Semantics
Denotation
Intension
Extension
Ambiguity
The proposition and truth conditions
Entailment
Linguistic relativity
Semantic primes
1
English 306A; Harris
Lexical meaning
Denotation
Connotation
Set membership.
Experiential implications
The entities, actions, or
qualities in the world
picked out by words or
phrases.
The feelings, attitudes,
moods, implied by a
term or phrase
2
English 306A; Harris
Denotation/Connotation
Lexical Elaboration
Quiz
Shoulder
Breast
English 306A; Harris
3
1
Lexical meaning
Denotation
Phrase
Extension
Intension
Homer’s
daughter
Lisa Simpson
Maggie Simpson
Female progeny of Homer
Simpson
The assistant to
Monty Burns
Smithers
The individual paid to assist
Montgomery Burns
Selma’s secret
under-garment
Rocket bra
An article of Selma’s clothing that
is intimate and known only to a
few.
4
English 306A; Harris
Lexical meaning
Denotation
Phrase
Extension
Intension
PM of Canada
Brian Mulroney
Jean Chretien
Paul Martin
Stephen Harper
Leader of Canada’s governing
party
Stanley Cup
Champions
Hurricanes
Red Wings
Penguins
Winners of Canada’s annual
summer NHL tournament*
Capital of
Manitoba
Winnipeg
City containing provincial
legislature of Manitoba
*Except for the summer of 05 when the fatcats were fighting off-ice.
5
English 306A; Harris
English 306A Crier
Farmer Bill Dies in
House!
Twas brillig and the slithey toves
did wimble in the gra be. The
grabe was wimbled in by the
slithy toves on brillig day. Twas
brillig and the slithey toves did
wimble in the grabe. The grabe
was wimbled in by the slithy
toves on brillig day.
wimbled in by the slith y toves on wimbled in by the slith y toves on
brillig day.
brillig day. Twas brillig and the
slithey toves did wimbl e in th e
grabe.
British Left Waffles
on Falkland Islands! Kids Make Nutritious
Snacks!
Twas brillig and the slithey toves
did wimble in the gra be. The
grabe was wimbled in by the Twas brillig and the slithey toves
slithy toves on brillig day. Twas did wimble in the gra be. The
grabe was wimbled in by the
brillig and the slithey toves did
wimble in the grabe. The grabe slithy toves on brillig day.
was wimbled in by the slithy
toves on brillig day. T was brillig
and the slithey toves did w imble
Twas brillig and the slithey toves in the grabe.
Twas brillig and the slithey toves
did wimble in the gra be. The
did wimble in the gra be. The
grabe was wimbled in by the
grabe was wimbled in by the
slithy toves on brillig day. Twas
slithy toves on brillig day. Twas
brillig and the slithey toves did
Twas brillig and the slithey toves brillig and the slithey toves did
wimble in the grabe.
did wimble in the gra be. The wimble in the grabe. Twas brillig
grabe was wimbled in by the and the slithey toves did w imble
slithy toves on brillig day. Twas in the grabe The grabe was
brillig and the slithey toves did
wimbled in by the slith y toves on
wimble
in the grabe. The grabe day. Twas brillig and the slithey
Twas brillig and the slithey toves
did wimble in the gra be. The was wimbled in by the slithy toves did wimble in the grabe.
The grabe was wimbled in by the
grabe was wimbled in by the toves on brillig day.
slithy toves on brillig day. Twas
slithy toves on brillig day. Twas
wimble in brillig and the sl ithey
brillig and the slithey toves did
wimble in the grabe. The grabe Twas brillig and the slithey toves toves did wimble in the grabe.
was wimbled in by the slithy did wimble in the gra be. The The grabe was wimbled in by the
toves on brillig day Twas brillig grabe was wimbled in by the slithy the grabe. The grabe was
and the slithey toves did w imble slithy toves on brillig day. Twas wimbled in by th e brillig and th e
in the grabe. The grabe was wimble in the grabe. The grabe slithey toves did wimbl e in th e
wimbled in by the slith y toves on was wimbled in by the slithy grabe. The grabe was wimbled in
brillig day. The
grabe was toves on brillig day. Twas brillig by the slithy s lithy toves on
wimbled in by th e slithy toves and the slithey toves did w imble brillig day. Twas brillig and the
in the grabe. The grabe was slithey
Iraqi Head Seeks
Arms!
Hospital Sued by
Seven Foot Doctors!
Drunken Drivers
Paid $1000!
Prostitutes Appeal to
Pope!
Deer Kills 17,000!
English 306A; Harris
6
2
Prostitutes Appeal to Pope
S
VCOMP
DOING
NP
VCOMP
VP
N
V
S
EXPERIENCING
NP
P
N
N
Prostitutes Appeal to Pope
Agent
VP
Patient
V
P
N
Prostitutes Appeal to Pope
Experiencer
Patient
Polysemy: appeal
1. be attractive to
2. make (attractive) argument to
7
English 306A; Harris
Farmer Bill Dies in House
S
V1
NP
V
P
N
Farmer Bill Dies in House
Patient
HAPPENING
NP
VP
N
S
V1
HAPPENING
Location
N
VP
N
V
P
N
Farmer Bill Dies in House
Location
Patient
Homonymy: Bill, bill
Polysemy: die; house (House)
8
English 306A; Harris
Iraqui Head Sells Arms
S
V2
DOING
NP
A
V
N
Iraqui Head Sells Arms
Agent
DOING
NP
VP
N
S
V2
A
VP
N
V
N
Iraqui Head Sells Arms
Patient
Agent
Polysemy: head
1. Top of body appendage
2. Top of state person
English 306A; Harris
Patient
Polysemy: arms
1. Lateral appendages
2. Weapons
9
3
British Left Waffles on
Fauklands
S
VCOMP
NP
A
VT-COMP
DOING
VP
V
N
S
DOING
NP
P N
VP
N
British Left Waffles …
V
N
P N
British Left Waffles …
Agent
Agent
Patient
Polysemy: waffles
Homonymy: left
1. Food stuff with lots of declivities
2. To changes position multiple times
10
English 306A; Harris
Drunken Drivers Paid $1000!
TRANSFERRING
S
V2
NP
A
TRANSFERRING
HAVING
MOVINGDOING
VP
N
NP
V
N
Drunken Drivers Paid $1000
Possessor
Source
Agent
S HAVING
MOVINGHAPPENING
V2
Patient
Patient
Patient
VP
A
N
V
N
Drunken Drivers Paid $1000
Possessor
Goal
Receiver
Patient
Patient
Patient
Semantic roles: drivers, Agents vs. Patients, Sources vs.
Goals
11
English 306A; Harris
Hospital Sued by Seven Foot Doctors
S
NP
S
HAPPENING
VP
VCOMP
NP
HAPPENING
VP
PP
N
V
VCOMP
PP
P
NP
N
V
AP
A
NP
AP
N
A
… Sued by Seven Foot Doctors
N
… Sued by Seven Foot Doctors
Agent
(Patient = hospital)
polysemy: foot
P
English 306A; Harris
Agent
(Patient = hospital)
12
4
Deer Kills 17,000!
VCOP
S
NP
VP
NP
(V)
N
DOING
VP
N
Deer Kills (equal) 17,000
Patient
S
V2
BEING
V
N
Deer Kills 17,000
Essive
Agent
Patient
NOTE: This one is a bit tricky because
of the implicit verb (headline-ese)
and the non-be copula; exam
questions will not involve structures
this complex.
Polysemy: kill
cause to be not alive
cause to be not viable
13
English 306A; Harris
Kids Make Nutritious Snacks
S
V2
NP
DOING
NP
VP
N
V
A
N
N
Kids Make Nutritious Snacks
Patient
Agent
Polysemy: make
1. Construct
2. Can become
S
VCOP
BEING
VP
V
A
N
Kids Make Nutritious Snacks
Patient
Essive
NOTE: This one is a bit tricky because
of the non-be copula; for exams, assume
be is the only copula, and that the BEING
Schema always involves main-verb be.
English 306A; Harris
14
Propositions/Sentences
The cat is on the mat.
Homer eats crap.
Marge really makes the
best gelatine towers.
Patty and Selma have a
secret undergarment.
English 306A; Harris
15
5
“The cat is on the mat”
∃x(Cx) & ∃y(My) & xyO
On the mat, is the cat.
On the mat is where the cat is.
It is the case that the cat is on the mat.
Circumstances are thus: the cat is on the mat.
The aforesaid cat … yada, yada, yada
The feline is on the mat.
On the mat, is the feline, … yada, yada, yada
English 306A; Harris
16
Truth conditions
The cat is on the mat.
There exists a cat.
There exists a mat.
The cat is located on the
mat.
English 306A; Harris
17
Truth conditions
The cat is on the mat.
There exists a cat.
There exists a mat.
The cat is located on the
mat.
English 306A; Harris
18
6
Truth conditions
The cat is on the mat.
There exists a cat.
There exists a mat.
The cat is located on the
mat.
19
English 306A; Harris
Truth conditions
The cat is on the mat.
There exists a cat.
There exists a mat.
The cat is located on the
mat.
20
English 306A; Harris
Truth conditions
Proposition
World
The cat is on the mat.
∃x(Cx) & ∃y(My) & xyO
On the mat, is the cat.
On the mat is where the cat is.
It is the case that the cat is on the mat.
Circumstances are thus: the cat is on the
mat.
The aforesaid cat … yada, yada, yada
English 306A; Harris
21
7
Entailment
A relation between the propo-sitions
underlying sentences (X, Y), such that
if the proposition underlying sentence X
is true, the proposition underlying
sentence Y must be true.
(Conversely, it is impossible for the
proposition underlying sentence Y to be
false and the proposition underlying
sentence X be true )
English 306A; Harris
22
Entailment
A relation between the propo-sitions
underlying sentences (X, Y), such that
if the proposition underlying
sentence X is true, the proposition
underlying sentence Y must be true.
(Conversely, it is impossible for the
proposition underlying sentence Y to be
false and the proposition underlying
sentence X be true )
English 306A; Harris
23
Entailment
A relation between sentences (X,
Y), such that
if sentence X is true,
sentence Y must be true.
(Conversely, it is impossible for Y
to be false and X be true.)
English 306A; Harris
24
8
Entailment
X=
I saw Maggie at the rave.
Y’s =
There was a rave.
Maggie was there.
I saw Maggie.
I have eyes.
There was light at the rave.
…
English 306A; Harris
25
Entailment
X=
I saw Maggie at the rave.
Y’s =
The rave was on Tuesday.
The rave was in Mr. Burns’s rec room.
Maggie is Homer’s daughter.
Raves are so cool.
Raves are so nineties.
…
English 306A; Harris
26
Mutual entailment
X entails Y, Y entails X.
X’s and Y’s =
I saw Maggie at the rave.
Maggie, I saw at the rave.
It was Maggie I saw at the
rave.
Maggie was seen by me
at the rave.
English 306A; Harris
27
9