<< I prefer to use WWWebster right now... but when I am researching the
significance of a word I always turn to the Oxford English Dictionary.
I have told my son that if he ever wants to give me the best gift that
money can buy it is the cd rom version...
>>
um i wrote something that is exactly your letter in less words and i sent it
to the list, and for some odd reason it never showed up in my new mail. oh
whell.
skip the definitions if you please, go on to the end its more ammsuing.
id like to thank the aol dictionary for this....
mean*ing (noun)
First appeared 14th Century
1 a : the thing one intends to convey esp. by language : PURPORT
b : the thing that is conveyed esp. by language : IMPORT
2 : something meant or intended : AIM <a mischievous ~ was apparent>
3 : significant quality; especially : implication of a hidden or special
significance <a glance full of ~>
4 a : the logical connotation of a word or phrase
b : the logical denotation or extension of a word or phrase
-- meaning (adjective)
-- mean*ing*ly (adverb)
lex*i*col*o*gy (noun)
[French lexicologie, from lexico- (from Late Greek lexiko-, from lexikon) +
-logie -logy]
First appeared circa 1828
: a branch of linguistics concerned with the signification and application of
words
-- lex*i*col*o*gist (noun)
se*man*tics (noun plural but singular or plural in construction)
First appeared 1893
1 : the study of meanings:
a : the historical and psychological study and the classification of
changes in the signification of words or forms viewed as factors in linguistic
development
b (1) : SEMIOTIC
(2) : a branch of semiotic dealing with the relations between signs and
what they refer to and including theories of denotation, extension, naming,
and truth
2 : GENERAL SEMANTICS
3 a : the meaning or relationship of meanings of a sign or set of signs;
especially : connotative meaning
b : the language used (as in advertising or political propaganda) to
achieve a desired effect on an audience esp. through the use of words with
novel or dual meanings
im sure davids search for meaning is one of semantics as opposed to
lexicology.
unfortunately the meaning of meaning is lexicology.
~the great tinkerer