Semantics

In linguistics, semantics is the subfield that is devoted to the study of meaning, as inherent at the levels of words, phrases, sentences, and larger units of discourse (termed texts, or narratives). The study of semantics is also closely linked to the subjects of representation, reference and denotation.

The basic study of semantics is oriented to the examination of the meaning of signs, and the study of relations between different linguistic units and compounds: homonymy, synonymy, antonymy, hypernymy, hyponymy, meronymy, metonymy, holonymy, paronyms. A key concern is how meaning attaches to larger chunks of text, possibly as a result of the composition from smaller units of meaning.

Traditionally, semantics has included the study of sense and denotative reference, truth conditions, argument structure, thematic roles, discourse analysis, and the linkage of all of these to syntax.

The Difference Between Grammar and Syntax

Many people are very confused about grammar and syntax. I will tell you the difference.

Grammar is EVERY RULE of language.

Syntax is the ORDER of sentence.

Examples:

Grammar: present tense, past tense, future tense

Syntax: word choice, subject-verb agreement

If you want a longer explanation, you can go to this post. 

Syntax in Linguistics

Syntax is a branch of linguistics that focuses on grammar. According to Tallerman, "‘syntax’ means ‘sentence construction’: how words group together to make phrases and sentences" (1). It means that the study of syntax is to research into the rules and the function about making a phrase, a clause and a sentence with the words order. Syntax is sometimes said ‘grammar’ but it is too broad, in formal, syntax is only one part of the grammar (Tallerman 1).

The Term ‘Syntax’

Tallerman says,  "the term is also used to mean the study of the syntactic properties of language" (1). Studying syntax includes a constituent: the classification of words, words order, the structure, and the different on languages (Tallerman 1).

Grammatical Terms

When people study syntax, there are many grammatical terms in the text: Noun (N), Verb (V), Preposition (P), Determiner (D), Noun Phrase (NP), Verb Phrase (VP), Preposition Phrase (PP)…. Such terms are used to analyze the sentence and used in tree diagrams (Sobin 34). In addition, when their contents are explained, such terms are used: relative clauses, subject, nominative, subjunctive, passive….

Generalizing Syntactic Rules

Sentence is formed from NPs and VPs. However, they can be separated in small chunk (Sobin 51).

e.g.  S – NP, VP      My sister bought a pen→My sister(NP), bought a Pen(VP)

  NP – D, N        My sister→My(D), sister(N)

       VP – V, NP      bought a pen→bought(V), a pen(NP)

Phrase

Sentences are composed of some phrases. According to All About Linguistics, "There are several different types of the phrase that can be used in a sentence, but the two phrases which must be used in a sentence for it to make sense are a noun phrase and a verb phrase".

Noun Phrase  A noun phrase is composed of a noun. It is usually the person or thing that perform the verb in a sentence.  It may also be the person or thing that the verb is being done to in a sentence. A person acting a verb in a sentence is known as a subject (Aitchison 83), for example ‘Tom.’ Sometimes, a determiner is needed in a noun phrase, like ‘the car.’

Verb Phrase  On the other hand, a verb phrase is usually made up of one word “but not every sentence has basic verb phrase” (All About Linguistics: What is Syntax?) Sometimes, a verb phrase contains another noun phrase. This is a basic verb phrase.

Tree Diagram

The succussive layers of constituents can be shown most clearly on a tree diagram. The source of the name is that its blanches resemble the blanches of an upside-down tree (Aitchison 85). In the tree diagram, a basic sentence type at the top branches downwards in every-increasing complexity.

Cara Mengenali Diri Sendiri Melalui Twenty Statements Test (TST)

Hello Sahabat Kata!

Pernahkah Anda diminta untuk memperkenalkan diri melalui pertanyaan "Siapa Anda?", atau pertanyaan lain yang hampir sama? Jawaban seperti apa yang Anda berikan? Apakah memberitahukan nama lengkap? Menyebutkan profesi? Membanggakan gelar yang anda sandang? Atau, malah tidak tahu harus menyampaikan apa? 

Tentu saja Anda dan juga saya pernah mendapatkan pertanyaan seperti ini di lingkungan masyarakat, lingkungan sekolah, dan bahkan di lingkungan keluarga besar yang kita miliki. 

Pertanyaan singkat namun penuh manfaat. Melalui satu pertanyaan, orang-orang bisa menilai dan melihat kelebihan bahkan kekurangan yang kita miliki. Oleh karena itu, kita harus memberikan informasi yang tepat agar orang lain menilai baik diri kita.

Nah, agar anda lebih mudah memahami "Siapa Anda", maka saya menyarankan Anda untuk melakukan tes sederhana. Tes ini disebut dengan Twenty Statements Test (TST). TST ini mengharuskan anda membuat 20 pernyataan dimulai dengan kata "Saya" (I am) dalam waktu 5 menit.

"Nama saya Nofri Firdaus. Saya adalah mahasiswa jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris. Saya berusia 20 tahun. Saya anggota Pramuka dan telah menjadi intrukutur muda (pelatih pramuka) di salah satu Sekolah Menegah Pertama. Saya pernah mengikuti beberapa pelatihan kepemimpinan dan juga pernah mengikuti pelatihan relawan BPBD kabupaten. Saya seorang introvert. Saya selalu berpikir dahulu sebelum bertindak. Saya sangat suka membantu orang lain, terutama mengenai pembentukan sikap (perilaku kejiwaan). Saya berharap suatu saat nanti saya bisa membentuk sebuah lembaga sosial yang sangat berguna bagi masyarakat. Saya akan membuat orang-orang yang ada di sekeliling saya juga membantu orang banyak".

Di atas adalah hasil dari TST saya yang telah diubah menjadi sebuah pragraf.

Pada akhirnya setiap orang akan menilai diri Anda. Oleh karena itu, mengenal diri sendiri akan sangat memudahkan Anda dalam mendapatkan kesan positif di awal-awal perkenalan.


"The good life is a process, not a state of being.
It is a direction, not a destination", Carl Rogers.