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41
PART II
AN APPROACH TO READING
SECTION I
INTRODUCTION TO AN APPROACH TO READING
UNIT 1. VARIETIES OF MEANING
1. CONCEPTUAL MEANING
This is the kind of meaning that may be embodied in a single word, or a part of a word, or in a complete text
made up of many words organized in the form of a discourse. Single words can embody simple concepts, or
notions (e.g., «water») as well as the more complex variety (e.g., «intelligence»). Sometimes, however, an
entire book may be written just to explain a single complex concept such as intelligence. Units even smaller
than a word can also embody a simple concept (e.g., the English suffix -s, which expresses the concept of
plurality).
2. PROPOSITIONAL MEANING
This is the kind of meaning that can be embodied in a clause or sentence on its own (i.e., without any other
context). A word on its own has a propositional meaning, or truth value. For example, the word «intelligence»
is not in itself either true or false. But if we embody it in a sentence such as -
Intelligence can be measured
we can support or deny the resulting proposition: we can assert that it is either true or false and try to prove this.
Some sentences, however, have little or no meaning unless embodied in a broader context. For example,
Nevertheless, he did it again.
We have little idea of what the significance of «Nevertheless» might be without the preceding context. Nor
do we know who «he» is, or what he «did again.» Such sentences are dependent upon the broader context for
their meaning.
3. CONTEXTUAL MEANING
This is the meaning a sentence takes on when it is embodied within a broader context. For example, the
proposition
Intelligence cannot be measured by a test
is a generalization which tells us nothing about the attitude of the person who wrote it or why he bothered to
write it. But within a broader context such as -
We must not use the results of IQ tests to determine whether or not a child should be
allowed to continue his studies beyond high school. Intelligence cannot be measured by
a test.
The generalization takes on the special function of explaining or justifying the preceding sentence.
4. PRAGMATIC MEANING
This is the meaning a sentence takes on when it is part of an interaction between a writer and a reader. It
reflects the writer's feelings and attitudes as well as his intention that the reader should understand what these
are. It also includes an intended effect - the effect that the writer intends his sentence to have upon the reader.
Consider, for example, the following:
Intelligence cannot be measured by a test. And yet we constantly use the results of I.Q.
tests to determine whether or not a child should be allowed to continue his studies
beyond a certain level. How long are we going to go on perpetrating this iniquitous