Understanding Semantics: Reference and Sense Explained

 
Quick Quiz (A score of less than 5 indicates you should Review unit 2)
Number your paper 1-6
 
In talking of sense:
 
In talking of reference:
 
relationships inside the
language
Sense will be explored more
later
 
relationships between
language and the world
a speaker indicates which
things in the world
(including persons) are being
talked about.
"
My son
 is in 
the beech tree
"
    identifies 
 
    identifies
      person  
 
       thing
 
The Referent VS the Reference
 
The 
referent 
is the actual thing in the world
The 
reference
 is the language expression that refers to that
thing in the world
Before answering these questions you should carry out the
following simple instruction:
* touch your left ear. *
1. Write down the last three words in the above instruction.
2. Is the thing you touched a part of the world or a part of the
language?
3. Is your answer to 1. a part of the language?
4. If you say to your mother "There's a wasp on your left ear"
does "your left ear" here refer to the thing you touched in
response to a previous question?
 
Variable Reference
 
Your left ear is the referent of the phrase 
your left ear:
reference is a relationship between parts of a language and
things outside the language (in the world).
The same expression can, in some cases, be used to refer to
different things. There are as many potential referents for
the phrase 
your left ear 
as there are people in the world
with left ears.
Likewise there are as many potential referents for the
phrase 
this page 
as there are pages in the world.
Thus some (in fact very many) expressions in a language
can have variable reference.
 
Variable Reference (Continued)
 
Same expressions – different referents
(1) What would be the referent of the phrase 
the present Prime Minister
 
used in Britain:"
     (a) in 1982?
   
_
     (b)in 1944?
(2) Therefore we can say that the phrase 
the present Prime Minister 
has
________________.
(3) What would be the referent of the phrase 
the Prime Minister 
used in a
conversation about:
(a) British politics in 1982
 
_
(b) In 1944
(4) In the light of the preceding questions, does the reference of an
expression vary according to (a) the circumstances (time, place, etc.) in
which the expression is used, or (b) the topic of the conversation in
which the expression is used, or (c) both (a) and (b)? Circle your choice.
 
Constant Reference
 
Never refers to different things
 Imagine two different everyday situations in which separate couples are
having separate conversations about what they refer to with the phrase
the moon. 
 
.
 
(1)Would they be talking about the same object (i.e. does 
the moon
normally have constant reference)?
(2)Does 
The People's Republic of China 
normally have constant reference?
(3)Does 
Angola 
normally have constant reference?
(4)Does 
Halley’s
 
Comet 
normally have constant reference?
 
In fact, there is very little constancy of reference in language. In every
day discourse almost all of the fixing of reference comes from the con-
text in which expressions are used. Two different expressions can have
the same referent. The classic example is 
the Morning Star 
and 
the
Evening Star, 
both of which normally refer to the planet Venus.
 
      
Two Different Expressions 
can have
the 
Same Referent
.
 
The classic example is 
the Morning Star 
and 
the
Evening Star, 
both of which normally refer to the planet
Venus.
(1) In a conversation about Britain in 1982 can 
the Prime
Minister 
and 
the Leader of the Conservative Party 
have the
same referent?
(2) If we are talking about a situation in which John is
standing alone in the comer, can 
John 
have the same
referent as 
the person in the corner?
The president of the US and Michelle Obama’s husband
King Abdullah and …?
 
Unit 3
Practice 5-12
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Explore the concepts of reference and sense in semantics through examples and practice questions. Learn how language expressions refer to things in the world and understand the distinction between the referent and the reference. Delve into variable and constant reference with practical scenarios to grasp the nuances of language and communication.


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  1. Semantics Unit 3 Reference and Sense Practice 1-4

  2. Quick Quiz (A score of less than 5 indicates you should Review unit 2) Number your paper 1-6 In talking of sense: In talking of reference: relationships inside the language Sense will be explored more later relationships between language and the world a speaker indicates which things in the world (including persons) are being talked about. "My son is in the beech tree" identifies person identifies thing

  3. The Referent VS the Reference The referent is the actual thing in the world The reference is the language expression that refers to that thing in the world Before answering these questions you should carry out the following simple instruction: * touch your left ear. * 1. Write down the last three words in the above instruction. 2. Is the thing you touched a part of the world or a part of the language? 3. Is your answer to 1. a part of the language? 4. If you say to your mother "There's a wasp on your left ear" does "your left ear" here refer to the thing you touched in response to a previous question?

  4. Variable Reference Your left ear is the referent of the phrase your left ear: reference is a relationship between parts of a language and things outside the language (in the world). The same expression can, in some cases, be used to refer to different things. There are as many potential referents for the phrase your left ear as there are people in the world with left ears. Likewise there are as many potential referents for the phrase this page as there are pages in the world. Thus some (in fact very many) expressions in a language can have variable reference.

  5. Variable Reference (Continued) Same expressions different referents (1) What would be the referent of the phrase the present Prime Minister used in Britain:" (a) in 1982? _ (b)in 1944? (2) Therefore we can say that the phrase the present Prime Minister has ________________. (3) What would be the referent of the phrase the Prime Minister used in a conversation about: (a) British politics in 1982 _ (b) In 1944 (4) In the light of the preceding questions, does the reference of an expression vary according to (a) the circumstances (time, place, etc.) in which the expression is used, or (b) the topic of the conversation in which the expression is used, or (c) both (a) and (b)? Circle your choice.

  6. Constant Reference Never refers to different things Imagine two different everyday situations in which separate couples are having separate conversations about what they refer to with the phrase the moon. . (1)Would they be talking about the same object (i.e. does the moon normally have constant reference)? (2)Does The People's Republic of China normally have constant reference? (3)Does Angola normally have constant reference? (4)Does Halley s Comet normally have constant reference? In fact, there is very little constancy of reference in language. In every day discourse almost all of the fixing of reference comes from the con- text in which expressions are used. Two different expressions can have the same referent. The classic example is the Morning Star and the Evening Star, both of which normally refer to the planet Venus.

  7. Two Different Expressions can have the Same Referent. The classic example is the Morning Star and the Evening Star, both of which normally refer to the planet Venus. (1) In a conversation about Britain in 1982 can the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Conservative Party have the same referent? (2) If we are talking about a situation in which John is standing alone in the comer, can John have the same referent as the person in the corner? The president of the US and Michelle Obama s husband King Abdullah and ?

  8. Unit 3 Practice 5-12

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