| CODE | LIN3021 | ||||||
| TITLE | Formal Semantics | ||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||
| MQF LEVEL | Not Applicable | ||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Institute of Linguistics | ||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Learning Objectives: This study-unit will build on the basic concepts that students will have acquired in the introductory course in Semantics (LIN1180), and make use of the formal methods acquired in the Formal Foundations for Linguistics course(LIN1032). The aim of the study-unit is to give students a grounding in one of the dominant methods used for semantic analysis, namely, the application of mathematical methods (set theory, propositional and predicate logic) to the study of meaning. Participants will be introduced to the main theories that have influenced work in Formal Semantics, particularly Montague Grammar and the logical work of Frege, as well as the basics of Model Theory. The study-unit will then move on to a consideration of the principle of Compositionality, concretised through the study of how meaning is composed in various constructions, such as those involving verbal predicates, modifier constructions and generalised quatifiers. The final part of the unit will deal with the concepts of modality and tense, after a discussion of the distinction between intensional and extensional contexts. Content Covered: The study-unit will cover the following topics: 1. Meaning and the formal tradition. This part of the unit will give a historical introduction to the role of formal methods in the analysis of meaning, with particular emphasis on the work of Frege, Tarski and the Montague. It will emphasise the 2realist2 conception, whereby meaning is analysed against a model, or universe of discourse. 2. Compositionality. An introduction to the principle of Compositionality, through a concrete example of how the meaning of a relatively simple expression can be composed from the meaning of its parts, given some assumptions about how those parts (lexical items) should be viewed in terms of predicates (set-denoting expressions) and function application. 3. Predication. A consideration of different kinds of predicates in Natural Language, including nominals, verbs, and modifiers. 4. Quantification 1: Reference. An overview of the meaning of referring expressions, with reference to the foundational work of Russell (1905), where in/definites are viewed as existentially quantified expressions. This part will emphasise the distinction between definite and indefinite NPs, and also discuss plurals. This part of the unit will also introduce more pragmatically-oriented theories of reference, such as Strawson (1950) and Searle (1969). 5. Quantification 2: Generalised Quantifiers. Here, we introduce 2higher-order2 predicates, or sets of sets, in discussing the meaning of Natural Language quantifiers such as all, most of , two, etc. The theoretical background here is the work of Barwise and Coopers (1981). 6. Extensionality vs. Intensionality. This part of the unit introduces the distinction between extensional and intensional contexts, with a discussion of Montague’s Intensional Logic. 7. Tense, aspect and modality. Here, we focus on the semantics of time and analysis of modal expressions. This concludes the study-unit. Reading List - Portner, P. (2005). What is meaning? Fundamentals of Formal Semantics. Oxford: Blackwell Supplementary Reading List - Chierchia, G. and McConnell-Ginet, S. (2000). Meaning and Grammar: An Introduction to Semantics. (2nd Ed.) Cambridge, Ma.:MIT Press - Dowty, D., Wall, R.E., and Peters, S. (1981). Introduction to Montague Semantics. Dordrecht: Kluwer Primary Sources - Russell, B. (1905). On Denoting. Mind, 14; 479-493. - Strawson, P.F.(1950). On Referring. Mind, 59(235): 320-344 - Searle, J.R. (1969). Speech Acts: An Essay in the Philosophy of Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press - Barwise, J., and Cooper, R. (1981). Generalised Quantifiers and Natural Language. Linguistics and Philosophy, 4: 159-219 |
||||||
| ADDITIONAL NOTES | Pre-requisite Study-units: LIN1180, LIN1032 | ||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Tutorial | ||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
|
||||||
| LECTURER/S | Albert Gatt |
||||||
|
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
|||||||