Topics in Syntax and Semantics. Linguistic and Philosophical Perspectives
Topics in Syntax and Semantics. Linguistic and Philosophical Perspectives
Contributor(s): Wiktor Pskit (Editor)
Subject(s): Theoretical Linguistics
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego
Keywords: syntax; semantics; modal; construal; epistemic; plurality; nominal expressions; singular term; quotation
Summary/Abstract: Syntax and semantics are traditional areas of the study of language recognised in linguistics and philosophy of language. This overlap of research areas seems to justify publication of a volume containing both linguistic and philosophical papers on selected issues pertaining to syntax and semantics. While linguistics and philosophy of language remain distinct disciplines in a number of ways, this collection of papers attempts to demonstrate that exchange of ideas by the representatives of the two fields is not only possible: it can actually be fruitful. The major goal of this volume is to bring together the efforts of linguists and philosophers (representing different schools of thought within respective disciplines) trying to explore selected topics in syntax and semantics. The most obvious contrast between linguistics and philosophy of language – the preoccupation with the morphosyntactic distribution of specific linguistic elements in the former and striving for precise semantic analyses that abstract from language-particular morphosyntactic detail in the latter – is still visible throughout the book. Yet, one can observe some degree of openness to insights from philosophical investigation on the part of linguists and from linguistic research on the part of philosophers. This openness involves, among other things, ingesting the results of investigation in the other field, employment of terminology or even ‘borrowing’ some methods of research.
- E-ISBN-13: 978-83-8088-842-5
- Print-ISBN-13: 978-83-8088-841-8
- Page Count: 156
- Publication Year: 2017
- Language: English
Some experimental techniques in the study of horizontal and vertical aspects of event and narrative construal
Some experimental techniques in the study of horizontal and vertical aspects of event and narrative construal
(Some experimental techniques in the study of horizontal and vertical aspects of event and narrative construal)
- Author(s):Janusz Badio
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Theoretical Linguistics
- Page Range:11-29
- No. of Pages:19
- Keywords:construal; event; story; narrative; experiment; horizontal; vertical
- Summary/Abstract:The present article discusses examples of experimental techniques of studying events within narratives. The theoretical basis is Cognitive Linguistics, and cognitive psychology. The terms horizontal and vertical with regard to event and narrative construal, though somewhat arbitrary, provide a framework for the discussion of the many possibilities that exist in the experimental study of this topic. The theoretical considerations that are foundational for the article are discussed in sections one and two, followed by section three on techniques in the study of a single event, and section four that deals with events as they form the whole story coherence.
- Price: 4.50 €
Propositional attitude predicates and ‘that’-clauses
Propositional attitude predicates and ‘that’-clauses
(Propositional attitude predicates and ‘that’-clauses)
- Author(s):Giulia Felappi
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Theoretical Linguistics
- Page Range:31-59
- No. of Pages:29
- Keywords:propositional attitudes sentences; ‘that’-clauses; relational predicates; singular terms; the face-value theory
- Summary/Abstract:The so-called face-value theory of propositional attitude sentences, i.e. (The Face-Value Theory); (RP) Propositional attitude predicates occurring in propositional attitude sentences designate relations; (ST) ‘That’-clauses are singular terms; (P) ‘That’-clauses denote propositions, is often endorsed without even discussing the plausibility of its tenets. As Schiffer (2003: 11) holds, it is “the default theory that must be defeated if it’s not to be accepted” and in fact he himself spends but a handful of lines discussing it. Surely, it is the default theory, considering that it originated more or less two thousand years ago, and since then in philosophy it has mostly been taken for granted. But this does not make it necessarily true, and all alternative theories must be defeated if they are not to be accepted. The aim of this paper is to defeat the alternatives for what at stake with theses (RP) and (ST). As we will see, although we cannot prove that these theses are true, all the different data that need to be accounted for can be more elegantly and more easily explained if the two theses are endorsed. Thus we will conclude that there really is something face-value in the theses, and that an account that endorses them is to be preferred to the alternatives.
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Epistemic must in Japanese – the case of modals hazu and ni chigainai
Epistemic must in Japanese – the case of modals hazu and ni chigainai
(Epistemic must in Japanese – the case of modals hazu and ni chigainai)
- Author(s):Dariusz Głuch
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Theoretical Linguistics
- Page Range:61-71
- No. of Pages:11
- Keywords:modal; epistemic; semantics; must; ordering source
- Summary/Abstract:The aim of this paper is to analyse semantics of two Japanese modals of epistemic necessity: hazu and ni chigainai. The analysis shows that although both are of the same type and force, their semantics differs. While hazu seems to be a modal conveying certainty based on credible premises, ni chigainai is connected with premises loosely, and tends to be used as a modal expressing strong belief. Thus I propose to treat the latter as a modal of possibility that takes a shape of necessity on the surface level.
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Referentially used descriptions in truth-conditional semantics
Referentially used descriptions in truth-conditional semantics
(Referentially used descriptions in truth-conditional semantics)
- Author(s):Andrei Moldovan
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Theoretical Linguistics
- Page Range:73-91
- No. of Pages:19
- Keywords:definite descriptions; referential uses; truth-conditional semantics; Referentialism; direct reference; rigidity; scope ambiguity
- Summary/Abstract:My purpose in this paper is to argue that the referential-attributive distinction concerning definite descriptions is of minor relevance to truth-conditional semantics (although it is of greater semantic significance to a framework of structured propositions). The argument will go as follows: suppose that referential uses of DDs are semantically relevant, and suppose that the thesis of Referentialism (as proposed by Devitt (2007) and Reimer (1998)) is correct: then we should be able to identify the truth-conditional data that shows that Referentialism is preferable to the alternatives. I argue that such data is not readily available. The data that we do find relevant is such that the classical Russellian and Fregean theories can easily account for it.
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Linguistic and philosophical approaches to NPN structures
Linguistic and philosophical approaches to NPN structures
(Linguistic and philosophical approaches to NPN structures)
- Author(s):Wiktor Pskit
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Theoretical Linguistics
- Page Range:93-110
- No. of Pages:18
- Keywords:syntax; semantics; nominal expressions; nouns; prepositions; reduplication; doubling; plurality; iteration
- Summary/Abstract:This paper is concerned with NPN structures exemplified by day by day or student after student. The analysis of these expressions needs to address a number of challenges, some of which have been tackled in the relevant literature in linguistic (e.g. Pi 1995; Travis 2001, 2003; Jackendoff 2008, Haïk 2013) or philosophical (e.g. Beck & von Stechow 2006, 2007; Zwarts 2013) terms. A particularly problematic aspect of NPN structures is a relation between a kind of formal doubling or reduplication (at least in the case of NPNs with two identical nouns) and semantic plurality or iteration. In more general terms, the nature of the relation between formal (structural) reduplication and semantic iteration bears on the roles of syntax and semantics in the overall architecture of language, an issue of interest for both linguists and philosophers of language. The aim of the discussion is to point out the similarities and differences between the relevant analyses of NPNs and reflect upon possibilities of putting together the findings of linguistic and philosophical accounts. It is concluded that while significant differences between linguistics and philosophy of language obviously remain, the representatives of the two fields can inform one another.
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Pairs of things and the meaning of the plural
Pairs of things and the meaning of the plural
(Pairs of things and the meaning of the plural)
- Author(s):Marcin Wągiel
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Theoretical Linguistics
- Page Range:111-128
- No. of Pages:18
- Keywords:semantics; plurality; plural; measure words; pluralia tantum
- Summary/Abstract:In this paper, I discuss issues concerning the semantic interpretation of the plural. I review two alternative approaches to the problem, namely the inclusive and exclusive interpretation of the plural, and recall arguments against the inclusive approach. Furthermore, I propose that the unified semantics of pair developed here supports the exclusive account. The analysis accounts for the supposedly heterogeneous behavior of pair in phrases in which it combines with regular plural nouns and, on the other hand, with pluralia tantum. The puzzle concerns different cardinalities of denoted objects. I posit that the denotation of regular count nouns includes only sums of individuals, whereas pluralia tantum denote complete semi-lattices. In each case, pair selects a minimal element of the denotation of a noun, i.e., either a sum consisting of two individuals or an atom, and turns it into a group that can be further counted.
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Deriving quotation: some Minimalist problems
Deriving quotation: some Minimalist problems
(Deriving quotation: some Minimalist problems)
- Author(s):Jan Wiślicki
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Theoretical Linguistics
- Page Range:129-154
- No. of Pages:26
- Keywords:quotation; quotes; phases; PIC; NTC; Zwart; layers
- Summary/Abstract:The aim of this paper is to discuss whether the standard Chomskyan Minimalist framework is in a position to generate quotational expressions. Assuming the crucial elements of the Minimalist architecture, that is the PIC and NTC based derivation by phases, I show that the behaviour of quotation poses serious problems for the current Minimalist Program. The theory of phases turns out to be not fine-grained enough in order to cover a wide variety of puzzling features observed for quotational expression. I argue, then, that the effects that can hardly be accounted for within the standard Minimalism naturally follow from the layered top-down derivation proposed by Zwart.
- Price: 4.50 €