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

Saigon University (SGU) FOREIGN LANGUAGE DEPARTMENTS SEMANTICS SUBJECTS: AN ANALYTIC, A SYNTHETIC, A CONTRADICTION, A NECESSARY CONDITION, A STEREOTYPE TEACHER DIRECTORY GROUP 2: Problem statement Cats are animals The meaning of cat includes that of animal 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 we occasions This kind of meaning we call sense three will concentrate on important sense properties of sentences, the properties of being analytic, of being synthetic, and of The sense of an expression is its indispensable hard core of meaning (Hurford, JR & Heasley, B 1983) being contradictory The definition deliberately excludes any influence of context or situation of utterance on the senses of expressions CONTENT AN ANALYTIC A SYNTHETIC A CONTRADICTION A NECESSARY CONDITION A STEREOTYPE 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) It means that those belong to analytic sentences are absolute true sentences An analytic sentence, therefore, reflects a tacit (unspoken) agreement by speakers of the language about the senses of the words in it 1 AN ANALYTIC EXAMPLE: Analytic: All elephants are animals The Truth of the sentence follows from the senses of elephant and animal Take a look at Lions are animals the examples below Make Elephants Google Pigeons are birds Make view image button visible again • 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   • The same explanation also can explain why pigeon are birds Everyone has the same perception or concept about birds Bird is a creature with feathers, and wings, and usually able to fly Many agree that pigeon’s body is covered by feathers, and it also has two wings to help it flies from one place to another place .Thus, pigeon’s creature meets a requirement as a bird 1 AN ANALYTIC Practice 1: Label the following sentence either T for true, F for false, or D for don’t know, as appropriate (a) Cats are animals (b) Bachelors are unmarried (c) Cats never live more than 20 year (d) Bachelors cannot form lasting relationships (e) Cats are not vegetables (f) Bachelors are male (g) No cat likes to bathe (h) Bachelors are lonely (Kempson, 1977: 26) 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 ? A Synthetic 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 She is beautiful There is nothing in the senses of Nick or England or from which makes this Synthetic sentences can be sometimes true, sometimes false, depending on the necessarily true or false circumstances (hoàn cảnh) 2 A Synthetic • 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 (1) John’s brother is nine years old A/ S (2) John’s nine-year-old brother is a boy A/ S (3) Sam’s wife is married A/ S (4) Sam’s wife is not German A/ S (5) My watch is slow A/ S (6) My watch is a device for telling the time A/ S Feedback (1) S (2) A (3) A (4) S (5) S (6) S 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 Jellyfish are plants This must be false because of the senses of animal and vegetable  Giới (regnum)  Ngành (phylum)  Lớp (class) Animalia Cnidaria Cubozoa A CONTRADICTION Data Analysis 1: Identify each of the following sentences as analytic, synthetic or contradictory For some you will have to imagine relevant situations That girl is her own mother's mother A/S/C That boy is his own father's son A/S/C Alice is Ken's sister A/S/C Some typewriters are dusty A/S/C If it breaks, it breaks A/S/C John killed Bill, who remained alive for many years after A/S/C Feedback (1) C (2) A (3) S (4) S (5) A (6) C Summary 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 depending on the way the world is (necessarily so, by virtue of the senses of the words in them) result of the senses of the words in it result of the senses of the words in it Exercise: Circle the following sentences A for analytic , S for synthetic or C for contradiction , as appropriate 10 John’s nine-year-old brother is a boy A/ S / C John’s brother is nine years old A/ S / C Cats are not vegetables A/ S / C No cats like to bathe A/ S / C Cats never live more than 20 years A/ S / C My watch is slow A/ S / C My watch is a device for telling the time A/ S / C That girl is her own mother’s mother A/ S / C That boy is his own father’s son Alice is Ken’s sister A/ S / C A/S/C 11 Some typewriters are dusty 12 13 A/S /C If it breaks, it breaks John killed Bill, who remained alive for many years after A/S/C A/S/C 14 Bachelors cannot form lasting relationships 15 Bachelors are lonely A/ S / C A/ S / C A; S; A; S; S; S; A; C; A; 10 S; 11 S; 12 A; 13 C; 14 S; 15 S 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 Example 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 A STEREOTYPE Practice 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… Reference  Hurford, JR & Heasley, B 1983 Semantics: A coursebook London: Cambridge University Press  ... ANALYTIC EXAMPLE: Analytic: All elephants are animals The Truth of the sentence follows from the senses of elephant and animal Take a look at Lions are animals the examples below Make Elephants...Problem statement Cats are animals The meaning of cat includes that of animal The kind of meaning we are talking about here is obviously the kind associated with words and sentences by the language... a contradiction is in a way the opposite of an analytic sentence Example: This animal is a vegetable is a contradiction Jellyfish are plants This must be false because of the senses of animal