Cognitive Science > Introduction to Semantics > Predication, Modification & Reference

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Contents

1 Predication
- 1.1 Predicative expressions
- 1.2 Nominal Predication
2 Modification

[edit] Predication

copula sentences
C is a horse.

function application reduces number of arguments

[edit] Predicative expressions

monadic
- Intransitive Verbs, Adjectives, Nouns
- [|limps|] = $LaTex: \lambda x \in$ D_e. x limps

dyadic
- Transitive Verbs, family relations, comparison constructions
- [|likes|] = $LaTex: \lambda x \in$ D_e.[ $LaTex: \lambda x \in$ D_e. y likes x]

[edit] Nominal Predication

[|horse|]^S = $LaTex: \lambda x$ . x is a horse in S
VP [|is a horse|] = . x is a horse in S
- "is a " are doin' nothin'
- [|a|] = [|is|] = $LaTex: \lambda P \in$ D_<e,t>. P
- seems to be vacuous (be critical here)

[edit] Modification

complement vs. adjunct [siehe Syntax]

[edit] Predicate Modification (PM)

"intersective modification", "conjunctive composition"

[| $LaTex: \alpha$ |] = $LaTex: \lambda x \in$ D_e. [| $LaTex: \beta$ |](x) = [| $LaTex: \gamma$ |](x)= 1

[|city in Texas|]
- = $LaTex: \lambda x \in$ D_e. [|city|](x) = [|in Texas|](x) = 1
- = $LaTex: \lambda x \in$ D_e. x is a city and x is in Texas

[edit] Functional Application (FM)

revising the entries for adjectives, PPs etc.

[edit] Comparison

[edit] Adjectives

[edit] Vague

[|small cat|] = $LaTex: \lambda x. x$ is small for a cat

[|small cat|] = $LaTex: \lambda P \lambda x. P(x)$ and the size of x is below the average size of the elements of P

→ only FA seems to yield correct results

[edit] Intensional

former, alleged

Source: http://wiki.stuhlmueller.info/Cognitive_Science/Introduction_to_Semantics/Predication%2C_Modification_%26_Reference

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