Accessibility statement

Semantics - LAN00095M

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  • Department: Language and Linguistic Science
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2024-25
    • See module specification for other years: 2023-24

Module summary

The goal of this module is to serve as an introduction to, and overview of, the study of meaning in natural language. It will focus on discussing several core issues in semantics and pragmatics, as well as some of the approaches taken to studying them.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2024-25

Module aims

This module will train you to be familiar with formal notations and key terminology in both semantics and pragmatics. By the end of the module, you will have acquired a good sense of what the two fields are about and possess a broad foundation that can be built on in the future for those of you who choose to pursue further study in any aspect of meaning in their MA.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module students will be able to do the following:

  • Apply semantic tests for entailment, implication and presupposition

  • Translate sentences of English into logic

  • Understand some key issues in semantics research

  • Understand the notations commonly used in semantics research papers

Module content

We aim to cover the following topics in this module:

  • Inference, including entailment, presupposition and implicature

  • Logic, including predicate logic and the basics of lambda notation

  • Set theory

  • Issues of reference and quantification

  • Gricean Pragmatics

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 40
Essay/coursework 60

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 40
Essay/coursework 60

Module feedback

Every week, you will do exercises and receive in-class oral feedback

For submitted assessments, you will receive individual written feedback within 25 working days of your submission.

Indicative reading

TBA


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University constantly explores ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary. In some instances it may be appropriate for the University to notify and consult with affected students about module changes in accordance with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.