Structures and Categories for the Representation of Meaning

Logical method of representing the meanings of linguistic expressions, independent of any particular language. First published in 1994.

Timothy C. Potts (Author)

9780521434812, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 10 March 1994

326 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.2 cm, 0.65 kg

"This book fascinates..." Philosophical Review

This 1994 book develops a way of representing the meanings of linguistic expressions which is independent of any particular language, allowing the expressions to be manipulated in accordance with rules related to their meanings which could be implemented on a computer. It begins with a survey of the contributions of linguistics, logic and computer science to the problem of representation, linking each with a particular type of formal grammar. A system of graphs is then presented, organized by scope relations in which linguistic constituents are sub-graphs whose configuration is determined by their categories. In developing this system, the author extends the notion of scope and argues that anaphoric and relative pronouns are structural signs not linguistic constituents. Certain count nouns are made the basis of this system and an account of proper names relating the count nouns, is given.

Preface
Acknowledgements
1. Linguistics: strings
2. Logic: trees
3. Computer science: graphs
4. Categorial graphs
5. Basic categories: count nouns
6. Basic categories: pointers
7. Quantifiers, pronouns and identity
Epilogue
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Social & political philosophy [HPS], Philosophy of language [CFA]