EVENT TITLE: WORDS AND MEANING: UNDERSTANDING SEMANTICS IN LINGUISTICS
DATE: 9.1.2026
ORGANISING SECRETARY: Dr. J. Jabeela Shirlin, Head of the Department/LCS
EVENT CONVENERS: Ms. K. C. Mythili, Assistant Professor/LCS
Dr. Kavitha. K, Assistant Professor/LCS
GUEST LECTURE ON WORDS AND MEANING: UNDERSTANDING SEMANTICS IN LINGUISTICS
The Department of Language, Culture and Society, Faculty of Science and Humanities, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Ramapuram, successfully organized a Guest Lecture titled “Words and Meaning: Understanding Semantics in Linguistics” on Friday, 09 January 2026, from 12.00 PM to 01.30 PM, at S Block – G1.
The session was delivered by Dr. Sangeetha Mukherjee, Assistant Professor, Department of Social Sciences and Languages, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, an accomplished academician with expertise in linguistics and language studies. The programme was conducted for the benefit of the B.A. English students, with active participation from both students and faculty members. The lecture provided a comprehensive and insightful exploration of semantics, emphasizing the role of meaning in language at lexical, sentential, and discourse levels. Dr. Mukherjee lucidly explained key semantic concepts such as sense and reference, ambiguity, synonymy, antonymy, polysemy, pragmatics versus semantics, and the importance of context in meaning construction. Through illustrative examples drawn from everyday language, literature, and real-life communication, the session effectively bridged theoretical linguistics with practical language use. The resource person adopted an engaging and interactive pedagogical approach, encouraging students to analyze linguistic expressions critically and participate in discussions. Students actively raised questions, shared interpretations, and reflected on how semantic theory enhances reading comprehension, writing proficiency, and effective communication. The interactive discussion session at the end further enriched the learning experience and clarified complex linguistic concepts.
The lecture significantly contributed to curriculum enrichment, fostering critical thinking, analytical reasoning, and linguistic awareness among students. It also motivated learners to explore advanced areas of linguistics and research-oriented approaches to language studies. The event concluded with a formal vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to the resource person for her valuable contribution and to the faculty coordinators and student volunteers for their effective organization and support. The programme was widely appreciated by the participants and marked a meaningful step toward academic excellence and holistic language education.
