Gradable adjectives and the semantics of locatives
This dissertation develops a semantic model of gradable adjectives such as âtallâ, âgoodâ, âbigâ, âheavyâ, etc., within a formal semantic theory of locatives we call Locative Structure Semantics (LSS). Our central hypothesis is that gradable adjectives are, semantically, a species of locative expression. The view of gradable adjectives as locatives is inspired by the vector-based semantic models of Vector Space Semantics (VSS), as well as the notion of perspective or point of view, as found in Leonard Talmyâs research on spatial expressions (Talmy [153]) and the tradition of Situation Semantics (cf. Barwise and Perry [9, p. 39]). Following Barwise and Seligman [11], we construe the contextual variability that characterises gradable adjectives in terms of shifts in cognitive perspective. We argue that perspectives are a formal part of a semantic representational structure that is shared by expressions from several different domains, which we refer to as a locative structure (L-structure). The notion of an L-structure is influenced by Reichenbachâs notion of tense, and can be thought of as a generalisation of the Reichenbachian notion of tense to the realm of concepts. Reichenbach [134] proposed
Flieger, Johannes C.
locative structure semantics ; gradable adjectives ; vector space semantics ; locative structure ; L-structure
Gradable adjectives and the semantics of locatives. This dissertation develops a semantic model of gradable adjectives such as âtallâ, âgoodâ, âbigâ, âheavyâ, etc., within a formal semantic theory of locatives we call Locative Structure Semantics (LSS). Our central hypothesis is that gradable adjectives are, semantically, a species of locative expression. The view of gradable adjectives as locatives is inspired by the vector-based semantic models of Vector Space Semantics (VSS), as well as the notion of perspective or point of view, as found in Leonard Talmyâs research on spatial expressions (Talmy [153]) and the tradition of Situation Semantics (cf. Barwise and Perry [9, p. 39]). Following Barwise and Seligman [11], we construe the contextual variability that characterises gradable adjectives in terms of shifts in cognitive perspective. We argue that perspectives are a formal part of a semantic representational structure that is shared by expressions from several different domains, which we refer to as a locative structure (L-structure). The notion of an L-structure is influenced by Reichenbachâs notion of tense, and can be thought of as a generalisation of the Reichenbachian notion of tense to the realm of concepts. Reichenbach [134] proposed
gradable adjective semantics locative develops semantic model gradable adjective good big heavy etc within formal_semantic theory locative call locative structure semantics central_hypothesis gradable adjective semantically specie locative expression view gradable adjectives locative inspire vector based semantic model vector space semantics well notion perspective point_view find talmy spatial expression talmy tradition situation semantics following construe contextual variability characterises gradable adjective term shift cognitive_perspective argue perspective formal part semantic representational structure share expression several_different domain refer locative structure structure notion structure influence notion tense think generalisation notion tense realm concept propose