17376 Vertiefungsseminar

VS-Semantics and Pragmatics: Meaning and Context

Ferdinand von Mengden

Kommentar

That linguistic expressions (words, utterances) have a meaning seems to be a very natural thing to assume. How else would it be possible to communicate successfully by means of linguistic expressions? But what exactly is meaning? What does it mean for an expression to ‘have’ a meaning? And how do expressions actually acquire their meaning?

We can argue that linguistic expressions must have some meaning prior to us speakers using them – otherwise, how could we use them reasonably if we didn’t know what a word can be used for? But this approach doesn’t explain where a word meaning comes from in the first place. We could also argue that we create the meaning of an expression the moment we use it. But how exactly does this work and how do we know which expressions we can or cannot use in a given situation?

The main aim of this seminar will be to resolve this paradox. A crucial factor in determining the meaning of an expression will be the clues which the context provides in each specific communication. The class therefore focuses on the act of generating meaning during the interaction of people who communicate with each other. How do the speakers’ intentions, their assumptions, and the environment shape the semantic patterns? And how do these spread across a larger community of speakers?

Students who wish to participate in the class but cannot come in the first week, are kindly asked to notify me via email before the start of the lecture period.

Schließen

16 Termine

Regelmäßige Termine der Lehrveranstaltung

Mo, 13.10.2025 16:00 - 18:00

Dozenten:
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ferdinand von Mengden

Räume:
J 27/14 (Habelschwerdter Allee 45)

Mo, 20.10.2025 16:00 - 18:00

Dozenten:
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ferdinand von Mengden

Räume:
J 27/14 (Habelschwerdter Allee 45)

Mo, 27.10.2025 16:00 - 18:00

Dozenten:
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ferdinand von Mengden

Räume:
J 27/14 (Habelschwerdter Allee 45)

Mo, 03.11.2025 16:00 - 18:00

Dozenten:
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ferdinand von Mengden

Räume:
J 27/14 (Habelschwerdter Allee 45)

Mo, 10.11.2025 16:00 - 18:00

Dozenten:
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ferdinand von Mengden

Räume:
J 27/14 (Habelschwerdter Allee 45)

Mo, 17.11.2025 16:00 - 18:00

Dozenten:
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ferdinand von Mengden

Räume:
J 27/14 (Habelschwerdter Allee 45)

Mo, 24.11.2025 16:00 - 18:00

Dozenten:
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ferdinand von Mengden

Räume:
J 27/14 (Habelschwerdter Allee 45)

Mo, 01.12.2025 16:00 - 18:00

Dozenten:
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ferdinand von Mengden

Räume:
J 27/14 (Habelschwerdter Allee 45)

Mo, 08.12.2025 16:00 - 18:00

Dozenten:
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ferdinand von Mengden

Räume:
J 27/14 (Habelschwerdter Allee 45)

Mo, 15.12.2025 16:00 - 18:00

Dozenten:
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ferdinand von Mengden

Räume:
J 27/14 (Habelschwerdter Allee 45)

Mo, 05.01.2026 16:00 - 18:00

Dozenten:
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ferdinand von Mengden

Räume:
J 27/14 (Habelschwerdter Allee 45)

Mo, 12.01.2026 16:00 - 18:00

Dozenten:
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ferdinand von Mengden

Räume:
J 27/14 (Habelschwerdter Allee 45)

Mo, 19.01.2026 16:00 - 18:00

Dozenten:
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ferdinand von Mengden

Räume:
J 27/14 (Habelschwerdter Allee 45)

Mo, 26.01.2026 16:00 - 18:00

Dozenten:
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ferdinand von Mengden

Räume:
J 27/14 (Habelschwerdter Allee 45)

Mo, 02.02.2026 16:00 - 18:00

Dozenten:
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ferdinand von Mengden

Räume:
J 27/14 (Habelschwerdter Allee 45)

Mo, 09.02.2026 16:00 - 18:00

Dozenten:
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ferdinand von Mengden

Räume:
J 27/14 (Habelschwerdter Allee 45)

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