Semantics with clusters of properties

1996

in W.Hinzen, H.Rott (hrsg.), Belief and Meaning: Essays at the Interface, Hänsel-Hohenhausen AG, Frankfurt a.M., München, New York 2002, pp.215-228.

The integration of lexical semantics and pragmatics in the analysis of the meaning of natural language has prompted changes to the global framework derived from Montague. In those works, the original lexicon, in which words were assigned an atomic type of a single-sorted logic, has been replaced by a set of many-facetted lexical items that can compose their meaning with salient contextual properties using a rich typing system as a guide. Having related our proposal for such an expanded framework ΛTY n , we present some recent advances in the logical formalisms associated, including constraints on lexical transformations and polymorphic quantifiers, and ongoing discussions and research on the granularity of the type system and the limits of transitivity.

2008

Abstract This article surveys the state of the art in the field of semantic universals. We examine potential semantic universals in three areas:(i) the lexicon,(ii) semantic “glue”(functional morphemes and composition principles), and (iii) pragmatics. At the level of the lexicon, we find remarkably few convincing semantic universals. At the level of functional morphemes and composition principles, we discuss a number of promising constraints, most of which require further empirical testing and/or refinement.

Language, 1977

Cognitio Estudos, 2021

We want to explore in this article the characteristics of prescriptive semantics and its usefulness to solve pragmatic problems, both analytical and synthetic, on meaning. We will proceed in the following way: 1. arguing about the limitations of a non-prescriptive and purely extensional semantics, based on the prediction of formulas of an object-language system; and 2. projecting the advantages of a theory that can pragmatically regulate meaning schemes, to enrich our instruments of meaning and consensus production with the results of scientific innovation and the interaction between different languages. The two authors we used to show this path were Alfred Tarski and Rudolph Carnap on the classical extensionalist side, and Robert Brandom and C.I Lewis on the pragmatist side. The first two were mentioned for an exhibition of formal semantics and its limits; the second two were mentioned for an exposition of a prescriptive and intensional theory and its pragmatic advantages for regulating the prediction of new truths and adaptation to the old ones.

Recherches linguistiques de Vincennes, 2012

We propose a way to compute the meanings associated with sentences with generic noun phrases corresponding to the generalized quantiier "most". We call these generics "specimens" and they resemble stereotypes or prototypes in lexical semantics. The meanings are viewed as logical formulae that can thereafter be interpreted in your favourite models. To do so, we depart from the Fregean view with a single untyped universe and we adopt a type theory with some hints from Hilbert ε-calculus and from medieval philosophy. Our type theoretic analysis bears some resemblance with ongoing work in lexical semantics by Asher, Luo and us. Our model applies to classical examples involving a class, or a generic element of this class, which is not uttered but provided by the context. Thus, in the minimalism-contextualism debate, our type theoretical view is that terms encode the purely semantic meaning while types are pragmatically determined.

2025

This is a handout of a talk given at the workshop 'Part-Whole Structure and its Reflection in Natural Language' at the Université Côte d'Azur (January 23-24, 2025). The talk gives an informal, critical overview of notions of a whole that have been used or are relevant for natural language semantics: the notion of an atom in extensional mereology (Link 1983 and subsequent work), the notion of an integrated whole (and the mereotopological notion of an R-integrated whole) (Moltmann 1997, 1998 and subsequent work), and a (new) notion of a whole that is prior to the parts.

Theories of Semantics: Merits and Limitations Saleh Mustafa Ramadan Al-Zaytoonah Private University of Jordan Amman, Jordan Taleb I. Ababneh Irbid National University-Jordan Irbid, Jordan Abstract Meaning is so intangible that one group of linguists , the structuralists , preferred not to deal with it or rely on it at all . It is a variable and not to be taken for granted. Nevertheless , many theories have been interested in the study of meaning. Because of the limited scope of this paper, the discussion will cover some of the well–known theories of meaning formulated in the last century. Mainly referential theory of meaning, non– referential theory of meaning and generative grammarian theory of meaning are discussed. Some assumptions, merits and limitations for each theory are also described. The researcher hopes that many people can benefit from this article since meaning is a complex concept and difficult to understand. Keywords: Generative Grammarian Theory, Meaning, Non-Referential Theory, Referential Theory, Semantics

So-called 'dynamic' semantic theories such as Kamp's discourse representation theory and Heim's file change semantics account for such phenomena as crosssentential anaphora, donkey anaphora, and the novelty condition on indefinites, but compare unfavorably with Montague semantics in some important respects (clarity and simplicity of mathematical foundations, compositionality, handling of quantification and coordination). Preliminary efforts have been made by Muskens and by de Groote to revise and extend Montague semantics to cover dynamic phenomena. We present a new higher-order theory of discourse semantics which improves on their accounts by incorporating a more articulated notion of context inspired by ideas due to David Lewis and to Craige Roberts.