bài giảng Semantics phần AN ANALYTIC, A SYNTHETIC, A CONTRADICTION, A NECESSARY CONDITION, A STEREOTYPE

1983 The definition deliberately excludes any influence of context or situation of utterance on the senses of expressions we will concentrate on properties of sentences , the propertie

Saigon University (SGU)

FOREIGN LANGUAGE DEPARTMENTS

SEMANTICS

SUBJECTS: AN ANALYTIC, A SYNTHETIC, A CONTRADICTION,

A NECESSARY CONDITION, A STEREOTYPE

GROUP 2:

TEACHER DIRECTORY

Problem statement

The kind of meaning we are talking about here is obviously the kind associated with words and sentences by the language

system, and not the speaker meaning (see Unit 1) specifically associated with utterances made by speakers on particular

occasions This kind of meaning we call sense

The sense of an expression is its indispensable hard core of meaning (Hurford, JR & Heasley, B 1983)

The definition deliberately excludes any influence of context or situation of utterance on the senses of expressions

we will concentrate on

properties of sentences , the properties of being analytic ,

of being synthetic , and of being contradictory

AN ANALYTIC 1

A SYNTHETIC 2

A CONTRADICTION 3

A NECESSARY CONDITION

4

CONTENT

3

1: AN ANALYTIC

Definition: An analytic sentence is one that is necessarily TRUE, as a result of the senses of the words in it (Hurford and Heasley, 1983:91)

words in it

Take a look at the examples below Make Google view image button visible again

1 AN ANALYTIC

EXAMPLE:

The Truth of the sentence follows from the senses of elephant and animal Elephants

• Then, none will hesitate that lions are animals It is because lions are lived things which can move from one spot to another spot and produce roar and growl sound Then it is deliberately clear that lions are animals  

1 AN ANALYTIC

1: Label the following sentence either T for true, F for false, or D for don’t know, as appropriate

Practice

Sentences (a), (b), (e), (f) are analytic, sentences (c), (d), (g), (h) are ???

Sentences (c), (d) Actually we, the authors, don’t know the answers for these sentences,

(g), (h) We don’t know the answers for these, either

?

(Kempson, 1977: 26)

Synthetic sentence is one which is not analytic, but may be either true or false, depending on the way the world is (Hurford and Heasley, 1983:91)

EXAMPLE:

Nick is from England

There is nothing in the senses of Nick or England or from which makes this

necessarily true or false.

2 A Synthetic

She is beautiful

Synthetic sentences can be sometimes true, sometimes false, depending on the

circumstances (hoàn cảnh).

• Practice

Here are some more sentences Circle A for analytic, or S for synthetic, as appropriate For some, you will have to imagine relevant situations

Feedback (1) S (2) A (3) A (4) S (5) S (6) S

2 A Synthetic

3 A CONTRADICTION

Definition: A CONTRADICTION is a sentence that is necessarily FALSE, as a result of the senses of the words in it Thus a

contradiction is in a way the opposite of an analytic sentence

Example:

This animal is a vegetable is a contradiction.

This must be false because of the senses of animal and vegetable.

Jellyfish are plants

Data Analysis 1: Identify each of the following sentences as analytic, synthetic or contradictory For some you will have to

imagine relevant situations

Feedback (1) C (2) A (3) S (4) S (5) A (6) C

3 A CONTRADICTION

ANALYTIC SYNTHETIC CONTRADICTION

Definition necessarily TRUE but may be either true or false necessarily FALSE

Example All elephants are animals She is beautiful This animal is a vegetable

Analytic sentences are always true (necessarily so, by virtue of the senses of the words in them)

depending on the way the world is.

Summary

Circle the following sentences A for analytic , S for synthetic or C for contradiction , as appropriate

1. John’s nine-year-old brother is a boy A / S / C

2. John’s brother is nine years old A / S / C

3. Cats are not vegetables A / S / C

4. No cats like to bathe A / S / C

5. Cats never live more than 20 years A / S / C

6. My watch is slow A / S / C

7. My watch is a device for telling the time A / S / C

8. That girl is her own mother’s mother A / S / C

9. That boy is his own father’s son A / S / C

11.Some typewriters are dusty A / S / C

12 If it breaks, it breaks A / S / C

13 John killed Bill, who remained alive for many years after A / S / C

14.Bachelors cannot form lasting relationships A / S / C

15.Bachelors are lonely A / S / C

1 A; 2 S; 3 A; 4 S; 5 S; 6 S; 7 A; 8 C; 9 A; 10 S; 11 S; 12 A; 13 C; 14 S; 15 S

4 A STEREOTYPE

Definition: The STEREOTYPE of predicate is a list of the TYPICAL characteristics or features of thing to which the predicate may

be applied

The stereotype of cat would be something like:

Quadruped, domesticated, either black, or while, or grey, or tortoise – shell, or marmalade in colour, or some combination of these colours, adult specimens about 50 cm long from nose to tip of tail, furry, with sharp retractable claws, etc

Example

1) Suggest four characteristics which should be include in the stereotype of the the predicate elephant:

A trunk, two tusks, two big ears, adult specimens weighing several tons

(2) Give two characteristics which should be included in the stereotype of mother:

Take care of her young, protect her young

(3) Give four characteristics which should be included in the stereotype of building:

Containing upward of three or four rooms, built of a durable material, such as concrete, wood, stone, with a roof, doors, and windows, used regularly by human being…

4 A STEREOTYPE

Reference