language Flashcards
what are the three main formats of language
syntax, semantics and pragmatics
who was gottlob frege
the founder of modern logic
what is the compositionality of meaning and freges principle
most sentences you read/ hear are ones you have never heard before, but humans can understand
what are formal semantics
the use of mathematical logical tools to understand semantics
what are functions
attribution of exactly one value to each entity or argument of a certain domain.
what are extensions in language
the referent of an expression - what is meant beyond the word themselves
what is intention
someone with a minimal understand of english can understand the meaning of something - but not its extension just its intention.
what are conversational implicatures
what can be conveyed beyond linguistic meaning - eg
what is said “i’m tired”
what is implied “i don’t want to come”
what is cancelability
the ability to amend something that was said - eg conversational implicatures are cancelable- “im tired but i will go for drinks tonight”
what is the maxim of quality?
- do not say what you believe is false
- do not say that for which you lack adequate evidence.
what is the maxim of quantity
eg - pat has three children - implies that pat does not have less than three children. - these are also cancelable
what is the maxim of manner?
avoid obscurity of expression, ambiguity, be brief, be orderly.
who invented the three maxims
grice
what is the pragmatist tradition
a tool that views language as a tool for predicting problem solving and action.
