Semantics is the core area of linguistics and concerned with the study of meaning.

 Prof. Maro Lagaldo of Milano University, Italy said that India has a variety of languages. Invent of mass media, especially electronic media is using mixed language for the communication of Indian masses. She said that she is highly impressed by the Indian culture and the Aligarh Muslim University, a centre of intellectual activities.

 Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Tista Bagchi, National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies at the University of Delhi, said that the antecedents of the study of quantification, negation and focus on a discourse effect, within the accepted versions of generative linguistics today, with a special reference to the semantic reconceptualization.

 She suggested to build a modest case for further research on these interactions with reference to the conceptual intentional interface from semantic angles, given the richness to be found in languages of South Asia and also in one or more linguistic traditions.

 On this occasion, AMU Vice Chancellor, Prof. PK Abdul Azis released a profile of the Department of Linguistics and Abstract of the International Seminar.

In his welcome address, Prof. Imtiaz Hasnain, Chairman, Department of Linguistics, said that there has been a overwhelming response and delegates have come from within India and outside India. We have structured the seminar in such a way that there are seven plenary lectures and two parallel sessions.

Prof. KS Mustafa highlighted the theme of the seminar and said that semantics is defined as the study of meaning. Since time immemorial, meaning has been a subject of interest for philosophers and lexicons. However, as a branch of linguistics semantics is considered to be the youngest and the least evolved.

He said that we are interested in exploring the interface between the syntax and semantics vis a vis Indian languages and encourage the scholars to ponder over and write papers on these issues too, especially having Indian languages in view.

Prof. AR Fatihi proposed a vote of thanks and Dr. Masood A. Beg conducted the inaugural session.