Semantics

Question 1

Give the two approaches of semantics and their definitions:

Answer 1

mentalistic(mediated by a mental image) and referential (seeing an object and remembering/refering what it is)

Question 2

Semantics

Answer 2

The study of meaning

Question 3

What is the input for ghost-functions + give an example in sentence how to use them

Answer 3

propositions
g(Pete talks) ∩ (g(John talks) ∪ g(John walks))
1 ∩ ( 1 ∩ 1)
1

Question 4

Compositionality:

Answer 4

The meaning of a complex expression is a function of the meaning of its parts and the way in which they are combined. (Ferge)

Question 5

In formal languages what do apostrophes mean(x’) ( or [[ x]])?

Answer 5

semantic interpretation of a word not the string

Question 6

Define cardinality

Answer 6

numbers of members in a set is its cardinality , mentioned like this |E|=4

Question 7

objects are of type:

Answer 7

e

Question 8

function that takes an object and returns a truth value (intransitive verb)

Answer 8

e -> t. Same can be done for transitive verbs (e -> (e -> t)

Question 9

Linguistic Relativism/Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis

Answer 9

the language that you speak influences the thoughts that you can have.

Question 10

What was Frege’s theory?

Answer 10

Splitting meaning in reference and sense.

Question 11

In Frege’s theory, where do imaginary thins map to?

Answer 11

An empty set

Question 12

What are children’s errors in quantification?

Answer 12

spreading: the quantifier spreads over both the NP and VP set. Shown in children < 4.

Question 13

Inverse scope readings

Answer 13

opposite of the linear order and against c-commanding; move quantifier part to the front and look at meaning then.

Question 14

Surface scope readings

Answer 14

the scope order of quantifiers reflects the surface order of the corresponding nominal expressions.

Question 15

Telic and atelic

Answer 15

atelic(no clear end) or telic(beginning and end) events

Question 16

Atelic events resemble …… nouns

Answer 16

mass

Question 17

Telic events resemble ……. nouns

Answer 17

count

Question 18

DP’s can take:

Answer 18

the wide scope or a negation can take scope: (ex. Jan didn’t solve one problem)

Question 19

Presuppositions

Answer 19

follow from a sentence and are not changes by a negation or other logical operators.

Question 20

Which two theories are there regarding presupposition

Answer 20

accommodations and presuppositions as anaphors

Question 21

accomodations

Answer 21

When a presupposition is encountered, the hearer should update their context so that it includes the presupposition. So “rewrite” the sentence to include the presupposition.

Question 22

presuppositions as anaphors

Answer 22

the information that is presupposed get projected to the global context, and not added if not necessary.