The semantics of functional spaces
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James Pustejovsky
Abstract
In this chapter I examine the ways in which languages encode the distinction between location and place, generally, and between objects and their uses in space, in particular. I develop a type-theoretic semantic formalism to model the notion of ‘function’, whether associated with a region or location on the one hand, or a class of objects, such as artifactual devices, on the other hand. The functional value of an object is encoded as a modal expression in the Telic role of the Qualia Structure associated with a lexical item. Finally, I illustrate how this representation helps explain the linguistic behaviour of such expressions in language. Keywords: Generative Lexicon; preposition; qualia; space; type-theoretic semantics
Abstract
In this chapter I examine the ways in which languages encode the distinction between location and place, generally, and between objects and their uses in space, in particular. I develop a type-theoretic semantic formalism to model the notion of ‘function’, whether associated with a region or location on the one hand, or a class of objects, such as artifactual devices, on the other hand. The functional value of an object is encoded as a modal expression in the Telic role of the Qualia Structure associated with a lexical item. Finally, I illustrate how this representation helps explain the linguistic behaviour of such expressions in language. Keywords: Generative Lexicon; preposition; qualia; space; type-theoretic semantics
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents vii
- List of contributors ix
- Preface xi
- Practical theories and empirical practice – facets of a complex interaction 1
-
Part I. Empirical practice
- The embodiment of linguistic meaning 35
- Infants’ encoding of social interaction as a conceptual foundation for the acquisition of argument structure 55
- Referring to colour and taste in Kilivila 71
- Yucatec demonstratives in interaction 99
- Many languages, one knowledge base 129
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Part II. Practical theories
- Nen assentives and the phenomenon of dialogic parallelisms 159
- Evidentiality, modality, focus and other puzzles 185
- Does Searle’s challenge affect chances for approximating assertion and quotative modal wollen ? 245
- The pragmatics of argumentation 257
- Implicature of complex sentences in error models 273
- The semantics of functional spaces 307
- Language index 325
- Name index 327
- Subject index 333
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents vii
- List of contributors ix
- Preface xi
- Practical theories and empirical practice – facets of a complex interaction 1
-
Part I. Empirical practice
- The embodiment of linguistic meaning 35
- Infants’ encoding of social interaction as a conceptual foundation for the acquisition of argument structure 55
- Referring to colour and taste in Kilivila 71
- Yucatec demonstratives in interaction 99
- Many languages, one knowledge base 129
-
Part II. Practical theories
- Nen assentives and the phenomenon of dialogic parallelisms 159
- Evidentiality, modality, focus and other puzzles 185
- Does Searle’s challenge affect chances for approximating assertion and quotative modal wollen ? 245
- The pragmatics of argumentation 257
- Implicature of complex sentences in error models 273
- The semantics of functional spaces 307
- Language index 325
- Name index 327
- Subject index 333
