Semantics
Homework
Ex 1, 2, 5-8, 10, 11
Exercise 1-1
The referents of pronouns
• Which words are shifting referents
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
I am going to eat lunch.
You look nice today.
He was late for class.
We are busy tonight.
They have a new car.
Exercise 1-2
• Add a sentence to make the referent
clear.
a. My name is Nathalie. I am going to
eat lunch.
b. I love you, my wonderful husband.
You look nice today.
Exercise 1-2
• Add a sentence to make the referent
clear.
d. Fred hasn’t changed. He was late for
class.
e. My husband and I do ministry on
Thursdays. We are busy tonight.
f. I am so happy for Christian and Nathalie.
They have a new car
Exercise 2-1
The Semantic Properties of Words
• What are the semantic properties of
the words:
a. Woman - girl = human, female
b. Mother – Father = human, parent
c. Sister – Brother = Human, Child,
Sibling
Exercise 2-1
The Semantic Properties of Words
• What are the semantic properties of
the words:
d. Car – Bicycle – motorcycle – bus –
Truck = Vehicle, Mode of
transportation
e. Cat, Dog, Goldfish, Parakeet, Hamster
= Animal, Domestic animal
Exercise 2-2
• Write a chart using the + and –
system to show the semantic
properties of each set of words in a
through e.
Please see answer key at the back of
the textbook.
Exercise 5
Hyponyms
1. Sedan, coupe, hathback, convertible,
SUV, minivan = hyponyms of the words
CAR
2. Daisy, primrose, carnation, rose =
hyponyms of the words FLOWER
3. Hammer, screwdriver, drill, pliers =
hyponyms of the words TOOL
Exercise 5
Hyponyms
4. Hyponyms of the word APPLIANCE =
stove, fridge, freezer, etc.
5. Hyponyms of the word FRUIT =
strawberry, apple, orange, etc.
6. Hyponyms of the word FURNITURE =
sofa, bed, coffee table, etc.
Exercise 6-1
Synonyms
• Explain the difference between each
synonym:
a. Student = one who is learning
b. Pupil = one who is under the tutelage of a
famous instructor
c. Carry = to move while supporting
d. Tote = to carry by hand : bear on the
person
Exercise 6-1
• Explain the difference between each
synonym:
e. Backpack = a load carried on the back
f. Knapsack = a bag (as of canvas or nylon)
strapped on the back and used for carrying
supplies or personal belongings
g. Day pack = A rather small, lightweight
backpack for carrying articles such as
books.
Exercise 6-2
• Explain the difference between each synonym:
a. Child = a young person especially between
infancy and youth
b. Kid = a young person; often used as a
generalized reference to one especially younger
or less experienced
c. Slept = to rest in a state of sleep
d. Napped = to sleep briefly especially during the
day
Exercise 6-2
• Explain the difference between each synonym:
e. Deeply = characterized by profundity of feeling
or quality
f. Soundly = deep and undisturbed
g. Bed = piece of furniture on or in which to lie and
sleep
h. Cot = a small usually collapsible bed often of
fabric stretched on a frame
Exercise 7-1
Homonyms
• Other homonym pairs:
a. Bear (animal) and bear (carry)
b. lean (thin) and lean (rest against)
c. lap (to drink with tongue) and lap (a
circuit)
d. miss (unmarried woman) and miss (to
overlook)
Exercise 7-1
Homonyms
Homophones:
a. arc - curve
ark – Noah’s boat
b. ate – chewed up and swallowed
eight – number after seven
c. bare - uncovered
bear – grizzly animal
d. cent – penny coin
sent – did send
Exercise 7-2
• Make a pun using homonyms:
–I missed out on Miss Out 
–I miss Miss Mismark.
Exercise 7-3
• Explain how homonyms are
different from polysemous words.
i. Homonyms: unrelated meaning
ii. Polysemous: related meaning
Exercise 8-1
Antonyms
• What kind of antonyms are these:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
True/False: Gradable / Relational
Bright/Dark: Gradable
Over/Under: Relational
Married/Single: Relational
Doctor/Patient: Relational
Stop/Go: Relational
Tall/Short: Gradable
Buy/Sell: Relational
Exercise 8-2
• Make up a complementary pair using
each of the following prefixes:
a. Un- : Washable / Un-washable
b. Non- : Existent / Nonexistent
c. In- : Curable / Incurable
Exercise 8-3
• What larger set do gradable
antonyms belong to?
–ADJECTIVES
Exercise 8-4
• Write sentences to show the symmetry
of relational antonyms:
a. The doctor saw the patient.
b. They bought the house that was being
sold.
Exercise 8-5
• Using the suffixes “-er” and “-ee” make
up relational antonyms:
a. Farmer & Farmee: The farmer tended to
the farmees.
b. Dresser & Dressee: The dresser clothes the
dressee.
Pragmatics
Homework
Exercise 10 - 1
• Explain the social meaning of each of the
following utterances.
a. Howdy, Ma’am!  speaker from Sothern
US
b. And like this guy, like he’s so like cute. 
speaker is a young girl/teen/young adult
c. Way cool!  speaker is a hippie
Exercise 10 - 1
• Explain the social meaning of each of the
following utterances.
d. Chill out, dude.  speaker is uneducated
e. In my day, we didn’t do things like that. 
speaker is an older person
f. So, he walks into the cube farm and tells
me that I am uninstalled.  speaker is a
trechy
Exercise 10 - 2
• Write three pairs of sentences that have the
same referential meaning but different
affective meanings.
a. I met the Prime Minister.
b. I encountered the honorable Stephen Harper
c. I bumped into our national leader.
Exercise 10 - 3
• “Yea, right.”
“Right” has a sarcastic connotation to it, meaning
“as if” or “I don’t think so”.
“Yea” can also be used with a sarcastic connotation,
meaning the same thing.
The meaning/sense is determined by the context
and way of saying it.
Exercise 11
1. Apologizing: I’m sorry
2. Firing: You’re fired!
3. Hiring: You’re hired!
4. Daring: I dare you to …
Exercise 11
5. Challenging: I challenge you to … /
Bet you can’t …
6. Promising: I promise to …
7. Telling: I’m telling you that …
8. Requesting: Could you please give
me …