Semantics

In the main, semantics (from the Greek semantikos, or "significant meaning," derived from sema, sign) is the study of meaning, in some sense of that term. It should not be confused with the general semantics of Alfred Korzybski, a somewhat different discipline. Semantics is often opposed to syntax, in which case the former pertains to what something means while the latter pertains to the formal structure/patterns in which something is expressed (for example written or spoken).

In logic

Many of the formal approaches to semantics applied in linguistics, mathematical logic, and computer science originated in techniques for the semantics of logic, most influentially being Alfred Tarski's ideas in model theory and his semantic theory of truth. Also, inferential role semantics has its roots in the work of Gerhard Gentzen on proof theory and proof-theoretic semantics. One of the most popular alternatives to the standard model theoretic semantics is truth-value semantics..

Related Topics:
Semantics of logic - Alfred Tarski - Model theory - Semantic theory of truth - Inferential role semantics - Gerhard Gentzen - Proof theory - Proof-theoretic semantics - Truth-value semantics

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See also

• formal logic
• game semantics
• general semantics
• natural semantic metalanguage
• semantic link
• semantic network
• semantics of logic
• semantic web
• semiotics
• truth-value semantics