It means that meaning is a concept of an object which is related to its symbol, moreover concept and object influence the meaning. Moreover
a concept here is human’s knowledge and experience as the information source saved in the mind. Based on Huford, the theory of what meaning is,
recognizing the distinction between speaker meaning and sentence meaning or word meaning. Sentence or word meaning is what a sentence
or word means, what it counts as the equivalent of in the language concerned.
42
5. Componential Analysis
Componential analysis is the process of determining semantic features or components that differentiate the members of the set from one
another.
43
The important point for defining feature is the recognition of two kinds of features, distinctive and non-distinctive. All features that can
be recognized in an entity are part of its description, but the definition of a lexeme within a set of field requires to note what feature or features
distinguish it from other members of the set or field and what features are just ‘there,’ not distinctive.
44
To describing part of the meaning of words in semantic feature, it uses a plus + sign to describe having a particular feature or negative -
sign for not having.
45
42
James Huford, Brendan Heasley, and Michael B. Smith. Semantics: A Coursebook. 2
nd
edition, Singapore: Cambridge University Press, 2007, p.3
43
Charles W. Kleidler. Introducing English Semantics. Great Britain: Routledge, 1998, p.87-88.
44
Ibid.p.88-89.
45
George Yule. The Study of Language. 4
th
Edition, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, 2010, p.114.
Table 3. Semantic Features Table
Horse Boy
Man Girl
Woman Animate
+
+ +
+ +
+ Human
- +
+ +
+ +
Female -
- -
- +
+ Adult
- -
- +
- +
There are four types procedures to analyze in componential analysis are naming, paraphrasing, defining and classifying. The first
process, naming is similar to reference but there is different perspective. Naming is the specific act of designating such a referent. In naming
process the procedural steps number 2 and 5 are relevant to do the analysis.
46
Second, paraphrasing is process of explaining a distinctive feature of a word. For example, uncle can be defined as my father’s brother or my
mother’s brother.
47
It means that paraphrase is a process of describing or explaining a word for getting a meaning.
Third, defining is simply another form of paraphrase. Defining combines the appropriate referents of paraphrase to be a single statement
that related to the referent in question.
48
Last, classifying is process of relating some words in similar feature to get a meaning for such group.
49
46
Eugene A. Nida. Componential Analysis of Meaning. London: University Press, 1979, p.64-65.
47
Ibid.p.65
48
Ibid. p.65.
49
Ibid. p.66.
