Semantics

BASIC CONCEPTS I 37
EXERCISES
1. Fill in the chart below with + or - as appropriate. Thus, for example,
if it makes sense to think of a proposition being expressed in a particular
regional accent, put + in the appropriate box; if not, put – (Hurford
and Heasley, 1983: 22).
Utterances Sentences Propositions
Can be loud or quiet
Can be grammatical or not
Can be true or false
In a particular regional accent
In a particular language
2. Can the same proposition be expressed by different sentences? (Hurford
and Heasley, 1983: 23).
3. Can the same sentence be realized by different utterances? (Hurford
and Heasley, 1983: 23).
4. The words mean, meaning, and related ones are used in a variety of
ways. In the following examples, say whether what is intended is sense
or reference.
a) Postpone has the same meaning as put off.
b) When he said ‘my brother’, he meant John
c) If you go to the disco, you will see who I mean.
d) What do you mean, you’ve been ‘fooling’ me?
5. Distinguish at least two senses of the following words. Provide two
examples of items (either individuals or objects) which fall within the
denotation of each word sense and give an example in which they are
the intended referent.
a) eye.
b) foot.
c) head
6. Answer these questions:
a) Is a man in John attacked a man a referring expression?
b) Is a man in John is a man a referring expression?