LECTURE 4

Semantic meaning, pragmatic

meaning
Figures of speech
A: Would you like to go out with me?
B: I have a lot of homework to do.
I have a lot of homework to do.
semantic meaning: the teacher gave me a lot of
assignments to do at home.

pragmatic meaning: I’m sorry. I’m very busy. I’m

afraid that I have to refuse your invitation.
Semantic meaning & pragmatic meaning

a. Semantic meaning: the meaning of a sentence out

of context / context-free.
It is the linguistic meaning of a sentence.

b. Pragmatic meaning: the meaning of an utterance

in a particular situation.
Pragmatic meaning is context-dependent.

Ex : Oh! It’s too noisy

=> semantic meaning: there is a lot of noise here.
=> pragmatic meaning: Please, keep silent!
Failure is the mother of success
Actions speak louder than words.
 MEANING

LINGUISTIC MEANING SPEAKER’S MEANING

LITERAL NON LITERAL

SIMILE

METAPHOR

METONYMY

SYNECDOCHE

PERSONIFICTION

IRONY

SACARSM

EUPHEMISM

HYBERBOLE
A figure of speech is
‘a word or phrase which is used for special effect,
and which doesn’t have its usual or literal
meaning’

(Richards. Platt & Weber. 1987: 105)

Types of figures of speech
Simile :direct / explicit comparison using
comparison words (like, as) or comparison
form.
something is like something else

Ex:
He eats like a tiger (he eats as much as a
tiger does.)
He is as poor as a church mouse (he is very
poor)
His hand was like the clasp of an iron gate
Metaphor: something is something else
Something is described by stating another thing (No
function words)
Love is a rose.
“Live” metaphors: considered as original metaphors
(the internet is an information superhighway.)
Implied or indirect comparison
A variety of figurative meanings
He is a pig (lazy, dirty, greedy, stupid, fat…)

“Dead” metaphors: incorporated into normal usage (I

am open to suggestions.)
 SIMILE METAPHOR
Explicit or direct Implicit or indirect
comparison comparison
WITH FUNCTION NO FUNCTION WORD
WORD

Ms Loan is as busy as a….

Mr Tam swims like a….

To give the cold shoulders.
He is a lion in the fight.
Fame is a bee
It has a song
It has a sting
Ah, too, it has a wing
“Dead” metaphors: incorporated into normal
usage (I am open to suggestions.)
Lost metaphoric characteristics
A dead metaphor has been so used and
overused that it has lost its power to
surprise, delight, or effectively compare
The leg/face of the table
The mouth of the river
The childhood of the earth
.
Metonymy: one entity stands for another
associated entity

The pen is mightier than the sword.

I’m studying Shakespeare.
The kettle is boiling
I read Nguyen Du
PRODUCER FOR PRODUCT
I’ll have a Honda
I want an APPLE

AUTHOR FOR WORKS

He likes Shakespeare.

 
PLACE FOR INSTITUTION (people who constitute that
institution)
The White House had no comment.
 
OBJECT USED FOR THE USER
  The gun he hired wanted fifty grand.
 
Container – Contained :
Very thirsty, he gulped down the whole
bottle (= water in the bottle)
As the teacher entered the room, the
whole class stand up (all the
students in the class)
Profession – Means
I live on my pen (= by writing)

Mike Tyson lives on his gloves (= by

boxing)
 Symbol - Reality
He tries his best to win her heart (= her
love)
He succeeded to the crown. (= the royal
office)
He has the tongue of king. (= the talent of
tasting food)
She has an ear for music. (= the talent for
learning, appreciating …
music)
Material – Object made of it
- All our glass is kept in the cupboard. (=
vessels and objects made of glass)
- You can get our gold in the upper
drawer. (= jewelry made of gold)
His purse would not allow him that luxury.
Sword and cross in hand, the European
conquerors fell upon the Americans.
Synecdoche
part whole relationship
using part of an object to represent the whole
All hands on deck!
Can I borrow your wheels?

1.. The farms were short of hands during the

harvest seasons.
2. Australia beat Canada at cricket.
Ex:+ Vietnam won the football match
(VN is used to refer to VN football team;
whole for part)
I don’t want you to come under my roof
(= my house) (part for whole)
This work requires an intelligent brain
(= person)
The war has robbed 2,000 souls of the village
(= people)
SYNECDOCHE: PART/WHOLE

METONYMY:SOMETHING
CONNECTED REFERS TO THE
WHOLE

THE CROWN A QUEEN

THE BENCH A JUDGE

Mercy falls like the gentle rain from the sky
into the earth.
Simile
Living without an aim is like sailing without
a compass.
Simile
Irony
Saying the opposite of one’s thought for emphasis,
for fun or mocking.

He is so kind that he let all the housework for me to

do. (he is not kind at all)

He is so intelligent that no examiner has agreed to

pass him so far.
(he is rather stupid. )
Sarcasm :
bitter irony; sneeringly ironical remarks to hurt
somebody’s feelings.

“The more I know about human beings, the more I

want to be an animal”
(Jungle Boy) (Human beings are worse than
animal!)

“ Oh yes, we know how clever you are!”

“Well, Mr. Know-it-all, What’s the answer this
tine?”
Personification
Endowing an inanimate object with human
qualities.
- The leaves are dancing in the morning wind. (=
moving)
- The waves tore the ship into pieces. (= destroyed
completely)
Hyperbole
overstatement or exaggeration

-I’m so hungry that I can swallow a cow

-(= extremely hungry)
I’ve invited millions of people to my party
(= a lot of)
I haven’t seen you for ages. (= a long time)
He almost died laughing.

On hearing that he is married to that girl, I

whispered to myself, “ He’s the luckiest man
in the world.”
… with her hoarse voice and her clumsy
limping walk and her grimy cotton dresses
that were always miles too long.
Euphemism
the use of pleasant, mild , comforting, or
indirect expression for one that is taboo,
negative, offensive or too direct.

Ex: - Could you tell me where the restroom

is? (= toilet)
- His father has just passed away (= died)
- Caught by a cold, he went to the fathers. (=
died)
The team’s center looked like a skyscraper.
Oh, my love has petals and sharp thorns
We were as quiet as frightened mice.