SEM^2 n
an abbreviation for structural equation modelling
semantic component n
see generative theory
semantic components n
another term for semantic features
semantic differential n
a technique for measuring people’s attitudes or feelings about words. The
semantic differential makes use of a rating scale which contains pairs of
adjectives with opposite meanings (bi-polar adjectives) which are used to
rate different impressions of meaning. The following scale, for example,
could be used to measure the subjective meanings of words:
WORD (e.g. democracy)
good – – – – bad
weak – – – – strong
rough – – – – smooth
active – – – – passive
Subjects rate the word on each dimension. The ratings of different words
can be compared. The semantic differential has been used insemantics,
psycholinguistics, and in the study oflanguage attitudes.
semantic feature n
also semantic component, semantic properties
the basic unit of meaning in a word. The meanings of words may be
described as a combination of semantic features.
For example, the semantic feature (+male) is part of the meaning of father,
and so is the feature (+adult) but other features are needed to give the whole
concept or sense of father.
The same feature may be part of the meaning of a number of words. For
example, (+movement) is part of the meaning of a whole group of verbs and
nouns, e.g. run, jump, walk, gallop.
Sometimes, semantic features are established by contrasts and can be stated
in terms of (+) or (-), e.g.
child (+human) (-adult)
man (+human) (+adult) (+male)
boy (+human) (-adult) (+male)
see also binary feature, componential analysis
semantic field n
another term for lexical field
semantic field