Introduction to Natural Language Semantics (Volume 80)

by Henriette de Swart

Semantics is defined as the study of meaning expressed by elements of a language or combinations thereof. Utterances are not just noises or scribbles, they are used to convey information, and they are linked with kinds of events and with states of mind.

This text examines what issues semantics, as a theory of meaning, should address; determining what the meanings of words of the language are and how to semantically combine elements of a language to build up complex meanings. Logical languages are then developed as formal metalanguages to natural language. Subsequent chapters address propositional logic, the syntax and semantics of (first-order) predicate logic as an extension of propositional logic, and Generalized Quantifier theory. Going beyond extensional theory, Henri'tte de Swart relativizes the interpretation of expressions to times to account for verbal tense, time adverbials and temporal connectives and introduces possible worlds to model intensions, modal adverbs and modal auxiliaries.

This broad overview of natural language semantics should cover most of the points addressed in an introductory course. Numerous exercises punctuate each chapter and an example exam based on the materials presented is included, making this volume a perfect textbook and resource for any undergraduate or graduate-level introductory course in semantics.

Genres: Linguistics

257 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1998

Reviews

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

some contents/meanings and rorschach in things, still reading this. when i studied this at school i wouldn't have expected as much meaning/design packed into some things. sam beckett said/wondered/uttered somewhere in watt (what?) "no symbols where none intended". sw art? like a mesquite burger or georgia o'keefe? swarthy. the author's name probably, one might typically expect, has little bearing on the nature/meaning/interest of the topic. i'm going to go like jacques brel on facebook, though i don't know many of his lyrics, which are in french, a recommendation from the guy in the band sparks. a principle of interpreting/understanding a speaker favorably, as if they have nice/sensible intention/content, is useful, real, and nice (should i say kind? some meaning of positive with respect to other and yourself).* (asterisk to denote still in consideration/development/iteration, could make this review from zembla, maybe d ar win's voy age of the b eagle, for sense of loveution, rraoraoraorarar, excellent singers, snoopy? lam b? neigh b or? dancing to david bowie's speed of life, i have some affinity sense for that, though too much focus on that song may be overboard, imagine being in a house where they just played that all day every day, how does it exist in appropriate relation/appreciation, compositional proportionality, sometimes conclaving? other things too. for me and you in particularity and in generality. jukebox suitedness... flower bouquets and specificities... i don't want to be a spider from mars... i'd rather be a lamb... olive b ranch?? i like olive branches... )