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Semantics Question Paper

Semantics

Course:Bachelor Of Education In Kiswahili

Institution: Kenyatta University question papers

Exam Year:2009

KENYATTA UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS 2008/2009
SECOND SEMESTER EXAMINATION FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR
OF ARTS AND BACHELOR OF EDUCATION
AKS 410: SEMANTICS

DATE: WEDNESDAY, 1ST APRIL 2009
TIME: 2.00 P.M. ? 4.00 P.M.

INSTRUCTIONS: Answer Question ONE and any other TWO questions.

Q1 (Compulsory)

A.
i)
Using examples from Kiswahili, draw taxonomy trees to illustrate the
following concepts:
a)
hyponymy
b)
meronymy
c)
lexical gap
d)
semantic field
(8 marks)

ii)
Giving a reason for your answer in each case, say whether each

of the following sentences is analytic or synthetic:
a)
I am a student at Kenyatta University.
b)
Some computers are dusty.
c)
The boy is his father?s own son.
d)
If you are poor, you are poor.
(8 marks)

Page 2 of 2

B.
i)
Explain what is meant by context of utterance (CoU).
(2 marks)
ii)
Create
an
appropriate
context
of utterance in which a speaker
makes the utterance: ?I saw him there.?

(4 marks)
iii)
Using the context of utterance above, explain what is meant by
utterance
meaning.
(8
marks)

2.
Distinguish between the following concepts:

i)
denotation and connotation

ii)
polysemy and homonymy
iii)
illocution and perlocution
iv)
constative and performative utterances

(20 marks)

3.
Identify and describe different types of oppositeness of meaning giving
appropriate examples from Kiswahili and any other language.

(20 marks)

4.
Discuss various reasons that show that total synonymy is not possible in a
language.
(20
marks)

5.
Explain any ONE theory of meaning and discuss its strengths and weaknesses.

(20 marks)
6.
Define and illustrate the following concepts:
i)
ambiguity
ii)
anomaly
iii)
contradiction
iv)
presupposition
v)
entailment
vi)
conversational implicature
(20 marks)

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Semantics Question Paper

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