Semantics (from Greek sêmantiká, neuter plural of sêmantikós) is the study of the meaning of a word, phrase, sentence, or text. Here emphasis will be placed on the pejorative sense of the term semantics that is rooted in popular use (i.e., when people talk about the way that language can be manipulated in order to mislead the public). For example and according to the Global Language Monitor (GLM) “change” was the most-used term during the U.S. presidential campaign of 2008. Today many are asking, what did the term “change” really mean? Still others are asking, what’s the point of such a question? Is this a good question or is the point of such a question just a matter of applied semantics (i.e., purely a petty or paltry verbal pretense), bearing no relationship to anything in the real world?
Let’s see. Read more …