Title: Embodiment
1Embodiment Compositionality
- Two fundamental, but unreconciled, aspects of
human language embodiment and compositionality - Embodiment the realization that scientific
understanding of mind and language entails
detailed modeling of the human brain - Compositionality - only people can express and
understand an essentially unbounded range of
messages
2Compositionality
- Anything that deserves to be called a language
must contain meaningful expressions built up from
other meaningful expressions 4 - strong compositionality states that the meaning
of a expression is totally determined by its form
and is independent of context - In its strict version, this claim is clearly
wrong 5.
3Truth-conditional Semantics
- The existence of these forms of
context-dependence would thus appear to spell the
doom for truth-conditional semantics, understood
as the project of assigning properties to
syntactic items (partly by finding principles for
determining properties of complex syntactic items
on the basis of their parts) such that we await
only the specification of something like an index
to know what the truth-conditions of a given
utterance of a given assertive sentence would
be.- Jason Bridges - Wittgensteins Philosophical Investigations A
Critical Guide, A. M. Ahmed (ed.), Cambridge
University Press, 2009.
4Simulation Semantics
- Lectures 1 and 3 gt embodied
- But what about public language, text?
- Skeletal shared meaning gt schemas
- Language Community (LC)
- Shares grammar, schemas, analysis rules
5Compositionality
- Put the parts together to create the meaning of
the whole. - Questions
- what is the nature of the parts?
- How and why do they combine with one another?
- What meaning is associated with this composition?
6Short NTL answers
- Parts constructions, schemas
- Combination binding, unification
- Meaning of the whole
- Public (LC) Semantic Specification SemSpec
- Private Enactment/Simulation of SemSpec
7ECG Lattices
- Schemas Image, X-schemas, Frames
- Constructions Lexical, Grammatical
- Language Communities
- Situations Mental Spaces
- Maps Metaphor, etc.
8 Lectures I. Overview 2. Simulation
Semantics 3. ECG and Best-fit Analysis 4.
Compositionality 5. Simulation, Counterfactuals,
and Inference
Constructions
Utterance
incremental, competition-based, psychologically
plausibleA
Simulation
Semantic Specification image schemas, bindings,
action schemas
9Conceptual Structure
- Embodied
- Schematic
- (Partially) language-independent
- Conceptual Composition
- Highly interconnected
- Primitives
- Conceptual composition
- Metaphor
10Some Conceptual Primitives
Grammaticalized concepts person, gender, age,
agent, speaker possession, mass/count,
reflexives, Primal scenes/ event types
transitive, tense, aspect General
Logic connectives, numbers similarity, inference,
uncertainty part/ whole, scales,
magnitude binding, variables, indefinites,
generalization Mental Operations Learning,
matching, binding mental spaces,
mappings simulation, displacement
Image Schemas parameters of spatial
cognition action schemas - controller goals,
force-dynamics (causation) parameters of parts
boundaries Time Social World young/ mature/
old authority, approval, help value , exchange,
obligation theory of mind, perception and
intention, Communication speaker/ hearer,
direct/ indirect true/ false question, command,
etc.
11 Conceptual Composition Ellen Dodge Thesis 1.
Conjunction horse with stripes 2. Modification
camel without hump 3. Abstraction - vehicle 4.
Mapping a. Metonymy London thinks b.
Metaphor causes are forces 5. Blending apple
bus 6. Relational horses eat grass
12First example
13Schemas
schema MotorControl subcase of Process
roles Actor ? Protagonist Effector
Effort Routine constraints Actor ?
animate
14schema Contact subcase of SpatialRelation
roles Entity1 entity Entity2
entity
schema MotorControl subcase of Process
roles Actor ? Protagonist Effector
Effort Routine constraints Actor ?
animate
schema ForceTransfer evokes Conact as C
roles Supplier ? C.entity1 Recipient ?
C.entity2 Force
schema ForceApplication subcase of MotorControl
evokes ForceTransfer as FT roles
Actor ? FT.Supplier ? Protagonist Acted
Upon? FT.Recipient Effector Routine
Effort ? FT.Force.amount
15Schema Lattice
Contact
MotorControl
ForceTransfer
Motion
Effector Motion
SelfMotion
ForceApplication
CauseEffect
MotionPath
Effector MotionPath
SelfMotion Path
SPG
SpatiallyDirectedAction
Agentive Impact
Contact
16Verb Constructions
Construction BITE1 subcase of Verb form
bite meaning ForceApplication
constraints Effector ? teeth
Routine ? bite // close mouth
schema ForceApplication subcase of MotorControl
evokes ForceTransfer as FT roles
Actor ? FT.Supplier ? Protagonist Acted
Upon ? FT.Recipient Effector
Routine Effort ? FT.Force.amount
17Verb Constructions
cxn BITE meaning ForceApplication
schema MotorControl
cxn GRASP meaning ForceApplication
schema ForceApplication subcase of
MotorControl
cxn PUSH meaning ForceApplication
cxn SLAP meaning AgentiveImpact
schema Agentive Impact subcase of
ForceApplication
cxn KICK meaning AgentiveImpact
cxn HIT meaning AgentiveImpact
18Argument Structure Construction
construction ActiveTransitiveAction2 subcase
of VP constituents V verb NP NP
form constraints VF
before NPF meaning CauseEffect evokes
EventDescriptor as ED ForceApplication as FA
constraints Selfm ? ED.EventType
Vm ? ED.ProfiledProcess Causer ?
ED.ProfiledParticipant FA ? Vm
Causer ? FA.Actor Affected ? FA.ActedUpon
Affected ? NPm
19Argument Structure Construction
construction ActiveTransitiveAction2 subcase
of VP constituents V verb NP NP
form constraints VF
before NPF meaning CauseEffect evokes
EventDescriptor as ED ForceApplication as FA
constraints Selfm ? ED.EventType
Vm ? ED.ProfiledProcess Causer ?
ED.ProfiledParticipant FA ? Vm
Causer ? FA.Actor Affected ? FA.ActedUpon
Affected ? NPm
20CauseEffect schema
schema CauseEffect subcase of
ForceApplication Process roles Causer ?
Actor Affected ? ActedUpon ?
Process.Protagonist Instrument ? Effector
21Schema Lattice
Contact
MotorControl
ForceTransfer
Process
Motion
Effector Motion
SelfMotion
ForceApplication
CauseEffect
MotionPath
Effector MotionPath
SelfMotion Path
SPG
SpatiallyDirectedAction
Agentive Impact
Contact
22Argument Structure Construction
construction ActiveTransitiveAction2 subcase
of VP constituents V verb NP NP
form constraints VF
before NPF meaning CauseEffect evokes
EventDescriptor as ED ForceApplication as FA
constraints Selfm ? ED.EventType
Vm ? ED.ProfiledProcess Causer ?
ED.ProfiledParticipant FA ? Vm
Causer ? FA.Actor Affected ? FA.ActedUpon
Affected ? NPm
23Important points
- Compositionality does not require that each
component contain different information. - Shared semantic structure is not viewed as an
undesirable redundancy
24Argument Structure Construction
construction ActiveTransitiveAction2 subcase
of VP constituents V verb NP NP
form constraints VF
before NPF meaning CauseEffect evokes
EventDescriptor as ED ForceApplication as FA
constraints Selfm ? ED.EventType
Vm ? ED.ProfiledProcess Causer ?
ED.ProfiledParticipant FA ? Vm
Causer ? FA.Actor Affected ? FA.ActedUpon
Affected ? NPm
25Event Descriptor schema
schema EventDescriptor roles
EventType Process ProfiledProcess
Process ProfiledParticipant Entity
ProfiledState(s) State SpatialSetting
TemporalSetting
26Preconditions, resources, fine control structure
are important aspects of events
27Argument Structure Construction
Construction ActiveTransitiveAction2 subcase
of VP constituents V verb NP NP
form constraints VF
before NPF meaning CauseEffect evokes
EventDescriptor as ED ForceApplication as FA
constraints Selfm ? ED.EventType
Vm ? ED.ProfiledProcess Causer ?
ED.ProfiledParticipant FA ? Vm
Causer ? FA.Actor Affected ? FA.ActedUpon
Affected ? NPm
28Bindings with other cxns
construction NPVP1 constituents Subj NP
VP VP form Constraints Subj f
before VPf meaning EventDescriptor
ProfiledParticipant ? Subjm
construction ActiveTransitiveAction2 subcase
of VP constituents V NP form VF
before NPF meaning CauseEffect evokes
EventDescriptor as ED constraints
Selfm ? ED.EventType Vm ?
ED.ProfiledProcess Causer ?
ED.ProfiledParticipant Affected ? NPm
29Bindings with other cxns
Construction NPVP1 constituents Subj NP
VP VP form constraints Subj f
before VPf meaning EventDescriptor
ProfiledParticipant ? Subjm
construction ActiveTransitiveAction2 subcase
of VP constituents V NP form VF
before NPF meaning CauseEffect evokes
EventDescriptor as ED constraints
Selfm ? ED.EventType Vm ?
ED.ProfiledProcess Causer ?
ED.ProfiledParticipant Affected ? NPm
schema EventDescriptor roles
EventType ProfiledProcess
ProfiledParticipant ProfiledState(s)
SpatialSetting TemporalSetting
30Bindings with other cxns
construction NPVP1 constituents Subj NP
VP VP form Constraints Subj f
before VPf meaning EventDescriptor
ProfiledParticipant ? Subjm
construction ActiveTransitiveAction2 subcase
of VP constituents V NP form VF
before NPF meaning CauseEffect evokes
EventDescriptor as ED constraints
Selfm ? ED.EventType Vm ?
ED.ProfiledProcess Causer ?
ED.ProfiledParticipant Affected ? NPm
schema EventDescriptor roles
EventType ProfiledProcess
ProfiledParticipant ProfiledState(s)
SpatialSetting TemporalSetting
31Unification
Meaning
Constructions
EventDescriptor EventType ProfiledProcess
ProfiledParticipant
NPVP1
CauseEffect causer affected
TransitiveAction2
ForceApplication actor actedupon
BITE
NP2
ReferentDescriptor
THE
APPLE
NP1
ReferentDescriptor
HE
32Unification
Meaning
Constructions
EventDescriptor EventType ProfiledProcess
ProfiledParticipant
NPVP1
CauseEffect causer affected
TransitiveAction2
ForceApplication actor actedupon
BITE
NP2
ReferentDescriptor
THE
APPLE
NP1
ReferentDescriptor resolved referent
HE
33Unification
Meaning
Constructions
EventDescriptor eventtype ProfiledProcess
ProfiledParticipant
NPVP1
CauseEffect causer affected
TransitiveAction2 Verb
ForceApplication actor actedupon
BITE
NP2
ReferentDescriptor
THE
APPLE
NP1
ReferentDescriptor resolved referent
HE
34Unification
Meaning
Constructions
EventDescriptor eventtype ProfiledProcess
ProfiledParticipant
NPVP1 subj
CauseEffect causer affected
TransitiveAction2
ForceApplication actor actedupon
BITE
NP2
ReferentDescriptor
THE
APPLE
NP1
ReferentDescriptor
HE
35Unification
Meaning
Constructions
EventDescriptor eventtype ProfiledProcess
ProfiledParticipant
NPVP1
CauseEffect causer affected
TransitiveAction2 NP
ForceApplication actor actedupon
BITE
NP2
ReferentDescriptor
THE
APPLE
NP1
ReferentDescriptor
HE
36Semantic SpecificationHe bit the apple
EventDescriptor eventtype ProfiledProcess
ProfiledParticipant
CauseEffect causer affected
ForceApplication actor actedupon routine ?
bite effector ? teeth
RD27 category
Person
RD55 category
Apple
37Argument Structure ConstructionHe was bitten (by
a toddler)
construction PassiveTransitiveAction2 subcase
of VP constituents V PassiveVerb
(PP agentivePP) form constraints
VF before PPF meaning
CauseEffectAction evokes EventDescriptor as
ED ForceApplication as FA constraints
Selfm ? ED.EventType Vm ?
ED.ProfiledProcess Affected ?
ED.ProfiledParticipant FA ? Vm
Causer ? FA.Actor Affected ? FA.ActedUpon
Causer ? PP.NPm
38Semantic SpecificationHe was bitten (by a
toddler)
EventDescriptor eventtype ProfiledProcess
ProfiledParticipant
CauseEffect causer affected
ForceApplication actor actedupon routine ?
bite effector ? teeth
RD27 category
Person
RD48 category
Person
39Variations on a theme
- He shattered the window
- The window was shattered
- The window shattered
40Verb Construction -- shatter
Construction SHATTER1 subcase of Verb
form shatter meaning StateChange
constraints Initial Undergoer.state
? whole Final Undergoer.state ?
shards
schema StateChange subcase of Process
roles Undergoer ? Protagonist
41Argument Structure ConstructionHe shattered the
window
construction ActiveTransitiveAction3 subcase
of VP constituents V verb NP NP
form constraints VF
before NPF meaning CauseEffect evokes
EventDescriptor as ED StateChange as SC
constraints Selfm ? ED.EventType
Vm ? ED.ProfiledProcess Causer ?
ED.ProfiledParticipant SC ? Vm
Affected ? SC.Undergoer Affected ? NPm
42Semantic SpecificationHe shattered the window
EventDescriptor eventtype ProfiledProcess
ProfiledParticipant
CauseEffect causer affected
StateChange Undergoer state ? wholeness
RD27 category
Person
RD189 category
Window
43Argument Structure ConstructionThe window was
shattered
construction PassiveTransitiveAction3 subcase
of VP constituents V PassiveVerb
(PP agentivePP) form constraints
VF before NPF meaning CauseEffect
evokes EventDescriptor as ED StateChange as
SC constraints Selfm ?
ED.EventType Vm ? ED.ProfiledProcess
Affected ? ED.ProfiledParticipant
SC ? Vm Affected ? SC.Undergoer
Causer ? PP.NPm
44Semantic SpecificationThe window was shattered
EventDescriptor eventtype ProfiledProcess
ProfiledParticipant
CauseEffect causer affected
StateChange Undergoer state ? wholeness
RD175 category
Window
45Argument Structure ConstructionThe window
shattered
construction ActiveIntransitiveAction1
subcase of VP constituents V verb
form meaning Process evokes
EventDescriptor as ED StateChange as SC
constraints Selfm ? ED.EventType
Vm ? ED.ProfiledProcess
Protagonist ? ED.ProfiledParticipant SC ?
Vm Protagonist ? SC.Undergoer
46Semantic SpecificationThe window shattered
EventDescriptor eventtype ProfiledProcess
ProfiledParticipant
Process protagonist
StateChange Undergoer state ? wholeness
RD177 category
Window
47Summary
- Small set of constructions and schemas
- Composed in different ways
- Unification produces specification of simulation
- Sentence understanding is simulation
- Different meanings gt different simulations
48NTL Compositionality
- Language understanding is simulation
- Simulation activates conceptual structures
- Conceptual Compositionality is basic
- Grammatical Compositionality is inherently
constructional, not surface - SemSpec Semantic Specification
- Skeletal Meaning
- Captures shared understanding of an LC
- Site of Compositionality
49(No Transcript)
50Argument Structure ConstructionHis white teeth
bit into the apple
construction ActiveEffectorMotionPath3
subcase of VP constituents
V verb PP Spatial-PP
form constraints VF before PPF meaning
EffectorMotionPath evokes EventDescriptor
as ED ForceApplication as FA
constraints Selfm ? ED.EventType Vm ?
ED.ProfiledProcess Effector ?
ED.ProfiledParticipant FA ? Vm Actor ?
FA.Actor // INI Effector ? FA.Effector Target
? FA.ActedUpon SPG ? PPm Target ? PPm
.Prep.LM
51Simulation His white teeth bit into the apple
Action
Protagonist Actor
Effector Motion
Protagonist Effector
Source
Path
Goal
52Non-agentive biting
- He landed on his feet, hitting the narrow
pavement outside the yard with such jarring
impact that his teeth bit into the edge of his
tongue. BNC - The studs bit into Trent's hand. BNC
- His chest burned savagely as the ropes bit into
his skin. BNC
53Schema Network
Contact
MotorControl
ForceTransfer
Process
Motion
Effector Motion
SelfMotion
ForceApplication
CauseEffect
MotionPath
Effector MotionPath
SelfMotion Path
SPG
SpatiallyDirectedAction
Agentive Impact
Contact
54Simulation His teeth bit his tongue
Motion
Protagonist Mover
Source
Path
Goal
55Key assumptions of NTL
- Language understanding is simulation
- Simulation involves activation of neural
structures
56Constructions
- Construction Grammar
- Constructions are form-meaning pairings
- A given utterance instantiates many different
constructions - Embodied Construction Grammar
- Construction meaning is represented using schemas
- Meaning is embodied
57 Lectures I. Overview 2. Simulation
Semantics 3. ECG and Best-fit Analysis 4.
Compositionality 5. Simulation, Counterfactuals,
and Inference
Constructions
Utterance
incremental, competition-based, psychologically
plausible
Simulation
Semantic Specification image schemas, bindings,
action schemas
58Constructions
Utterance
incremental, competition-based, psychologically
plausible
Simulation
Semantic Specification image schemas, bindings,
action schemas
59Some Conceptual Primitives
Grammaticalized concepts person, gender, age,
agent, speaker possession, mass/count,
reflexives, Primal scenes/ event types
transitive, tense, aspect General
Logic connectives, numbers similarity, inference,
uncertainty part/ whole, scales,
magnitude binding, variables, indefinites,
generalization Mental Operations Learning,
matching, binding mental spaces,
mappings simulation, displacement
Image Schemas parameters of spatial
cognition action schemas - controller goals,
force-dynamics (causation) parameters of parts
boundaries Time Social World young/ mature/
old authority, approval, help value , exchange,
obligation theory of mind, perception and
intention, Communication speaker/ hearer,
direct/ indirect true/ false question, command,
etc.
60 Conceptual Composition 1. Conjunction horse
with stripes 2. Modification camel without
hump 3. Abstraction - vehicle 4. Mapping a.
Metonymy London thinks b. Metaphor causes
are forces 5. Blending trash can basketball
61Putting the parts together
62Pre-existing structure
schema
Cxn
schema
schema
Cxn
schema
Cxn
schema
63Unification
schema
Cxn
schema
schema
Cxn
schema
Cxn
schema
64Simulation - He bit the apple
CauseEffect
Protagonist Causer ? Actor
ForceApplication
Process
Protagonist Affected ? ActedUpon
65Simulation - He bit the apple
CauseEffect
Protagonist Causer ? Actor
ForceApplication
Process
Protagonist Affected ? ActedUpon
66Schema Lattice
Contact
MotorControl
ForceTransfer
Process
Motion
Effector Motion
SelfMotion
ForceApplication
CauseEffect
MotionPath
Effector MotionPath
SelfMotion Path
SPG
SpatiallyDirectedAction
Agentive Impact
Contact
67Prototypes and extensions?
- CauseMotion Path
- He threw the ball across the room
- He kicked the ball over the table
- He sneezed the napkin off the table
- He coughed the water out of his lungs
68Key points
- In prototypical verb-argument structure
construction combinations, verb meaning is very
similar to argument structure meaning. - Verbs whose meaning partially overlaps that of a
given argument structure constructions may also
co-occur with that argument structure
construction - These less prototypical combinations may motivate
extensions to the central argument structure
constructions
69Some more variations on a theme
- He bit the apple
- He bit into the apple
- His white teeth bit into the apple.
70Argument Structure ConstructionHe bit into the
apple
construction ActiveEffectorMotionPath2
subcase of VP constituents
V verb PP Spatial-PP
form constraints VF before PPF meaning
EffectorMotionPath evokes EventDescriptor
as ED ForceApplication as FA
constraints Selfm ? ED.EventType Vm ?
ED.ProfiledProcess Actor ? ED.ProfiledParticipa
nt FA ? Vm Actor ? FA.Actor Effector ?
FA.Effector // INI Target ? FA.ActedUpon SPG
? PPm Target ? PPm .Prep.LM
71Schema
schema EffectorMotionPath subcase of
EffectorMotion subcase of SPG // or evokes SPG
roles Actor ? MotorControl.protagoni
st Effector ? SPG.Tr ? M.Mover ?
Motion.protagonist Target ? SPG.Lm
72Schema Lattice
Contact
MotorControl
ForceTransfer
Process
Motion
Effector Motion
SelfMotion
ForceApplication
CauseEffect
MotionPath
Effector MotionPath
SelfMotion Path
SPG
SpatiallyDirectedAction
Agentive Impact
Contact
73Argument Structure Construction He bit into the
apple
construction ActiveEffectorMotionPath2
subcase of VP constituents
V verb PP Spatial-PP
form constraints VF before PPF meaning
EffectorMotionPath evokes EventDescriptor
as ED ForceApplication as FA
constraints Selfm ? ED.EventType Vm ?
ED.ProfiledProcess Actor ? ED.ProfiledParticipa
nt FA ? Vm Actor ? FA.Actor Effector ?
FA.Effector // INI Target ? FA.ActedUpon SPG
? PPm Target ? PPm .Prep.LM
74EffectorMotionPath
Action
Protagonist Actor
Effector Motion
Protagonist Effector
Source
Path
Goal
75- The subject NP (She) is bound to these roles
- profiledParticipant of EventDescriptor
- causer of CauseMotionAction
- actor of ForceApplication
- supplier of ForceTransfer
- actor of ForcefulMotionAction
- actor of EffectorMotionAlongAPath
- protagonist of CauseMotionAction and
ForceApplication - protagonist of ForcefulMotionAction and
EffectorMotionAlongAPath
76- The direct object NP (his hand) is bound to
- affected of CauseMotionAction
- protagonist2 of CauseMotionAction
- actedUpon of ForceApplication
- recipient of ForceTransfer
- mover of MotionAlongAPath
- trajector of SPG
- actedUpon lt -- gt Target of ForcefulMotionAction
- target of EffectorMotionAlongAPath
- (landmark of a different SPG schema)
77- construction CauseMotion4 subcase of
CauseMotion1 - constructional constituents
- v Verb
- np NP
- pp Path-PP
- form constraints
- v.f before np.f
- np.f before pp.f
- meaning CauseMotionAction
- evokes EventDescriptor as ed
- evokes ForcefulMotionAction as fma
- constraints
- ignore self.m lt--gt v.m
- self.m.process1 lt--gt v.m.process1
- v.m lt--gt fma
- self.mlt--gt ed.eventType
- v.mlt--gt ed.profiledPorcess
- self.m.affected lt--gt np.m
- self.m.causer lt--gt
ed.profiledParticipant