Scribd
Upload
0 views

Compositional Semantics

The document discusses compositional semantics, which analyzes sentence meaning by breaking it down into parts, focusing on referential meaning, predicate-argument structure, truth conditions, quantifiers, modality, negation, and contextual meaning. It provides examples to illustrate how words refer to real-world entities and how sentence meaning can change based on context. The document emphasizes the importance of understanding these components for effective communication.

Uploaded by

Anton Colasi Corullo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
0 views

Compositional Semantics

The document discusses compositional semantics, which analyzes sentence meaning by breaking it down into parts, focusing on referential meaning, predicate-argument structure, truth conditions, quantifiers, modality, negation, and contextual meaning. It provides examples to illustrate how words refer to real-world entities and how sentence meaning can change based on context. The document emphasizes the importance of understanding these components for effective communication.

Uploaded by

Anton Colasi Corullo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 29

COMPOSITIO

NAL
SERMANTICS
Jennifer A. Ramos
Antonio C. Corullo Dr. Belen B. Pili
Reporter/Discussant Professor
Compositional semantics.

is a method of
analyzing the meaning of a sentence by breakin
g it down into its constituent parts
.
Compositional semantics
works to understand exactly
how listeners see the
difference between
sentences like "I like you"
and "You like me," which are
composed of the same
words with the same
1. Referential Meaning

This refers to the direct reference of words


to objects or concepts in the world
Example:
The sentence "The cat is on the mat" has a
referential meaning that involves a specific
cat and a specific mat.
Referential meaning in semantics
refers to:
Description of meaning according to
qualities/properties that all objects
to which a lexeme refers have in
common.
The theory that words function as
labels that stand for or refer to
objects, people, and states of affairs
in the real world.
Concerns with the real-world
experiences and associations of
Referential meaning in semantics refers to
the relationship between a word or phr
ase and the real-world entity it design
ates
. Here are some examples:
1.The word "cat" refers to a feline domestic
animal.
2."Hobbit" refers to a small human-like
creature with hairy feet and pointed ears in
J.R.R. Tolkien's fictional universe.
3.Different words can refer to the same con
cept, such as "buy" and "purchase," or "w
ater" and "H2O"
3
Direct Reference
often involves expressions that point a
specific individuals or groups.
Example:

Barack Obama was the 44th President of


United States.
Referents
actual entities that referring
expressions demote.

Example:
“the Morning Star” and “the
Evening Star” have the same referent
(the planet Venus)"
A referent is what a word or
symbol stands for. The referent
is the concrete thing that's
being referred to, so an actual
chair would be the referent of
the word chair. The referent of
words such as table or
building is pretty clear, but
some referents are more
abstract, like for the words
Context Dependence
depend heavy on context.

Example:
He is an excellent guitarist.
2. Predicate and Argument Structure

Sentences often consist of predicates (which


express actions or states) and arguments (which
are entities involved).
Types of argument
Subject
> The entity performing the action
Ex. The cat sleeps.

Object
>The entity receiving the action.
Ex. She gave him a book.
Example:

In "Alice gave Bob a book," "gave" is the


predicate, while "Alice," "Bob," and "a
book" are arguments.
Examples

a. A. The dog barked.


b. B. She read a book.
c. C. He gave her a gift.
3. Truth Conditions

Compositional semantics often involves


understanding the conditions under
which a sentence would be true or false.
Example:

The sentence "The sky is blue" is true if, and


only if, the sky is blue at the time of
speaking.
4. Quantifiers
Quantifiers like "all," "some," or
"none" change the meaning of
sentences based on their scope.
Example:

"All dogs bark" implies every single dog barks,


while "Some dogs bark" means at least one
dog barks.
5. Modality
Modality involves expressions
that convey necessity, possibility,
or permission.
Example:

"She must go" indicates necessity, while


"She might go" suggests possibility.
6. Negation
Negation alters the truth value
of a statement.
Example:
The sentence "It is not raining" negates
the proposition that "It is raining."
7. Contextual Meaning
The meaning of an expression can
change based on context, which is a
central aspect of compositional
semantics.
Example:
"I saw her duck" could mean seeing
a person lower their head or seeing
a duck owned by her, depending on
the context.
Thank you
and
And God Bless!

You might also like