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Semantics and Language
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Teaching

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by : Aksendro Maximilian

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A. The Notion of Semantic

In order for language fulfill its communicative function, utterances must

also convey a message or content; they must have content. We call this message or

content the utterance’s meaning.

Semantics is study of meaning in human language (O’Grady, et al,

1997:245). Semantic has been one of the most neglected areas in linguistics,

because many serious difficulties arise in discussing semantics. Shortly, Semantic

is study of meaning.

Consulting the dictionaries, Alwasilah (1987) gave the meaning of meaning

as: 1) Meaning is the thing that is conveyed especially by language, 2) Meaning is

the thing one intends to convey especially by language, significantly quality;

especially implication of a hidden or special significance, 3) Meaning is the logical

connotation of a word or phrase.

B. Semantic Areas

1. Semantic Relation among Words

a) Synonym

Synonyms are words or expressions that have the same meanings in

some or all contexts. For examples:

 Automobile = Car

 Big = Large

 Purchase = Buy, and etc.

b) Antonym
 Antonyms are words or phrases that are opposites with respect to some

components of their meaning. For example:

 Dark >< Light

 Boy >< Girl

 Up >< Down, and etc.

c) Polysemy and Homophony

Polysemy occurs when a word has two or more related meanings. For

example:

 Bright = shining, intelligent;

 A deposit = minerals in the earth, money in the bank, etc.

Homophony exists where a single word form has two or more entirely

distinct meanings. It is assumed that there are two (or more) separate words

with the same pronunciation with different meanings. Some homophones in

English:

 Bank = “ a financial institution”, ‘ a small cliff at the edge of the

river”

 Club = “ a social organization”, “ a blunt weapon”, and etc.

d) Hyponymy

It is the inclusion I the domain of another word. The inclusion

relationship is paradigmatic. For example:

 Dog is a hyponym of animal.

 Red is a hyponym of color, and etc.

e) Idioms
 Idioms are succession of words whose meaning must be learnt as a

whole. For example:

 To put on = to wear ; To give up = to surrender, and etc.

f) Collocations

Collocations are related sets of group words which has equal usage used in

particular function of language. For example:

 war, guarded, army, soldier, weapon;

 seminar, professor, book, theme, conclusion;

 study, data, analysis, theory, science, and etc.

2. Semantic Relation Involving Sentence

a) Paraphrase

Two sentences that can have the same meaning are said to be paraphrase

of each other. For example;

1) The teacher punished the students.

2) The students were punished by the teacher

 Those 2 sentences has similar meaning: If it is true that

the teacher punished the students, it is also true that the students

were punished by the teacher, BUT;

 There are subtle differences in emphasis between those 2

sentences. Sentence 1) merely talked about ‘what the teacher did’,

and sentence 2) is about ‘what happened to the students’.

b) Entailment

A relation in which the truth of one sentence necessarily implies the truth

of another is called entailment. Entailment can mean the truth of one

 sentence implies the truth of another BUT the reverse does not follow. For

example:

1) The house is red.

2) The house is not white.

 If it is true that the house is red, then it is also true that the house

is not white. However the reverse does not follow, even if we

know that the house is not white, we cannot conclude that the

house is red, it can be green, brown and etc.

c) Contradiction

Sometimes, it turns out that if one sentence is truth, then another

sentence must be false. When the truth of one sentence entails the falsity of

another, we say there is a contradiction. For example:

1) Vera is an only child

2) Olga is Vera’s sister

 If it is true that Vera is an only child, then it cannot be true that

Vera has a sister.

C. The Application of Semantics in Language Teaching

1. Semantics in Teaching Vocabulary

Vocabulary is the component of language that should be taught and

mastered by the students. In teaching vocabulary, English teacher should be able

to develop students’ understanding in vocabulary, in order that they are able to

use and understand in creating sentence and interpreting things. According to

Richard and Renandya (2002: 256) “Learner need to be taught strategy for
interfering words from context as well as those which can help learner retain the

meaning of words they have encountered”. From this explanation, it can be

concluded that teaching vocabulary is emphasized on the meaning of word. It is

important for the leaner when they conduct communication whether spoken

language or written language, because the students have to understand the word

meaning in interpreting the message or information conveyed. Therefore, it is

important for the teacher to teach vocabulary and its meaning.

Realizing meaning of vocabulary is related to the semantics, because

semantics is the study of word meaning. This main idea is according to Kearns

(2000:1) “Semantics deal with the literal meaning of words and the meaning of

the way they are combined”. This explanation makes clear that teaching

vocabulary is related to the semantic, in order that the students understand well

the meaning of word or vocabulary itself lexically and grammatically.

Therefore, it will be better if the teacher uses the kinds of meaning in semantics

theories for teaching vocabulary, such as the lexical meaning, grammatical

meaning, connotations and synonym. Those will help students in understanding

the meaning of vocabulary.

In understanding the meaning of vocabulary, there is a traditional method

which can be used to teach vocabulary and its meaning. Richards and Rogers

(1999: 10) explain that Direct Method is the language teaching method in which

one of the goals is to emphasize on the target language vocabulary. Furthermore,

they also explain that teaching vocabulary can be taught through demonstration,

objects, and pictures; abstract vocabulary was taught by association of ideas. In

this case, it can be analyzed that by association of ideas is the base theory of
semantic in interpreting the meaning of vocabulary or word.

In interpreting and understanding between the meaning of vocabulary

and semantics theory, there is a theory called by Semantic Triangle (Richard and

Ogden, in Frawley 1992:7). It is an indirect view of word meaning in the

conceptual position. Showed by Richard and Ogden’s (in Frawley, 1992:7)

definition of meaning is presented by a semantic triangle. A relation between

symbols (word) and referent (an object) are mediated by concepts to understand

the word meaning.

Thought

Symbol referent

Figure.1 Ogden and Richard’s semiotic triangle

( in Frawley, 1992:7)

The semantic triangle above is illustrated with the example as follows:

“Plane” it is the concept in minds. “what is

plane”

Plane is such kinds of air transportation

Figure.2 Relation between symbol, mental process or thought and

referent.

Based on the example above, it can be analyzed that a direct link between

meaning and linguistic forms, when teachers teach new words “plane”, by using
 objects or real thing, the students can describe them from the aspects of quality,

size, color, for the concept in the mind. Then, the students define into the

specific one as the referent “plane is such kinds of air transportation”.

In conclusion, semantic in teaching vocabulary has important role,

because semantics is deal with the literal meaning of words and the meaning of

the way they are combined. Furthermore, in applying semantics theory needs the

appropriate method in teaching vocabulary. Direct method is the language

teaching method emphasized on the vocabulary. This method uses the real

object, the symbol and picture to help students understanding the word meaning.

In this process of interpreting the word meaning is matched with the semantic

triangle theory in which this theory refers to the object which is conceptualized

in the mind and then defined into referent of object into the specific one in

focusing the meaning of vocabulary.

2. Semantics in Teaching Writing

Writing process has several steps including of planning, drafting, revising

and editing. Related to the writing process, the first step is planning. In planning

process, the writer makes the concept of the idea what the topic is, and the

selected vocabulary used. Certainly, the writer will deal with the vocabulary, in

order to write the coherent paragraph and cohesion for each sentence.

There are so many activities that can be done to help the students for

panning steps, especially about the vocabulary that the students write. One of the

activities is using semantic mapping. Richard (1994: 293) explains “Through

semantic mapping writer can easily overwhelmed by long string of ideas or

events…it is grouping the ideas in to meaningful cluster help learners provide

the some order to the chaos”. While Mathialagan (1990) “Semantic mapping is a

technique developed by Johnson & Pearson (1978). A semantic map is a graphic

arrangement of words and it shows how new words and ideas are related to each

other within a text. It is also an effective diagnostic tool”. From those

explanations, It means that semantic mapping is a technique which describes a

variety of word to show how key word or concept is related to one another

through graphic representations. The concept of mapping the word related to the

topic has the relationship with semantic triangle, in which the word concept in

semantic mapping is adopted from the semantic triangle. The concept refers to

the process in students’ mind for analyzing and identifying the word. For the

clear illustration, it is illustrated as follows:

Figure 3. An example of a semantic map by Fry 1987 (in Mathialagan,

1990:2)
When names of classes are grouped in semantics mapping by putting them in the

graphic brackets, the exact meaning depends on the context and the connective

between the names within the group. Relating with semantic triangle, example

above can be analyzed that “Transportation” is the linguistic symbol, and then

conceptually in the mind will appear several thinking which has broad

interpretation for many kinds of transformation. Transportation has more

specific group for each usage, such as land transportation, sea transportation, and

air transportation. Finally, the process of grouping the symbol of transportation

in the mind in to specific one is the reference process.

For further example, the word Person and Female (symbol), it means the

intersection of the Person class and the Female class (concept). In other words,

the set of all instances those are both of type Person and of type Female

(referent). Second example is "Bicycle” (symbol), it is a type of Vehicle, Sports

Equipment; the writer interpreted the statement as saying that Bicycle is a

subclass of Vehicle and Bicycle is a subclass of Sports Equipment (concept).

Therefore the statement is "Bicycle” is a type of Vehicle and Sports Equipment

(referent)

Applying the concept of semantic triangle in semantic mapping

technique can be used for teaching writing. Hogue (in Mathialagan, 1990)

explain steps of semantic mapping as below:

a. Write target topic on chalk board;

b. Have students brainstorm words related to topic;

c. Write/list the words by categories in the form of a map;

d. Have the students provide labels for each category (optional);

 e. Discuss the words on the semantic map;

For the conclusion that semantic mapping in teaching writing emphasize

on the vocabulary knowledge in the brainstorming of paragraph. When the

students lacks of vocabulary, semantic mapping can help the students to decide

the discussion based on the topic from the word given in the brainstorming. By

using graphic arrangement of words, it shows how new words and ideas are

related to each other within a text. It is effective for improving note taking and

creative thinking skills in writing. During in mapping activities, the learners are

instructed to make main idea in a text that will be described and its’ supporting

details via word semantic mapping, coordinates, super-ordinates, and synonym.

3. Semantics in Teaching Reading

Reading is the people activity in understanding and getting the

information from the text and other media. There are many definitions of

reading. According to Elizabeth (2003: 1) “Reading is about understanding

written texts. It is a complex activity that involves both perception and thought”.

Furthermore Brown (2001: 299) explains “Readers understand that what they

read because they are able to take the stimulus beyond its graphic

representation”. From both statements, it can be summed up that reading is the

skill that has to be mastered by the students. In reading skill is the physical act in

using word and by using certain media. It can be the letter, graphic, picture

through reading skill it can be understood the meaning and the purpose of the

word in the text.

Dealing with reading, which emphasize on getting the information

related with the meaning of the word in the text. In getting word meaning, reader
sometimes does not understand with the unfamiliar word in the text. Therefore,

in teaching reading is important to use the semantic theory for word meaning.

One of the activities is using semantic mapping. Semantic mapping: mind

mapping, idea mapping, word webbing, etc. is a term which describes a variety

of strategies designed to show how key word or concept are related to one

another through graphic representations. The theory of semantic mapping is

appropriate with the definition of reading. Brown (2001: 299) explains “Readers

understand that what they read because they are able to take the stimulus beyond

its graphic representation”. Based on the definition above, it can be connected

with the semantic triangle theory, in which the graphic representation helps the

reader understand the meaning of word.

The application of semantic mapping in teaching reading based on

Aprilianto (http://karya-ilmiah.um.ac.id/index.php/ disertasi/article/view/4919)

as follows:

1. Explaining the students to the specific goals of learning and leading the

students to the topic by showing pictures

2. Asking the students to make a group and discuss unfamiliar vocabularies;

3. Asking the students to find information related with the topic by

questioning the pictures;

4. Asking the students to map the information or write the information down

in the form of phrases in the circles of mapping

5. Explaining and asking the students to find and discuss unfamiliar

vocabulary meanings contextually in a group;

6. Asking the students to find important detailed information of a text by

questioning and put the information in the form of phrases into the circles

of mapping;

7. Asking the students to find and discuss the center of idea or topic in a

paragraph by classifying and categorizing with lines then write it into a

sentence as a main idea of paragraph;

8. Guiding the students to find other vocabulary meanings contextually,

important detailed information and main idea in the next paragraphs

9. Asking the students to find a topic of a text by identifying the information

in the form of phrases or words which frequently appear in the mapping as

a topic of the text;

10. Asking to the students to answer the reading comprehension questions

individually then discuss or compare in a group

 Bibliography

Alawasilah, Chaedar. 1987. Linguistik, Suatu Pengantar. Bandung: Angkasa

Brown, H Douglas. 2001.Teaching by Principles, An Interactive Approach to Language

Pedagogy, Second Edition. Edinburgh Gate, London: Longman.

Elizabeth et.al Teaching Reading. Accessed from

http://www.curtin.edu.au/ curtin/dept/smec/iae.

Frawley, William.1992. Linguistics Semantics. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum

Associates, Publisher.
Kearns, Kate. 2000, Semantics. England: Macmillan Press. LTD Mathialagan, Jana.
1990. Teaching Composition Writing through Semantic Mapping. The
English Teacher Vol XIX July 1990. Institute Technology MARA.
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O’Grady William, Michael Dobrovolsky, Mark Aronoff. 1907. Contemporary
Linguistics, an Introduction. New York: St. Martin’s Press
Richards,C, Jack. Renandya,A,Willy. 2002.Methdology in Language
Teaching, An Anthology of Current Practice. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press

Richards,C, Jack. Rodgers, S, Theodore. 1999.Approaches and

Methods in Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press

Robet Aprillianto. 2009. Using Semantic Mapping Technique to Improve Reading

Ability of IX - Grade of MTs Maarif Sukorejo - Pasuruan. (Thesis) Accessed
http://karya-ilmiah.um.ac.id/index.php/disertasi/article/view/4919.