Semantics is Expressly Stated as the Science of Meaning
Semantics is expressly stated as the science of meaning, only in the 1990s with the emergence of Essai de semanticue from Breal, which was then followed by the work of Stern in the next period. However, before the birth of Stern's work, in Geneva published material, a collection of lectures from a language instructor, which determined the next linguistic development, namely Ferdinand de Saussure, entitled Cours de Linguistikue General. Saussure's view becomes a view of structuralism.
According to de Saussure's structuralism, language is a system consisting of interconnected elements and is the whole unified. This view is then used as a starting point for research, which strongly influences various fields of research, especially in Europe.
The semantic view then differs from the previous view, after de Saussure's work appeared. The different views include:
Historical views are becoming obsolete
Attention is being left to the structure in the vocabulary,
Semantics began to be influenced by stylistics
Focused semantic studies on specific languages (not common anymore)
The relationship between language and thought began to be studied, because language is a force that determines and directs the mind (attention to the development of this idea towards SapirWhorf, 1956, the mirror language of the nation).
Semantics has freed itself from philosophy, but that does not mean philosophy does not foster semantic development (note also the existence of philosophical semantics which is a branch of symbolic logic.
In 1923 the book The Meaning of Meaning appeared by Ogden & Richards which emphasized the relationship of three basic elements, namely the 'thought of reference' (thought) as an element that presents a certain meaning that has a significant relationship with the referent (reference). The mind has a direct relationship with the symbol (symbol). The symbol does not have a direct relationship with the symbol (symbol).
The symbol does not have an arbitrary relationship. With regard to meaning, semantic experts usually determine the fact that the meaning of the word meaning (noun) from to mean (verb) contains a lot of different meanings. Leech (1974) states that semantic experts often improperly think of 'the meaning of meaning' required for the introduction of semantic studies.
They actually tend to explain semantics in relation to other sciences; the experts themselves are still debating that the meaning of language cannot be understood or cannot be developed except in the nonlinguistic meaning.
Semantic Relations with other Social Sciences
Unlike the level of analysis of other languages, semantics is a branch of linguistic science that has a relationship with social science, such as sociology and anthropology. Even with philosophy and psychology.
Semantics and Sociology
Semantics are related to sociology because there is often the fact that the use of certain words to say something can mark the identity of a group of speakers.
Example :
The use / selection of the words 'girl' or 'woman' will show the identity of the speaker group.
The word 'girl' is identical to the group of young people, while the word 'woman' seems more polite, and identical to the group of parents who promote modesty.
Semantics and Anthropology
Semantics is considered to have an interest in anthropology because the analysis of meaning in a language, through the choice of words used by its speakers, will be able to promise a practical classification of the cultural life of its speakers.
Example :
The use / selection of the words 'slurred' or 'sluggish' which both means 'hungry' can reflect the culture of the speaker.
Because the word 'ngelih' is a term for 'hungry' for the people of Jogjakarta. While the word 'lethargic' is a term for 'hungry' for the people of Jombang area.