
According to it, the linguistic forms or symbols or words used in a language are simply labels of the objects they stands for. So words are just names or labels for things.
It is also called the referential theory （指称论）.
Theory of the context of situation [ J. R. Firth (1890-1960) ]情景语境
①The relevant features of the participants, persons, personalities.②The relevant objects.③The effects of the verbal action.
The conceptualist view 概念理论
This view holds that there is no direct link between a linguistic form and what it refers to; rather, in the interpretation of meaning they are linked through the mediation of concepts in the mind.
It is also called ideational theory（观念论）
Contextualism语境J. R. Firth 费斯
The linguists hold that meaning should be studied in terms of situation, use, context—elements closely linked with language behavior.
Behaviorism行为主义
This theory, somewhat close to contextualism, is linked with psychological interest. This view of meaning proposed by Bloomfield is illustrated by his story about Jack and Jill.
According to Bloomfield, the meaning of a linguistic form should be viewed as “ the situation in which the speaker utters it, and the response which it calls forth in the hearer.”
The Definition of sense
Sense refers to the inherent meaning of the linguistic form; it is concerned only with intra-linguistic relations.
The definition of reference
Reference means what a linguistic form refers to in the real, physical world;
it deals with the relationship between the linguistic element and the non-linguistic world of experience.
What is culture?
Broadly speaking, it means the total way of life of people, including the patterns of belief, customs, objects, institutions, techniques, and language.
In a narrow sense, it refers to local or specific practice, beliefs or customs.
Anthropological study of linguistics: study of language in a sociocultural context.
Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis定义Our language helps mould our way of thinking and, consequently, different languages may probably express speakers’ unique ways of understanding the world.
Linguistic determinism: L may determine our thinking patterns.
Linguistic relativity: different languages offer people different ways of expressing the world around.
Sociolinguistics
The sub-field of linguistics that studies the relation between language and society, between the uses of language and the social structures in which the users of language live.
Variationist perspective: 变异视角
Variety 的定义People who claim to be users of the same language do not speak the language in the same manner.
Dialect定义Varieties (变体) related to the user are normally known as dialects
Register定义In linguistics, a register is a variety of a language used for a particular purpose or in a particular social setting.
1. Regional dialects are linguistic varieties used by people living in different regions.
2. Social-class dialect, or sociolect 社会方言, refers to the linguistic variety characteristic of a particular social class.
3.Idiolect 个人方言A personal dialect of an individual speaker that combines elements regarding regional, social, gender and age variations.
4. Ethnic dialect 种族方言A variety of language that is mainly spoken by a less privileged population that has experience some form of social isolation such as racial discrimination or segregation
5. Standard dialect:register的名词
Diglossia: Two distinct varieties of the same language are used, side by side, for two different sets of functions
Monolingual: Speakers of a single language control different varieties of that language.
Bilingual: People develop some ability in a second language.
High Context Culture:- Cultures that rely heavily on non-verbal and subtle situational cues in communication.
Low Context Culture:- Cultures that rely heavily on words to convey meaning in communication.
Definition of Pragmatics
The study of language in use.
The study of meaning in context.
The study of speakers’ meaning, utterance meaning,& contextual meaning.
Performatives: utterances which are used to perform acts, do not describe or report anything at all; the uttering of the sentence is the doing of an action; they cannot be said to be true or false.