Constructing Referential Meaning in the Context of Tourism

Abstract

The study of meaning from semantic perspective remains interesting since language and meaning itself naturally develop from time to time. Language and its usage in relation to meaning are naturally productive. The development and productivity of meaning in language has encouraged linguistic researchers and scholars to develop their ideas, arguments, and perspectives. Moreover, when it is specifically connected to certain semantic area or context, one of which is tourism, the study of meaning appears to be more challenging and struggling. In relation to those issues, this study focuses on finding how referential meanings in the context of tourism are constructed and in what way those meanings denote the aspects of tourism. The research design employed in this study was descriptive qualitative. In addition, in obtaining the data, observation and documentary review were engaged. Accordingly, in analyzing the data, interactive model of data analysis was applied, including data reduction, data display, and data verification/claim. The results of the study show that several aspects of tourism, including attraction, amenities, accessibilities, and hospitalities, are denoted semantically in the construction of referential meaning. The referring expressions include names and nouns, as well as noun phrases, all of which denote particular entities in the world regarding the context of tourism.