A SEMANTIC ANALYSIS OF COGNITIVE MEANING IN BOB MARLEY’S SONG LYRICS

Abstract

This research aims to analyze the cognitive meaning in the lyrics of selected Bob Marley songs using a semantic approach. The study focuses on three iconic songs, One Love, Three Little Birds, and Could You Be Loved, to explore how linguistic elements in song lyrics convey deeper meanings related to human experiences, social values, and the struggle for justice. Through a qualitative descriptive method and semantic analysis, the study identifies various meaning relations such as synonymy, antonymy, hyponymy, and polysemy that are embedded within the lyrics. The results show that Bob Marley’s lyrics are rich in cognitive meaning, which allows listeners to interpret and internalize messages of peace, love, solidarity, and resilience. His use of poetic and symbolic language reflects universal themes that remain relevant across time and cultures. This research contributes to the field of linguistics by demonstrating how cognitive semantics can be applied to song lyrics, offering insights into the intersection between language, music, and social consciousness. Keywords : Antonymy, Bob marley, Cognitive meaning, Hyponymy, Meaning relations, Polysemy, Semantics, Song lyrics, Synonymy.