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Meaning Meaning is the most difficult aspectis the most difficult aspect

of language to talk aboutof language to talk aboutR emember this conversation between HumptyR emember this conversation between HumptyDumpty and Alice?Dumpty and Alice?³ When I use a word, ³ Humpty Dumpty said, in a³ When I use a word, ³ Humpty Dumpty said, in a

rather scornful tone, µit means just what I choose itrather scornful tone, µit means just what I choose itto meanto mean- -neither more nor less.´neither more nor less.´³The question is, ³said Alice, ³whether you can³The question is, ³said Alice, ³whether you canmake words mean so many different things.´make words mean so many different things.´³The question is, ³ said Humpty Dumpty, ³ which is³The question is, ³ said Humpty Dumpty, ³ which isto be master. That¶s all.´to be master. That¶s all.´

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Us e entails choosing from among

available language forms and beingaware of the effect these choicesmight have on our audience in

specific contextFormForm MeaningMeaning UseUse

M orphologySyntaxPhonology

Semantics Pragmatics

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FormForm

Form refers to the way in which aForm refers to the way in which alanguage is given structure and shape inlanguage is given structure and shape in

writing or in speech.writing or in speech.We need to look at three interdependent We need to look at three interdependent areas: morphology, syntax, andareas: morphology, syntax, andphonology.phonology.

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M eaning

The study of meaning in language is known assemantics (Crystal, 1987: Leech, 1981;M cCarthy, 1990).The focus is mostly on meaning which isrelatively fixed and does not vary with context.We often invoke semantic questions ineveryday life, for example, when we ask, ³what¶s the meaning of salient?.

From this perspective, meaning is seen as alink between linguistics forms and conceptsheld in the mind.

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UseThe study of the use of language insociety and the myriad factors thatinfluence it is called pragmatics(Levinson, 1983; Thomas, 1995.)We use language for communicationpurposes. These communicativepurposes are influenced by the socio-cultural conventions of thecommunity we belong to.

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ConclusionConclusion

The three aspects of languageThe three aspects of language- -form, meaning, andform, meaning, anduseuse-- do not operate independently of one another.do not operate independently of one another.Language can only be used effectively for Language can only be used effectively for

communication if a person¶s pragmatic intention iscommunication if a person¶s pragmatic intention issupported by the ability to structure itsupported by the ability to structure itgrammatically, and semantically.grammatically, and semantically.In speech, the ability to produce sounds, stress,In speech, the ability to produce sounds, stress,

and intonation patterns of the language isand intonation patterns of the language isessential for the message to be intelligible to aessential for the message to be intelligible to alistener.listener.