Formal semantics (linguistics)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Formal semantics.
It has been suggested that this article be merged into Formal semantics (logic).
(Discuss) Proposed since August 2012.
In linguistics, formal semantics seeks to understand linguistic meaning by const
ructing precise mathematical models of the principles that speakers use to defin
e relations between expressions in a natural language and the world which suppor
ts meaningful discourse.[1]
The mathematical tools used are the confluence of formal logic and formal langua
ge theory, especially typed lambda calculi.
Linguists rarely employed formal semantics until Richard Montague showed how Eng
lish (or any natural language) could be treated like a formal language.[2] His c
ontribution to linguistic semantics, which is now known as Montague grammar, was
the basis for further developments, like the categorial grammar of Bar-Hillel a
nd colleagues, and the more recent type-logical semantics (or grammar) based on
Lambek calculus.[3]
Another line of inquiry, using linear logic, is Glue semantics, which is based o
n the idea of "interpretation as deduction", closely related to the "parsing as
deduction" paradigm of categorial grammar.[4]
In 1992 Margaret King argued that few of the proposals from formal semanticists
have been tested for empirical relevance, unlike those in computational linguist
ics.[5]
Cognitive semantics emerged and developed as a reaction against formal semantics
.
See also[edit]
Discourse representation theory
References[edit]
Jump up ^ Mark Aronoff; Janie Rees-Miller (2003). The handbook of linguistics. W
iley-Blackwell. ISBN 978-1-4051-0252-0., chapter 15: An Introduction to Formal s
emantics.
Jump up ^ For a very readable and succinct overview of how formal semantics foun
d its way into linguistics, please refer to The formal approach to meaning: Form
al semantics and its recent developments by Barbara Abbott. In: Journal of Forei
gn Languages (Shanghai), 119:1 (January 1999), 220.
Jump up ^ Michael Moortgat (1988). Categorial investigations: logical and lingui
stic aspects of the Lambek calculus. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 978-90-6765-387-9.
Retrieved 5 April 2011.
Jump up ^ Harry Bunt (2008). Computing Meaning 3. Springer. p. 458. ISBN 978-1-4
020-5957-5.
Jump up ^ Margaret King (1992). "Epilogue: on the relation between computational
linguistics and formal semantics". In Michael Rosner; Roderick Johnson. Computa
tional Linguistics and Formal Semantics. Cambridge University Press. p. 283. ISB
N 978-0-521-42988-7.
Further reading[edit]
Max Cresswell (2006). "Formal semantics". In Michael Devitt, Richard Hanley. The
Blackwell guide to the philosophy of language. Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 978-0-631-
23142-4. An very accessible overview of the main ideas in the field.
John I. Saeed (2008). Semantics. Introducing linguistics (3rd ed.). Wiley-Blackw
ell. ISBN 978-1-4051-5639-4. Chapter 10, Formal semantics, contains the best cha
pter-level coverage of the main technical directions
Johan van Benthem; Alice Ter Meulen (2010). Handbook of Logic and Language (2nd
ed.). Elsevier. ISBN 978-0-444-53726-3. The most comprehensive reference in the
area.
Emmon W. Bach (1989). Informal lectures on formal semantics. SUNY Press. ISBN 97
8-0-88706-772-3. One of the first textbooks. Accessible to undergraduates.
Ronnie Cann (1993). Formal semantics: an introduction. Cambridge University Pres
s. ISBN 978-0-521-37610-5.
Irene Heim; Angelika Kratzer (1998). Semantics in generative grammar. Wiley-Blac
kwell. ISBN 978-0-631-19713-3.
Gennaro Chierchia; Sally McConnell-Ginet (2000). Meaning and grammar: an introdu
ction to semantics (2nd ed.). MIT Press. ISBN 978-0-262-53164-1.
Sean A. Fulop (2004). On the Logic and Learning of Language. Trafford Publishing
. ISBN 978-1-4120-2381-8.
based on: Fulop, Sean A.; Mac Lane, Saunders. On the Logic and Learning of Langu
age (Tech Report / PhD thesis). CiteSeerX: 10.1.1.15.1107.
Glyn V. Morrill (1994). Type logical grammar: categorial logic of signs. Springe
r. ISBN 978-0-7923-3095-0.
Reinhard Muskens Type-logical Semantics to appear in the Routledge Encyclopedia
of Philosophy Online.
Bob Carpenter (1998). Type-logical semantics. MIT Press. ISBN 978-0-262-53149-8.
Johan van Benthem (1995). Language in action: categories, lambdas, and dynamic l
ogic. MIT Press. ISBN 978-0-262-72024-3.
Barbara H. Partee: Reflections of a formal semanticist as of Feb 2005. Ample his
torical information. (an extended version of the introductory essay in Barbara H
. Partee: Compositionality in Formal Semantics: Selected Papers of Barbara Parte
e. Blackwell Publishers, Oxford, 2004.)