Semasiology
Pronunciation
- RP IPA: /ËŒsiËmeɪsɪˈɒlÉ™dʒɪ/
- (si-may-see-OL-uh-jee)
Origin
From Ancient Greek σημασία (semasia, "the meaning of a word") + -λογία (-logÃa, "-logy, branch of study"), from σημαίνω (semaino, "I show by a sign, signify"), from σῆμα ("a mark, sign").
Full definition of semasiology
Noun
semasiology
(plural semasiologies)- (linguistics) A discipline within linguistics concerned with the meaning of a word independent of its phonetic expression.
- 2001, Federica Busa, et al., The Language of Word Meaning"The early theories of semasiology attempted to account for meaning shifts in language."
- 2002, Nicolas Slonimsky, et al., The Listener's Companion: Great Composers and Their Works.It must be left to students of musical semasiology to account for the psychological association that exists between the spiritual concept of goodness and saintliness and the notational accident of the absence of sharps and flats in the key signature, which results in the 'whiteness' of the music.