Luận Văn A study on representational meaning in English

Khóa luận tốt nghiệp
Đề tài: A study on representational meaning in English


TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of contents . 1
Acknowledgements . 5
PART I : INTRODUCTION . 6
1 - Rationale . 6
2 -Aims of the study . 6
3 - Scope of the study . 7
4 - Method of the study . 7
5- Design of the study . 7
PART II: DEVELOPMENT 8
CHAPTER I : THEORETICAL BACKGROUND . 8
1- Semantics . 8
1.1 - Definition of semantics . 8
1.2 - Aproach of semantics 9
1.2.1 - Lexical semantics . 9
1.2.2 - Formal semantics 9
1.2.3 - Cognitive semantics . 10
1.3 - Semantic properties 11
1.4 - Scopes of semantics . 12
2
1.4.1 - Word meaning 12
1.4.1.1 - Forms and expressions 12
1.4.1.2 - Lexical and grammatical meaning revisited 13
1.4.1.3 - Components of word meaning 13
1.4.1.4 - Semantic field . 14
1.4.1.4.1 - Definition of semantics field . 14
1.4.1.4.2 - Ways of grouping word . 15
1.4.2 - Sentence meaning 15
1.4.2.1 - Definition of sentence meaning 15
1.4.2.2 - Proposition 16
1.4.2.2.1 - Definition of proposition 16
1.4.2.2.2 - Proposition content . 17
1.4.2.2.3 - Semantic role 18
1.4.2.2 3.1 - Definition of semantic role . 18
1.4.2.2 3.2 - Level of generality 18
1.4.2.2.3.3 - Common types of semantic roles . 19
1.4.3 – Utterance 19
1.4.3.1 – Definition of utterance . 19
1.4.3.2 - Types of utterances . 19
1.4.3.2.1 - Performative utterance 19
1.4.3.2.2 - Constative utterance 20
3
CHAPTER II: THE REPRESENTATIONAL MEANING IN ENGLISH . 21
1. - Representational meaning 21
2 - Functions of the representational meaning . 25
3 - Scopes of the representational meaning . 26
3.1- Processes 26
3.1.1 - Types of processes . 27
3.1.1.1 - Material processes . 27
3.1.1.1.1- Definition of material processes . 27
3.1.1.1.2 - Characteristics of material processes . 27
3.1.1.2 - Mental processes . 29
3.1.1.2.1- Definition of mental processes . 29
3.1.1.2.2 - Characteristics of mental processes 29
3.1.1.3 - Relational processes . 34
3.1.1.3.1. Definition of relational processes . 34
3.1.1.3.2 - Characteristics of relational processes . 34
3.1.1.3.2.1- Intensive – Attribute 36
3.1.1.3.2.2 – Intensive process: identifying . 37
3.1.1.3.2.3 - Circumstantial- Attribute 40
3.1.1.3.2.4 - Circumstantial – Identifying 42
3.1.1.3.2.5 - possesive – Attribute . 43
3.1.1.3.2.6 - Possessive – Identifying 44
3.1.1.4 - Behavioral processes 45
3.1.1.4.1 - Definition of behavioural processes . 45
3.1.1.4.2 - Characteristics of behavioural processes 46
3.1.1.5 - Verbal processes 48
4
3.1.1.5.1- Definition of verbal processes 48
3.1.1.5.2 - Characteristics of verbal processes 48
3.1.1.6 - Existential processes 51
3.1.1.6.1- Definition of existential processes 51
3.1.1.6.2 - Characteristic of existential processes . 51
3.2 - Participants 53
3.2.1 - Definition of participants . 53
3.2.2 - Characteristics of each type of participant with examples 54
3.2.3 - Other function of participants . 56
3.2.3.1- Benificiary . 58
3.2.3.2 – Range . 58
3.3 – Circumstances . 60
3.3.1- Definition of circumstances . 60
3.3.2 - Types of circumstances with their examples 61`
3.3.3 – Circumstantial in Halliday‟sview 61
CHAPTER III: IMPLICATION . 65
1 - The difficulties of the learners when using the representational meaning 65
2 - Suggested solution . 75
PART III : CONCLUSION 79
Giving the summary of the whole study . 79
REFERENCES 81


PART I: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale
In the process of learning English, I have profoundly realized that English
semantics is rather abstract with a large scope including word meaning,
sentence meaning, uterrance meaning. Each type of meaning includes many
different parts. For examples, sentence meaning has grammaticalitity,
acceptability and meaingfullness, the principle of compositionality, variables
in the function of sentence meaning, the representational meaning, the
interpersonal meaning. It is rather complex and not used regularly in the fact.
However, It is an essential part in syllabus for English major students. It
provides the major knowledge of English language for the learners and help
them deeply understand its characteristics and know the way to use it better
and better, so they need to study it well but in fact, it is not easy at all. The
learners have difficulties when using it. They spend much time on learning
it, but the understanding of its characteristics is limmited. For the reason, a
study on representational meaning – one of basic part of English semantics
has been chosen as the title of my graduation paper.
1. Aims of the study on the representational meaning
Generally speaking, the representational meaning is abstract part in English
semantics. It is not close to the fact. Therefore, the majority of learners
have difficulties when using it. They make mistakes when distinguishing
between types of the representational meaning. Therefore, this graduation
paper focuses on the representational meaning with its scopes and
characteristics to help learners well distinguish its types and use it flexibly
and exactly in studying.
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3. Scope of the study :
Semantics is large category in English language with its scopes such as word
meaning, sentence meaning uterrance meaning. However, due to my limited
knowledge, the writer only concentrate on the study on the representational
meaning. It is particularized at the 3 main kinds of the representational
meaning including processes, participants and circumstances with their
definitions and characteristics.
4. The method of the study :
With the desire of making English representational meaning clear and
specific, my methods of the study are data collection from having discussion
with supervisors, friends, reading materials ( text books, reference ) and
collecting typical examples.
5. Design of the study
This study provides a clear organization consisting of three main parts that
help an easy exploration and practical benefits gained for readers as well:
Part one is the introduction including rationale, scope of the study, aims of
the study, the method and design of the study; Part two is entiled
development and divided in to three chapters: Chapter I is the theoretical
background, chapter II is the representational meaning including definitions
and characteristics of its types and chapter III is implication including the
difficulties of the learners when using it and suggested sollution;
Part three is conclusion, summarizing what have been discussed in the
previous.


PART II : DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER I : THEORITICAL BACKGROUND
1. Semantics
1.1 - Definition of semantics:
There are many authors who define semantics Some of the most typical
definitions listed as follows:
Semantics is the systematic study of meaning in language. In other word, it
is the study of how language organizes and expresses meaning.
[ Nguyen Hoa, 2004]
Semantics deals with the literal meaning of words and the meaning of the
way they are combined, which taken together form the core of meaning or
the starting point from - which the whole meaning of a particular utterance is
constructed.
[Lyons (1995: Xii)]
Semantics is concerned with the meaning of non sentence such as phrases
and incomplete sentence just as much as with whole sentence.
[2;19]
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1.2 - The approaches of semantics:
There are 3 main approaches of semantics including lexical semantics,
formal semantics and cognitive semantics.
1.2.1 - Lexical semantics:
Lexical semantics is a field which deals mainly with word meaning and
relations between them. It covers various theories of the word structure, the
diffferences and similarities in lexical semantic structure between different
languages and relationship of word meaning to sentence meaning and
syntax.
[15;19]
1.2.2 - Formal semantics:
Formal semantics is called formal since it attempt to adapt analytical
techniques from formal logic to the study of meaning. It is concerned with
relation between expressions especially sentences which express propositions.
The basic tenet of formal semantics is that it considers proposition as the
meaning of the sentence,which is identified with the set of possible words and
it is concerned with its truth condition.
The main focus of formal semantics is on truth conditions, entailment,
reference, denotation, contracdition model, inference, quantification.


REFERENCES
A. ENGLISH
1. Hurford, James R., and Heasley, B ( 1983) Semantics a coursebook.
London and New york : CPU.
2. Jonh.S. (2003) Semantics.ST Martin‟s Press LLC.
3. William Frawley ( 1992). Linguistics semantics cambrige University press.
4. D.A Cruse ( 1997) Lexical Semantics Cambrige University press.
5. Goddard, C ( 1998). Semantic analynis. Newyork: OUP.
6. Kempso, R. M (1977). Semantic Theory. Cambrige: CPU.
7. Jackedoff, R (1983). Semantic structures. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
8. Ullmann, S (1962).Semantics. Oxford: Blackwell.
9. Kate Kearns ( 2002) Semantics ST Martin‟s press LLC.
10. Kreidler, C.W (1198). Introducing English semantics London : Rutledge.
11. Kats, Jerrold (1972). Semantic Theory, New York: Harper and Row.
12. Lewis, D (1972). General semantics. In Davidson & Harman, eds , .
13. Kats, Jerrold (1972). Semantic Theory, New York: Harper and Row.
14. Leehrer, A (1974 ). Semantic Fields and Lexical Structure, Amsterdam
and london: North Holland.
B. VIETNAMESE
15. Nguyen Hoa ( 2004) Understanding Semantics.Vietnam National
University.
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16. Vo Dai Quang ( 2003) Semantics Viet Nam National University.