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Definitions

Definitions PDF Author: Annabel Cormack
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 9780815331315
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 376

Book Description
The answer to the question "How can we understand and use a definition?" provides new constraints on natural language and on the internal language in which meaning is mentally represented. Most syntax takes the sentence as the basic unit for well-formedness, but definitions force us to focus on words and phrases, and hence to focus on compositional syntax in parallel with compositional semantics. This study examines both dictionary definitions and definitions from textbooks, from the points of view of their syntax, semantics, and use for learning word meaning. The tools used throughout are Principles and Parameters syntax, Relevance theoretic pragmatics, Model theoretic semantics, and the formal theory of definitions. The analyses argue that because phrases can be understood in isolation, some standard syntactic analyses must be modified. 'NP movement' has to be reanalysed as transmission of theta roles. These ideas are then applied to a variety of adjectives which take propositional complements. The final chapter argues that for definitions to be understood, the syntax of the Language of Thought must be close to that of Natural Language in specifiable way.

Definitions

Definitions PDF Author: Annabel Cormack
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 9780815331315
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 376

Book Description
The answer to the question "How can we understand and use a definition?" provides new constraints on natural language and on the internal language in which meaning is mentally represented. Most syntax takes the sentence as the basic unit for well-formedness, but definitions force us to focus on words and phrases, and hence to focus on compositional syntax in parallel with compositional semantics. This study examines both dictionary definitions and definitions from textbooks, from the points of view of their syntax, semantics, and use for learning word meaning. The tools used throughout are Principles and Parameters syntax, Relevance theoretic pragmatics, Model theoretic semantics, and the formal theory of definitions. The analyses argue that because phrases can be understood in isolation, some standard syntactic analyses must be modified. 'NP movement' has to be reanalysed as transmission of theta roles. These ideas are then applied to a variety of adjectives which take propositional complements. The final chapter argues that for definitions to be understood, the syntax of the Language of Thought must be close to that of Natural Language in specifiable way.

Deconstructing Language Structure and Meaning

Deconstructing Language Structure and Meaning PDF Author: Mihaela Tănase-Dogaru
Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing
ISBN: 1527571815
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 349

Book Description
This volume brings together a number of researchers working on generative syntax and semantics, language acquisition and phonology to explore various theoretical frameworks, ranging from generative grammar and formal semantics to more descriptive approaches. The contributions gathered here investigate various aspects in the syntax, semantics, phonology and acquisition of Romanian in comparison with other (mainly Romance) languages. The book will be of interest to linguists who are keen on keeping up with the latest advances in the field of Romance studies, as well as those whose research bears on languages such as Hungarian, German, and Maltese, among others.

Syntactic Structures

Syntactic Structures PDF Author: Noam Chomsky
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
ISBN: 3112316002
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 120

Book Description
No detailed description available for "Syntactic Structures".

Syntax

Syntax PDF Author: Robert D. Van Valin (Jr.)
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521499156
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 744

Book Description
An introduction to syntactic theory and analysis.

An Introduction to Syntactic Analysis and Theory

An Introduction to Syntactic Analysis and Theory PDF Author: Dominique Sportiche
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118470478
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 483

Book Description
An Introduction to Syntactic Analysis and Theory offers beginning students a comprehensive overview of and introduction to our current understanding of the rules and principles that govern the syntax of natural languages. Includes numerous pedagogical features such as 'practice' boxes and sidebars, designed to facilitate understanding of both the 'hows' and the 'whys' of sentence structure Guides readers through syntactic and morphological structures in a progressive manner Takes the mystery out of one of the most crucial aspects of the workings of language – the principles and processes behind the structure of sentences Ideal for students with minimal knowledge of current syntactic research, it progresses in theoretical difficulty from basic ideas and theories to more complex and advanced, up to date concepts in syntactic theory

The Semantics of Syntax

The Semantics of Syntax PDF Author: Denis Bouchard
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 9780226067339
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 544

Book Description
During the last thirty years, most linguists and philosophers have assumed that meaning can be represented symbolically and that the mental processing of language involves the manipulation of symbols. Scholars have assembled strong evidence that there must be linguistic representations at several abstract levels—phonological, syntactic, and semantic—and that those representations are related by a describable system of rules. Because meaning is so complex, linguists often posit an equally complex relationship between semantic and other levels of grammar. The Semantics of Syntax is an elegant and powerful analysis of the relationship between syntax and semantics. Noting that meaning is underdetermined by form even in simple cases, Denis Bouchard argues that it is impossible to build knowledge of the world into grammar and still have a describable grammar. He thus proposes simple semantic representations and simple rules to relate linguistic levels. Focusing on a class of French verbs, Bouchard shows how multiple senses can be accounted for by the assumption of a single abstract core meaning along with background information about how objects behave in the world. He demonstrates that this move simplifies the syntax at no cost to the descriptive power of the semantics. In two important final chapters, he examines the consequences of his approach for standard syntactic theories.

Modern Syntax

Modern Syntax PDF Author: Andrew Carnie
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1139495046
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 371

Book Description
This practical coursebook introduces all the basics of modern syntactic analysis in a simple step-by-step fashion. Each unit is constructed so that the reader discovers new ideas, formulates hypotheses and practises fundamentals. The reader is presented with short sections of explanation with examples, followed by practice exercises. Feedback and comment sections follow to enable students to monitor their progress. No previous background in syntax is assumed. Students move through all the key topics in the field including features, rules of combination and displacement, empty categories, and subcategorization. The theoretical perspective in this work is unique, drawing together the best ideas from three major syntactic frameworks (minimalism, HPSG and LFG). Students using this book will learn fundamentals in such a way that they can easily go on to pursue further study in any of these frameworks.

Introduction to English Syntax

Introduction to English Syntax PDF Author: Jim Miller
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press
ISBN: 0748633626
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 224

Book Description
REVIEW FROM PREVIOUS EDITION: 'A slim and useful student textbook for English Syntax. Although most of the examples are from English, the book introduces general concepts which provide the necessary tools for a basic syntactic analysis of any language. The book concentrates on topics that will remain useful to the student who does not go on to study linguistics but, say, literature or EFL teaching.' - The Year's Work in English StudiesIn this revised and fully updated new edition of his popular textbook, Jim Miller discusses the central concepts of syntax which are applied in a wide range of university courses, in business communication, in teaching and in speech therapy. The book deals with concepts which are central to traditional grammar but have been greatly refined over the past forty years: parts of speech and how to recognise them, constructions and their interrelationships, subordinate clauses and how to recognise the different types, subjects and objects, Agents and Patients and other roles. The book draws out the connections between syntax and meaning and between syntax and discourse; in particular, a new chapter focuses on the analysis of discourse and the final chapter deals with tense, aspect and voice, topics which are central to the construction of texts and are of major importance in second language learning. They are also areas where meaning and grammar interconnect very closely.Key FeaturesCoverage of central themes with a wide application outside the study of syntaxExplains basic concepts, supported by a glossary of technical termsExercises and sources for further reading provided.

Surface Syntax of English

Surface Syntax of English PDF Author: Igor? Aleksandrovi? Mel??uk
Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing
ISBN: 9027215154
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 545

Book Description
This book is the first attempt to describe the syntax of Contemporary English exclusively in terms of dependencies (most American works on the subject being in terms of phrase structure, or constituency). The three main features of it are: (1) a fully formal presentation, (2) a reasonably complete coverage of English surface syntax, and (3) an exposition oriented towards human readers (rather than computers). The book can be recommended for several categories of readers: specialists in English syntax, linguists interested in general and theoretical syntax, computational linguists, researchers in related fields (including psychology and artificial intelligence) concerned with automatic processing (both synthesis and analysis) of English texts.

Changing Valency

Changing Valency PDF Author: Robert M. W. Dixon
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 0521660394
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 433

Book Description
Distinguished scholars examine the phenomena of passives and causatives in languages from around the world.