The temporal essence of spatial objects
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Philippe Muller
Abstract
We present an ontological stand in which spatial entities and events are considered on a par, in a common domain of entities. Thus, everything that has a spatial extension also has a temporal extension. We show the kind of questions this raises for the reference to objects and events in language and how some of them can be addressed in such a theoretical framework. This model indeed provides a means of formally defining some differences between usually accepted categories of concrete objects referred to in natural language: the difference between mass terms and singular nouns, between singular and collective entities, and between material objects and events.
Abstract
We present an ontological stand in which spatial entities and events are considered on a par, in a common domain of entities. Thus, everything that has a spatial extension also has a temporal extension. We show the kind of questions this raises for the reference to objects and events in language and how some of them can be addressed in such a theoretical framework. This model indeed provides a means of formally defining some differences between usually accepted categories of concrete objects referred to in natural language: the difference between mass terms and singular nouns, between singular and collective entities, and between material objects and events.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Contributors vii
- Introduction 1
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Part I. Spatial Entities and the Structures of Languages: Descriptive Work
- A taxonomy of basic natural entities 35
- On the spatial meaning of contre in French 53
- The prepositions par and à travers and the categorization of spatial entities in French 71
- The linguistic categorization of spatial entities 93
- The expression of semantic components and the nature of ground entity in orientation motion verbs 123
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Part II. Spatial categorization in language and cognition
- Categorizing spatial entities with frontal orientation 153
- Containment, support, and beyond 177
- Static and dynamic location in French 205
- Precursors to spatial language 233
- The sources of spatial cognition 247
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Part III. Characterizing categories of spatial entities: Formal ontology
- From language to ontology 269
- The temporal essence of spatial objects 285
- Part-of relations, functionality and dependence 307
- Objects, locations and complex types. 337
- Language index 363
- Subject index 365
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Contributors vii
- Introduction 1
-
Part I. Spatial Entities and the Structures of Languages: Descriptive Work
- A taxonomy of basic natural entities 35
- On the spatial meaning of contre in French 53
- The prepositions par and à travers and the categorization of spatial entities in French 71
- The linguistic categorization of spatial entities 93
- The expression of semantic components and the nature of ground entity in orientation motion verbs 123
-
Part II. Spatial categorization in language and cognition
- Categorizing spatial entities with frontal orientation 153
- Containment, support, and beyond 177
- Static and dynamic location in French 205
- Precursors to spatial language 233
- The sources of spatial cognition 247
-
Part III. Characterizing categories of spatial entities: Formal ontology
- From language to ontology 269
- The temporal essence of spatial objects 285
- Part-of relations, functionality and dependence 307
- Objects, locations and complex types. 337
- Language index 363
- Subject index 365
