Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: Semantics |
SemanticsNoun1. The study of language meaning. Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
| Domain | Definitions |
Computing | Semantics |
Health | The relationships between symbols and their meanings. (references) |
Language | The relationships of characters or group of characters to their meanings, independant of the manner of their interpretation and use. Source: European Union. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
In general, Semantics (from the Greek semantikos, or "significant meaning," derived from "sema," sign) always refers to some kind of meaning (of something that is written) and is thus usually opposed to syntax, which refers to the formal way in which something is written.
Fields and subfields withinlinguistics. |
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1. Semantics is a subfield of linguistics that is traditionally defined as the study of meaning. One area of study is the meaning of compounds, another is the study of relations between different linguistic expressions (homonymy, synonymy, antonymy, polysemy, hypernymy, hyponymy). Semantics includes the study of thematic roles. Semantics deals with sense and reference, truth conditions and discourse analysis. Pragmatics is often considered a part of semantics.
See also: semantic property, semantic class, semantic feature, semantic progression
2. "Semantics" is also used as a term in mathematics and computer science. See denotational semantics.
3. Semantics is also a branch of formal logic, alongside Grammar, Proof Theory, and Applications. Semantics provides "interpretations" of formal languages, in the strict sense that an interpretation is a mapping of the atomic elements of a language (the simple sentences; or the simple terms, predicates, and operators) into a "domain of interpretation" (truth values, or objects, or numbers) so as way as to provide enough information to evaluate all the sentences in the language, or at least in the theory under question; and semantics provides the method for deriving these valuations of whole sentences, theories, etc., from the interpretations of their parts.
See also:
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Semantics."
| The following table is compiled from various sources, across various languages. When English abbreviations or acronyms come from a non-English source, this is noted. | |||
| Entry | Source | Expression | Field |
| SEMAGRAPH | English | The Semantics and pragmatics of generalised Graph rewriting | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |||
Crosswords: Semantics |
| English words defined with "semantics": Firth ♦ J. R. Firth, John Rupert Firth. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "semantics": abstract interpretation, axiomatic semantics ♦ Common Internet File System, Computational Adequacy Theorem, Concrete Data Structure, consistency checking, contradiction checking, COWSEL ♦ denotational semantics, Denotational Semantics Language, Document Style Semantics and Specification Language, domain theory, DSL, DSSSL ♦ Fortrash, FSL ♦ Grapes ♦ Hanlon's Razor ♦ integrity checking, interpersonal messaging protocol ♦ Kevo ♦ least fixed point ♦ MIB Variable, MLISP, My Favourite Toy Language ♦ object-oriented design, operational semantics, Ousterhout's dichotomy ♦ P2, partial function, POLYGOTH, PROgrammed Graph REwriting Systems ♦ relational algebra, restructuring ♦ SDL, standard interpretation, standard semantics ♦ TL/I, TLI, Transport Layer Interface ♦ Vienna Definition Language ♦ write-only language. (references) |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | Semantics. You say tomato (The Glimmer Man; writing credit: Kevin Brodbin) I'm offering you my body and you're offering me semantics. (Clerks; writing credit: Kevin Smith.) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title | ||
Books |
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Periodicals |
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Theater & Movies | |||
Music |
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| "Semantics" is generally used as a noun (singular) -- approximately 99.76% of the time. "Semantics" is used about 412 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Noun (singular) | 99.76% | 411 | 13,718 |
| Noun (plural) | 0.24% | 1 | 339,140 |
| Total | 100.00% | 412 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
Expressions using "semantics": argue about semantics ♦ axiomatic semantics ♦ denotational semantics ♦ denotational Semantics Language ♦ document Style Semantics and Specification Language ♦ General semantics ♦ operational semantics ♦ standard semantics. Additional references. | |
| Hypenated Usage | |
Ending with "semantics": truth-semantics. | |
Containing "semantics": Pragmatics-semantics-syntax. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Expression | Frequency per Day | Expression | Frequency per Day |
semantics | 93 | information semantics social | 3 |
general semantics | 14 | semantics syntax | 3 |
product semantics | 10 | english semantics | 3 |
applied semantics | 7 | circuit semantics | 2 |
definition semantics | 7 | define semantics | 2 |
introduction semantics | 6 | action semantics | 2 |
business semantics | 5 | lesson plan semantics | 2 |
publication semantics semanticstudios.com | 5 | lexical semantics | 2 |
ada english english language language language map mind natural processing semantics syntax | 4 | ill semantics | 2 |
neuro semantics | 3 | cognitive semantics | 2 |
pragmatics semantics | 3 | counterfactuals lewis semantics | 2 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Language | Translations for "semantics"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Albanian | semantikë. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arabic | علم دلالات الالفاظ. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bulgarian | семантика. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chinese | 语义学. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Czech | sémantika. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Danish | semantik (semantic). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dutch | semantiek, betekenisleer. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Esperanto | semantiko. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Farsi | معنی شناسی , علم معانی , علم لغات ومعانی . (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
French | sémantique (semantic, semasiology). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
German | Semantik. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Greek | σημαντική. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hebrew | סמ טיק". (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hungarian | szemantika, jelentéstan (semasiology). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Italian | semantica. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Kanji | 意味論 (the study of meaning), セックス"業 (cement, manufacturer of assembled products, savory, semantic, semaphore, semicolon, semiconductor, semi-double bed, seminar, semiprofessional, semi-tight skirt, sepia, session, set, set position, setting, setting lotion, setup, seven, Seven-Eleven, sex industry, shoulder length hair, three-quarter bed). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Katakana | いみろ" (the study of meaning), セマンティックス , セマンティクス . (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Korean | 의미 . (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Manx | semantaght. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pig Latin | emanticssay semântica (semantic). (various references) semanticã. (various references) семантика. (various references) semantika. (various references) semántica (semantic). (various references) semantik (semantic), betydelselära. (various references) สาขาวิชาหนึ่งทาง าษาศาสตร์ที่ว่า"้วยเรื่องของความหมาย. (various references) semantik, anlambilim. (various references) семантика. (various references) semanteg. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Misspellings | |
"Semantics" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: demantis, samantic, samantics, scemantic, seemanii, semactic, semamtic, semantc, Semantech, semantica, semantix, sematic, sematics, sementic, sementics, semiantic, semintic, semmantics, semntic, simantic, simantics, smantics, somantic, symantic, symantics. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "semantics" (pronounced suma"ntiks) |
| 7 | -m a" n t i k s | romantics. |
| 6 | -a" n t i k s | antics. |
| 5 | -n t i k s | orthodontics. |
| 4 | -t i k s | acoustics, acrobatics, aerobatics, aeronautics, aesthetics, analytics, anesthetics, antibiotics, asthmatics, astronautics, athletics, attics, automatics, ballistics, batiks, characteristics, charismatics, cosmetics, Criminalistics, critics, diabetics, diagnostics, diuretics, domestics, exotics, fanatics, genetics, geopolitics, gymnastics, hypnotics, informatics, kinetics, linguistics, logistics, Magnetics, mathematics, mystics, narcotics, numismatics, onomastics, optics, phonetics, plastics, prosthetics, robotics, semiotics, skeptics, statistics, synthetics, systematics, tactics, therapeutics, thermoplastics. |
| 3 | -i k s | academics, acrylics, aerobics, aerodynamics, affix, alcoholics, analgesics, anorexics, apparatchiks, appendix, astrophysics, atmospherics, avionics, basics, beatniks, bioethics, biologics, biophysics, bishoprics, calisthenics, Calix, calyx, catholics, ceramics, cervix, civics, classics, clerics, clinics, comics, conics, cynics, demographics, dynamics, eccentrics, econometrics, economics, electrics, electrodynamics, electronics, epics, epidemics, ergonomics, ethics, ethnics, eugenics, fabrics, forensics, generics, geometrics, geriatrics, gimmicks, graphics, harmonics, helix, hemodynamics, heroics, hieroglyphics, histrionics, hydraulics, hysterics, ionics, italics, kibbutzniks, limericks, lyrics, macroeconomics, matrix, mavericks, mechanics, medics, metaphysics, metrics, microeconomics, microelectronics, micrographics, mimics, mnemonics, mosaics, Nucleonics, obstetrics, onyx, oryx, panics, paramedics, Pediatrics, Phenix, Phoenix, phonics, photovoltaics, physics, polemics, prefix, psychics, publics, pyrotechnics, refuseniks, relics, reprographics, republics, sonics, specifics, sputniks, stoics, suffix, Technics, tectonics, theatrics, tonics, topics, toxics, tropics, workaholics. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "a-c-e-i-m-n-s-s-t" | |
-1 letter: amnesics, amnestic, casteism, cineasts, mantises, matiness, scanties, semantic. | |
-2 letters: acetins, amnesic, ascents, ascites, camises, caseins, cineast, cinemas, ectasis, entasis, etamins, incases, incests, inmates, inseams, insects, mastics, misacts, miscast, miseats, misseat, missent, nasties, nematic, samisen, samites, santims, secants, sematic, sestina, stamens, stances, tameins, tamises, tansies, tisanes. | |
-3 letters: acetin, actins, aments, amices, amines, anemic, animes. | |
| Words containing the letters "a-c-e-i-m-n-s-s-t" | |
+1 letter: encomiasts, mechanists, miscreants. | |
+2 letters: centralisms, cysteamines, lemniscates, macintoshes, myasthenics, semanticist. | |
+3 letters: chastisement, conservatism, cosmeticians, creationisms, mackintoshes, miscellanist, miscreations, romanticises, sanctimonies, sectarianism, sectionalism, semanticists, semimonastic, semioticians, unsystematic. | |
+4 letters: actinomycoses, amniocenteses, amniocentesis, anecdotalisms, anticonsumers, chastisements, circumstances, combativeness, compassionate, compensations, conservatisms, customariness, discriminates, displacements, emasculations, gastrocnemius, gemeinschafts, gynecomastias, idiomaticness, masculinities, mercantilisms, mercantilists, miscellanists, miseducations, misplacements, mistranscribe, neoplasticism, nonsystematic, sectarianisms, sectionalisms, somnifacients. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
Hexadecimal (or equivalents, 770AD-1900s) (references)53 65 6D 61 6E 74 69 63 73 |
| Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519; backwards) (references)
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| American Sign Language (origins from 1620-1817 in Italy and, especially, France) (references)
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| Semaphore (1791, in France) (references)
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| Braille (1829, in France) (references)
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Morse Code (1836) (references)... . -- .- -. - .. -.-. ... |
| Dancing Men (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, 1903) (references)
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Binary Code (1918-1938, probably earlier) (references)01010011 01100101 01101101 01100001 01101110 01110100 01101001 01100011 01110011 |
HTML Code (1990) (references)S e m a n t i c s |
ISO 10646 (1991-1993) (references)0053 0065 006D 0061 006E 0074 0069 0063 0073 |
| British Sign Language (Fingerspelling, BSL; 1992, British Deaf Association Dictionary of British Sign Language) (references)
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Encryption (beginner's substitution cypher): (references)537179678086756985 |
| 1. Definition 2. Crosswords 3. Usage: Modern 4. Usage: Commercial | 5. Usage Frequency 6. Expressions 7. Expressions: Internet 8. Translations: Modern | 9. Abbreviations 10. Acronyms 11. Derivations 12. Rhymes | 13. Anagrams 14. Orthography 15. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
