Which approach analyzes language meanings and emphasizes the importance of meaning in communication?

The approach that analyzes language meanings and emphasizes the importance of meaning in communication is semantics. Semantics is the branch of linguistics that focuses on understanding how meaning is constructed, interpreted, communicated, and how it can change in different contexts. This includes not just individual word meanings but also how meanings can be influenced by sentence structure and the relationships between words within phrases and entire texts.

In contrast, lexical analysis focuses primarily on the structure and composition of words, while morphology deals with how words are formed and their internal structures. Syntax, on the other hand, concerns the rules that govern the structure of sentences, including word order and grammatical relationships, rather than the meanings of the words themselves. Thus, semantics stands out as the only approach that specifically prioritizes the interpretation and significance of language in communication.