Semantics
Linguistics · 3 hrs Lecture
Offered: Fall Or Winter, Every Year
No prerequisites listed, you can take this course without prior coursework.
Where LING-2004 counts
Counts toward 2 more as one option among several, not as a course you must take:
Read from the departments' own calendar pages, where 71 of 141 programs are only partly machine-readable, so treat these as a minimum rather than the full list. Confirm with an academic advisor.
Description
Semantics is the branch of linguistics concerned with how we construct meaning using language. It is arguably the most diverse branch, situated between the highly formalizable "inner layers" of phonology, morphology and syntax and the fuzzier "outer layer" of pragmatics. Key ideas covered in the course include: the difference between sense and reference, the application of basic rules in formal logic, prototype theory, componential analysis, and cognitive semantics; how to identify thematic roles in sentences; the functions of noun classifiers, deictics, and adpositions in different languages; and, the nature of metaphors, metonyms and image schemas.
Restrictions
Students may not hold credit for this course and ANTH-2405 | ENGL-2806.
Cross-listed
From the 2026-27 undergraduate calendar. Always verify details on WebAdvisor or with an academic advisor before registering.