Semantikstheorie

Semantikstheorie, or semantic theory, is a branch of linguistics that studies meaning in language. It aims to understand how words, phrases, sentences, and texts convey meaning and how this meaning is interpreted by speakers and listeners. Semantic theory encompasses various approaches, including formal semantics, conceptual semantics, and cognitive semantics. Formal semantics, influenced by logic and philosophy, uses mathematical tools to represent meaning, often focusing on truth conditions and logical structure. Conceptual semantics, developed by Ronald Langacker, views meaning as arising from conceptualization and cognitive structures, emphasizing the role of the mind in constructing meaning. Cognitive semantics, a broader field, explores how meaning is shaped by human cognitive processes, including metaphor, metonymy, and embodiment.

Key concepts within semantic theory include sense, reference, connotation, and denotation. Sense refers to the abstract meaning of a word or expression, while reference points to the actual entity in the world that the word or expression designates. Connotation involves the emotional or cultural associations attached to a word, often going beyond its literal meaning (denotation). Semantic theories also investigate how meaning is composed, examining how the meanings of individual words combine to create the meaning of larger units like sentences. This compositional aspect is crucial for understanding the productivity of language, allowing us to generate and understand an infinite number of novel sentences. Furthermore, semantic theory addresses issues such as ambiguity, vagueness, and the context-dependent nature of meaning, recognizing that the interpretation of language is rarely static.