Semantics

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Semantics
Denotation Intension Extension Ambiguity The
proposition and truth conditions Entailment Lingui
stic relativity Semantic primes
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Lexical meaning
Denotation
Connotation

• Experiential implications
• The feelings, attitudes, moods, implied by a term
  or phrase

Set membership. The entities, actions, or
qualities in the world picked out by words or
phrases.
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Denotation/ConnotationLexical Elaboration Quiz

• Shoulder

Breast
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Lexical meaningDenotation
Phrase Extension Intension
Homers daughter Lisa SimpsonMaggie Simpson Female progeny of Homer Simpson
The assistant to Monty Burns Smithers The individual paid to assist Montgomery Burns
Selmas secret under-garment Rocket bra An article of Selmas clothing that is intimate and known only to a few.
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Lexical meaningDenotation
Phrase Extension Intension
PM of Canada Brian MulroneyJean ChretienPaul MartinStephen Harper Leader of Canadas governing party
Stanley Cup Champions HurricanesRed WingsPenguins Winners of Canadas 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.
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(No Transcript)
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Prostitutes Appeal to Pope
DOING
EXPERIENCING
VCOMP
VCOMP
Prostitutes Appeal to Pope
Prostitutes Appeal to Pope
Patient
Agent
Experiencer
Patient
Polysemy appeal 1. be attractive to 2. make
(attractive) argument to
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Farmer Bill Dies in House
HAPPENING
V1
V1
HAPPENING
Location
Patient
Patient
Location

• Homonymy Bill, bill
• Polysemy die house (House)

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Iraqui Head Sells Arms
DOING
DOING
V2
V2
Agent
Patient
Agent
Patient
Polysemy head1. Top of body appendage2. Top of
state person
Polysemy arms1. Lateral appendages2. Weapons
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British Left Waffles on Fauklands
S
S
VT-COMP
VCOMP
VP
NP
VP
NP
V
P
N
A
V
P
N
N
N
N
British Left Waffles
British Left Waffles
Patient
Agent
Agent
Polysemy waffles1. Food stuff with lots of
declivities2. To changes position multiple times
Homonymy left
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Drunken Drivers Paid 1000!
V2
V2
MOVING
MOVING
MOVINGDOING
MOVINGHAPPENING
Patient
Possessor
Possessor
Patient
Patient
Source
Goal
Patient
Semantic roles drivers, Agents vs. Patients,
Sources vs. Goals
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Hospital Sued by Seven Foot Doctors
HAPPENING
HAPPENING
VCOMP
VCOMP
Sued by Seven Foot Doctors
Sued by Seven Foot Doctors
Agent (Patient hospital)
Agent(Patient hospital)
polysemy foot
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Deer Kills 17,000!
S
S
V2
VCOP
VP
NP
VP
NP
(V)
N
V
N
N
Deer Kills (equal) 17,000
Deer Kills 17,000
NOTE This one is a bit tricky because of the
implicit verb (headline-ese) and the non-be
copula exam questions will not involve
structures this complex.
Polysemy killcause to be not alivecause to be
not viable
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Kids Make Nutritious Snacks
S
S
BEING
DOING
V2
VCOP
NP
NP
VP
VP
A
V
N
N
A
V
N
N
Kids Make Nutritious Snacks
Kids Make Nutritious Snacks
Essive
Patient
Patient
Agent
NOTE This one is a bit tricky because of the
non-be copula for exams, assume be is the only
copula, and that the BEING Schema always involves
main-verb be.
Polysemy make1. Construct 2. Can become
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Propositions/Sentences

• The cat is on the mat.
• Homer eats crap.
• Marge really makes the best gelatine towers.
• Patty and Selma have a secret undergarment.

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The cat is on the mat

• ?x(Cx) ?y(My) xyO
• 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.
• The aforesaid cat yada, yada, yada
• The feline is on the mat.
• On the mat, is the feline, yada, yada, yada

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Truth conditions

• The cat is on the mat.
• There exists a cat.
• There exists a mat.
• The cat is located on the mat.

? ? ?
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Truth conditions

• The cat is on the mat.
• There exists a cat.
• There exists a mat.
• The cat is located on the mat.

? ? ?
True
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Truth conditions

• The cat is on the mat.
• There exists a cat.
• There exists a mat.
• The cat is located on the mat.

? ? ?
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Truth conditions

• The cat is on the mat.
• There exists a cat.
• There exists a mat.
• The cat is located on the mat.

? ? ?
False
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Truth conditions

• Proposition

World
The cat is on the mat. ?x(Cx) ?y(My) xyO 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. The aforesaid cat yada, yada, yada
False
True
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Entailment

• A relation between the propo-sitions underlying
  sentences (X, Y), such that
• if the proposition underlying sentence X is true,
  the proposition underlying sentence Y must be
  true.
• (Conversely, it is impossible for the proposition
  underlying sentence Y to be false and the
  proposition underlying sentence X be true )

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Entailment

• A relation between the propo-sitions underlying
  sentences (X, Y), such that
• if the proposition underlying sentence X is true,
  the proposition underlying sentence Y must be
  true.
• (Conversely, it is impossible for the proposition
  underlying sentence Y to be false and the
  proposition underlying sentence X be true )

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Entailment

• 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.)

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Entailment

• X
• I saw Maggie at the rave.
• Ys
• There was a rave.
• Maggie was there.
• I saw Maggie.
• I have eyes.
• There was light at the rave.

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Entailment

• X
• I saw Maggie at the rave.
• Ys
• The rave was on Tuesday.
• The rave was in Mr. Burnss rec room.
• Maggie is Homers daughter.
• Raves are so cool.
• Raves are so nineties.

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Mutual entailment

• X entails Y, Y entails X.
• Xs and Ys
• 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.