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‘symbol’ or ‘sign’. The verb is Semaino which means ‘signify’. The symbol of the synonymy of
sema is linguistic sign (France: sine linguistique) (Chaer, 1995: 2). Saussure (1996) states that
linguistic sign consists of (1) the signifier, component, in sort of sounds and (2) the signified, the
referent outside of language. Semantic is a term which is used in linguistics, which studies
relation between linguistic sign and signified thing. In other words, semantic is a branch of
Halliday (1985: XVII) states that the term “semantics” does not simply refers to the
well as by vocabulary. Semantics brings in symbol using and symbol system outside language,
but the central place of language in human symbol systems makes language its primary concern.
In semantics, one is trying to make explicit, the ways in which words, and sentences of various
grammatical construction are used and understood by native or fluent speakers of a language.
This was used to study the word meaning in the lyrics of the songs used by the 21st
century American music. In addition, this was an instrument for further investigation of the
etymology or origin of meaning in the language used in order to have profound view in the
Semantic Change – It usually define as change in meaning over the time. The alteration
of meaning occurs because words are constantly used and what is intended by speakers is not
exactly the same each time. If a different intention for a word is shared by the speech community
and becomes established in usage then a semantic change has occurred (Stockwell, Robert and
meaning in the 21st century American music. Therefore, it aims to recognize if the language or
words used increases its range of meaning over time or it was narrowed its range of meaning.
Further, the changes in meaning in language or words were based on how it was applied in a
or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner. It’s what comes out of the speakers when
we play a CD on our stereo. It is what we hear on the radio. Music is singers singing and
musicians playing. Music is a sound that we enjoy hearing (Philip Dorrell, 2005). In addition,
Dorrell (2005) states that music is something what people create and something that people
respond to. Therefore, it was not just a poem with melody or rhythm we commonly heard. It has
a relation on the language used in a certain place that attempt to understand its essence. It was
used in this research as a tool for further investigation of different rendition in the language used.
music or literature, characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter (Music Genre
List, 2015). This genre is a particular type of literature, painting, music, film, or other art form
which people consider as a class because it has special characteristics (Collins English
Dictionary). It was used in this research as different categories of 21st century American music
that was under the study of semantic change. This tool conveys the understanding of a different
communicative value an expression has by virtue of what it refers to, over and above its purely
conceptual content. It will be clear if we are talking about connotation, we are in fact talking
about the “real word experience”. Someone associates with an expression when someone uses
and hears it. The fact that if we compared connotative meaning with denotative meaning is that
connotations are relatively unstable; that is they vary considerably we have seen, according to
culture, historical period, and the experience of the individual. Although all the speaker of
particular language speaks the language exactly the same conceptual framework, actually each of
Connotative meaning is in determinate and open in the same way as our knowledge and
belief about the universe are opened-ended. Connotations play a major role in the language of
literature, of politics, of advertising, and a greeting card. This was one of the bases in this
research to review the changes in meaning in the language used in 21st century American music.
widely assumed to be the central factor in linguistic communication. Larson noted that
denotative meaning is also called as primary meaning, that is the meaning suggested by the word
when it used alone. It is the first meaning or usage which a word will suggest to most people
when the word is said in isolation. It is the meaning learned early in life and likely to have
from definitions we find in dictionaries. Therefore, in this research it helped the researcher to
identify the semantic change. As denotative or conceptual meaning, it is said that the aim of this
abstract symbols, in which shows exactly what we need to know if we are to distinguish that
meaning from all other possible sentence meaning in the language (Cristofel, 2010).
speakers, including his/her attitude to the listener, or his/her attitude to something he/she talking
about. It refers to the speaker’s feeling / attitude towards the content or the ongoing context. It is
important to remember that each individual will have a different affective meaning for a word.
As such, only the person using a word will be aware of the particular affective meaning that they
hold with the word. Different use of stress and intonation also provides a striking contrast in the
Collocative Meaning- This type of meanings usually gets in touch with the use of some
words in the same environment (Leech, 1974:35). Collocative meaning consists of the
associations a word acquires on account of the meanings of words which tend to occur in its
environment. In other words, it is that part of the word-meaning suggested by the words that go
before or come after a word in question. Collocative meaning is the meaning of a word produced
in the specific context. Collocative meaning produce different meanings when collocates with
different words.
Stylistic Meaning- Stylistic meaning is that which a piece of language conveys about the
circumstances of its use. A recent account of English has recognized some main dimensions of
stylistic variation. For instance: (1) they chucked a stone at the cops, and then did a bunk with
the loot. (2) After casting a stone at the police, they absconded with the money. Sentence (1)
could be said by the two criminals, talking casually about the crime afterwards; sentence (2)
might be said by the chief of the police in making the official report; both could describe the
American Pop – In American history of ‘pop music’, it was a genre of popular music
that originated in its modern form in the United States of America and United Kingdom during
the mid-1950s. Richard Florida (2013) stated that this American pop music was not just about
music. It attracts the listener to agree to its advocacy. Therefore, in this research the American
pop genre has further explanation to understand the changes in meaning in language used. It has
a profound effect in music across the world. Pop music has variety of approach that affects the
American Rock- It is a type of pop music that develops out of rock n’roll in the 1960s
and 1970s. It is based around amplified instruments, especially the electric guitar and electric
bass, and is characterized by a strong bass line and driving rhythms. It is typically performed by
rock groups, and while fast dance music is the staple form, slower ballad-style songs are also a
popular part of the repertoire (Houghton Mifflin, 2016). In addition, Thesaurus Dictionary
defined rock as a genre of popular music in the 1950s. It evolved throughout the years and
became a popular up to present generation. Rock music is one of the tools in this research to
analyse the semantic change of language used in 21st century American music.
American Rap- It is said that rap is the musical practice of hip hop culture that features
vocalist, or MCs, reciting over an instrumental beat that emerged out of the political and
economic transformations of New York City after the 1960s (Oxford Dictionary). Rap is the
musical practice of hip hop culture that features a vocalist, or master of ceremony (MC), reciting
lyrics over a beat. Rap music is an example of what scholars have called poly cultureless, which
refers to the notion that various racial and ethnic groups have historically exchanged and
borrowed ideas and cultural practices. American rap was under this study of semantic change. It
was used as one of the devices to recognize the changes in the language used in this research.
American Political or Protest song- This type of genre in America has great
contribution when it comes to American history. Historically, the American protest music
became an avenue to make solitude between Vietnam and America (Laurent M. Quenaud, 2010).
The study of semantic change in protest music of America opened new approach in depth
investigation of their language used and how it became more comprehensible. R. Serge Denisoff
analyzed protest music as a part of popular culture and as part of the antiwar movement in his
study entitled sing a Song of Social Significance. Denisoff’s book clarified and expanded the
which gained currency (first in U.S.A.) in the 1960s for songs which voiced feelings 23 of
protest about some social or political injustice, real or imagined, or about some international
event which aroused strong emotions. This study purposely study the semantic change in the
language used.
American Country – This type of genre derived from or imitating the folk style of the
Southern U.S. or of the Western cowboy; especially : popular vocal music characterized by
simple harmonies, accompaniment by stringed instruments (such as guitar, fiddle, banjo, and
pedal steel), repeated choruses, and often narrative lyrics — called also country, country and
western (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). The American country music was one of the tools used