Complex concepts : the semantics of noun modification
This thesis investigates adjective-noun and noun-noun combinations: structures known as complex concepts (Murphy (1988)). Many theories have been advanced to explain how the meanings of the two words are combined to produce the meaning of the combination. However, individual studies tend to focus on a limited set of examples. It is thus unclear how far proposed models can be generalised. The approach taken in this thesis is a data-intensive one: models are analysed and extended in the light of the range of combinations found in a large sample of natural language (over 400,000 examples are available for consideration). This gives a coverage of combination types unavailable even in previous corpus-based studies of this field (e.g. Levi (1978)). The strength of the thesis lies in this access to a large number of examples of complex concepts: the models it advances are intended to cope with the actual range of combinations found. Models are described using schemata, representational structures that are used in both linguistic and psychological models of concept combination (e.g. the modelling of adjective meaning in the generative lexical work of Pustejovsky (1995), or in the psychological work of Smith <i>et
Hipwell, Peter Michael
Complex concepts : the semantics of noun modification. This thesis investigates adjective-noun and noun-noun combinations: structures known as complex concepts (Murphy (1988)). Many theories have been advanced to explain how the meanings of the two words are combined to produce the meaning of the combination. However, individual studies tend to focus on a limited set of examples. It is thus unclear how far proposed models can be generalised. The approach taken in this thesis is a data-intensive one: models are analysed and extended in the light of the range of combinations found in a large sample of natural language (over 400,000 examples are available for consideration). This gives a coverage of combination types unavailable even in previous corpus-based studies of this field (e.g. Levi (1978)). The strength of the thesis lies in this access to a large number of examples of complex concepts: the models it advances are intended to cope with the actual range of combinations found. Models are described using schemata, representational structures that are used in both linguistic and psychological models of concept combination (e.g. the modelling of adjective meaning in the generative lexical work of Pustejovsky (1995), or in the psychological work of Smith <i>et
complex concept semantics noun modification investigates adjective noun noun noun combination structure know complex concept many theory advance explain meaning word combine produce mean combination however individual study tend_focus limited set example thus unclear far propose_model generalise take data intensive model analyse extend light range combination find large_sample natural_language examples available consideration give coverage combination type unavailable even previous corpus_based study field strength lie access large_number example complex concept model advance intend cope actual range combination find models describe use schema representational structure use linguistic psychological model concept combination model adjective meaning generative lexical work psychological work smith