Semantics

Question 1

Semantics

Answer 1

Study of meaning in human language

Question 2

Synonymy

Answer 2

• Words/expressions that have same meaning in some/all context
• Inefficient for language to have 2 words/phrases with absolutely identical meaning, perfect synonymy rare

Question 3

Antonymy

Answer 3

•Words/phrases opposites with respect to some component of meaning

Question 4

Polysemy

Answer 4

• Word has 2/more related meanings

* Bright = shining/intelligent

Question 5

Homophony

Answer 5

single form has 2/more entirely distinct meanings
•Assumed there are separate words with same pronunciation rather than single word with diff meanings
•Need not have identical spellings

Question 6

Polysemy + homophony

Answer 6

create lexical ambiguity: single form has 2/more meanings

•Surrounding words + sentences usually make intended meaning clear

Question 7

Paraphrase

Answer 7

• Two sentences with same meaning
• Truth conditions: true under same circumstances
• Never perfect because of subtle diff in emphasis

Question 8

Entailment

Answer 8

• Truth of one sentence guarantees truth of another sentence
• Prince is a dog. Prince is an animal.
• Reverse does not hold: prince is an animal, he can be any animal

Question 9

Contradiction

Answer 9

• One sentence true, other sentence must be false

* Charles is a bachelor. Charles is married.

Question 10

Connotation

Answer 10

• Set of associations word’s use can evoke

* Make up word’s connotation, but not its meaning

Question 11

Denotation

Answer 11

• Equate meaning of word/phrase with entities to which it refers
• Still not meaning
• Winter = season betw winter solstice + spring equinox

Question 12

Extension + Intension

Answer 12

Extension: set of entities it picks out in world
Intension: inherent sense, concept it evokes
•Correspond to mental images
•Woman = women (extension)/female, human (intension)

Question 13

Componential analysis/semantic decomposition

Answer 13

represent intension by breaking it down into smaller semantic components
•Semantic features
•Allows us to group entities into natural classes
•Useful for stating generalizations
•GO: positional change/possessional change/identification change

Question 14

Verb Meaning + Subcategorization

Answer 14

• Componential analysis reveals subtle semantic contrast

* Meaning differences help determine type of complements particular verbs can select

Question 15

Structural Ambiguity

Answer 15

• Component words can be combined in more than 1 way
• Two interpretations can be depicted as
• [wealthy men] + women/wealthy [men + women]
• manner words are grouped together in syntactic structure reflects way meanings are combined

Question 16

Thematic Role Assignment

Answer 16

• verb: agent, theme
• to: goal
• from: source
• at: location

Question 17

Thematic Role Assignment

Answer 17

• A P assigns thematic role to its complement NP
• A V assigns a theme role, if it has one, to its complement NP
• A V assigns an agent role, if it has one, to the subject

Question 18

thematic grid

Answer 18

info about thematic roles assigned by particular lexical item

Question 19

Deep Structure + Thematic Roles

Answer 19

•Roles are assigned in deep structure, not surface structure
•NP’s initial position in syntactic structure (Merge), determines its theta role
“who did what to whom”

Question 20

Interpretation of Pronouns

Answer 20

• Pronominals: he, she, him, her
• Reflexive: himself, herself
• Interpretation determined by antecedent
• Reflexive pronoun typically must have antecedent in smallest IP containing it

Question 21

c-commands

Answer 21

•NPa c-commands NPb if the first category above NPa contains NPb

Question 22

Principle A

Answer 22

reflexive pronoun must have a c-commanding antecedent in the same minimal IP

Question 23

Principle B

Answer 23

pronominal must not have a c-commanding antecedent in the same minimal IP

Question 24

theme

Answer 24

undergoes action
change of state
change of possession
change of location
undergoes set of possible changes
umbrella term

Question 25

Theta roles

Answer 25

shown in the Lexicon in a theta grid