Semantics: Sense Relations between Sentences

Question 1

paraphrase

Answer 1

two sentences have the same meaning

e.g. the cop chased Max- Max was chased by the cop

synonymy on sentence level

Question 2

What can trigger a paraphrase?

Answer 2

1. synonymous lexemes
2. alternating syntactic construction
3. converse antonyms

Question 3

entailment

Answer 3

the truth of one sentence necessarily implies the truth of another

e.g. Max killed Bill –> Bill is dead

hyponymy on the sentence level

Question 4

What does trigger entailement?

Answer 4

hyponymous lexemes

Question 5

contradiction

Answer 5

the truth of one sentences necessarily implies the falsity of another

e.g. Charles is asleep - Charles is awake

antonoymy on the sentence level

Question 6

What does trigger contradiction?

Answer 6

antonymous lexemes

Question 7

presupposition

Answer 7

regardless of the truth or falsity of a presupposing sentence, the presupposed sentence must always be true

e.g. John’s son is here presupposes John has a son

Question 8

negation of presupposing sentences

Answer 8

does not affect the presuppositions

e.g. John’s son is not here still presupposes he has a son

Question 9

under negation….

Answer 9

entailement can be distinguished form presupposition:
negating an entailing sentence cancels the entailement

e.g. She didn’t buy a Cadillac

1. she bought a car
2. she didn’t buy a car at all

Question 10

What does trigger presuppositions?

Answer 10

1. factive verbs presuppose truth of their complement sentence

—> Sue realized that Max had lied - Max had lied

2. again, still and too
   - –> Max is still hungry –> he has been hungry before