Lexical Meaning Versus Grammatical Meaning

Semantics

Binti Nurjanatul Ma’waDevi Wulan SariDiana Setyawati

Elina SariMiftahur Rohmah

Refi Yunita Sari

Presented by group 4

• Lexical meaning is the meaning of word without paying attention to the way that is used or to the words that occur with it.

Definition of Lexical Meaning

Definition of Grammatical Meaning

• Grammatical meaning is the meaning in terms of grammar.

• Grammatical meaning refers to that part of meaning which indicates grammatical relationships or functions, such as tense meaning, singular meaning, etc.

The contain of grammatical meaning

Grammatical meaning consists of :1. Word-class For example: Modern (adjective), modernize

(verb), modernization (noun). 2. Inflectional paradigm e.g. grammatical meaning of plurality

(desks, data)

• Lexical meaning is dominant in content words, whereas grammatical meaning is dominant in function words, but in neither is grammatical absent.

The Difference between Lexical meaning and Grammatical

Meaning

Love, laugh, take, work; same or different?Different: Lexical meaningSame: grammatical meaning (verbs)

Boy—boys; same or different?Same: lexical meaningDifferent: grammatical meaning (number)

Example of Lexical and Grammatical Meaning

Lexical meaning: meaning of lexiconGrammatical meaning: meaning studied in

grammar.Grammar and lexicon interrelated:Grammar reflects the ways in which the lexicon

operates as means of communication and as instruments of thoughts.

Part of the meaning of the lexicon is encoded in the grammatical structure of languages.

Conclusion

The grammatical system of English makes possible the expression of meanings like these:

Statement VS question1. A dog barked. Did a dog bark? Affirmative VS Negative2. A dog barked. A dog did not bark. No dog

barked.

Past VS Present3. A dog barked. A dog barks. Singular VS Plural4. A dog barked. Some dogs

barked. Indefinite VS Definite5. A dog barked. The dog barked.