Semantics The proposition and truth conditions Ambiguity Entailment
Semantics The proposition and truth conditions. Ambiguity Entailment Denotation Intension Extension Linguistic relativity English 306 A; Harris 1
Ambiguity English 306 A; Harris 2
English 306 A; Harris 3
Prostitutes Appeal to Pope S Doing V P N S V Experiencing V P N Prostitutes Appeal to Pope Agent Patient N V P N Prostitutes Appeal to Pope Patient Experiencer Polysemy: appeal 1. be attractive to 2. make (attractive) argument to English 306 A; Harris 4
Farmer Bill Dies in House S Happening NP N S NP V P Happening N Farmer Bill Dies in House Location Patient Adj V P N Farmer Bill Dies in House Patient Location Homonymy: Bill, bill Polysemy: die; house (House) English 306 A; Harris 5
Iraqui Head Sells Arms Doing S N P A V P N V N Iraqui Head Sells Arms Patient Agent Polysemy: head Polysemy: arms 1. Top of body appendage 2. Top of state person English 306 A; Harris 1. Lateral appendages 2. Weapons 6
British Left Waffles on Fauklands S NP N S Doing V P V NP P N British Left Waffles … Agent N Doing V P V N P N British Left Waffles … Patient Agent Polysemy: waffles Homonymy: left 1. Food stuff with lots of holes 2. Be indecisive English 306 A; Harris 7
Drunken Drivers Paid $1000! S Transferring (Doing) NP A V P N V Transferring (Happening) S NP N Drunken Drivers Paid $1000 Patient Agent Source A V P N V N Drunken Drivers Paid $1000 Patient Goal Semantic roles: drivers, Agents vs. Patients English 306 A; Harris 8
Deer Kills 17, 000! S Being NP N V P N S (V) NP N Deer Kills (equal) 17, 000 Patient Essive N Doing V P V N Deer Kills 17, 000 Patient Agent Polysemy: kill cause to be not alive cause to be not viable English 306 A; Harris 9
Kids Make Nutritious Snacks S NP N Doing S NP V A N Kids Make Nutritious Snacks Patient Agent N Being V P V A N Kids Make Nutritious Snacks Patient Essive Polysemy: make 1. Fashion into 2. Be English 306 A; Harris 10
Hospital Sued by Seven Foot Doctors S NP S Happening NP VP N V P A N V P N V … by Seven Foot Doctors Agent hospital: Patient Happening P A N … by Seven Foot Doctors Agent hospital: Patient English 306 A; Harris 11
Sentences & Propositions The cat is on the mat. On the mat, is the cat. On the mat is where the cat is. It is the case that the cat is on the mat. Circumstances are thus: the cat is on the mat. Die Katze ist auf der Matte. Le chat est sur la natte. El gato está en la estera. x(Cx) & y(My) & xy. O English 306 A; Harris 12
Sentences, meaning, truth The cat is on the mat. On the mat, is the cat. On the mat is where the cat is. It is the case that the cat is on the mat. Circumstances are thus: the cat is on the mat. Die Katze ist auf der Matte. Le chat est sur la natte. El gato está en la estera. x(Cx) & y(My) & xy. O English 306 A; Harris 13
Truth conditions The cat is on the mat. There exists a cat. There exists a mat. The cat is located on the mat. English 306 A; Harris 14
Truth conditions The cat is on the mat. There exists a cat. There exists a mat. The cat is located on the mat. English 306 A; Harris 15
Entailment X entails Y A relation between sentences (X, Y), such that if sentence X is true, sentence Y must be true. (Conversely, it is impossible for Y to be false and X be true. ) English 306 A; Harris 16
Entailment X= I saw Maggie at the rave. Y’s = There was a rave. Maggie was there. I saw Maggie. I have eyes. There was light at the rave. … English 306 A; Harris 17
Entailment X= I saw Maggie at the rave. Y’s = The rave was on Tuesday. The rave was in Mr. Burns’ rec room. Maggie is Homer’s daughter. Raves are so cool. Raves are so nineties. … English 306 A; Harris 18
Mutual entailment X entails Y, Y entails X. X’s and Y’s = I saw Maggie at the rave. Maggie, I saw at the rave. It was Maggie I saw at the rave. Maggie was seen by me at the rave. English 306 A; Harris 19
Lexical meaning Denotation Set membership. The entities, actions, or qualities in the world picked out by words or phrases. English 306 A; Harris 20
Lexical meaning Denotation Word World Queer! Intension (sense) Extension (reference) English 306 A; Harris 21
Lexical meaning Denotation Phrase Extension Intension Homer’s daughter Lisa Simpson Maggie Simpson Female progeny of Homer Simpson The assistant to Smithers Monty Burns The individual paid to assist Montgomery Burns Selma’s secret under-garment An article of Selma’s clothing that is intimate and known only to a few. Rocket bra English 306 A; Harris 22
Lexical meaning Denotation Phrase Extension Intension PM of Canada Brian Mulroney Jean Chretien Paul Martin Stephen Harper Leader of Canada’s governing party Stanley Cup Champions Hurricanes Ducks Red Wings Winners of Canada’s annual summer NHL tournament* Capital of Manitoba Winnipeg City containing provincial legislature of Manitoba *Except for the summer of 05 when the fatcats were fighting off-ice. English 306 A; Harris 23
Lexical meaning Connotation Queer! Experiential implications The feelings, attitudes, moods, implied by a term or phrase English 306 A; Harris 24
Lexical meaning Connotation Gay Homosexual Denotati on Queer! Queer Homo Faggot Bugger Punk e ud t i t t A Gunsel Catamite English 306 A; Harris 25
Lexical meaning Connotation Queer! Registers, jargons, slangs, argots, capitalize heavily on connotation-on the speaker and/or hearer’s stance toward a meaning, and toward each other, how they feel about the meaning and each other. English 306 A; Harris 26
- Slides: 26