§1 Nature of semantic theory (pp. 1-24)

Semantics = the study of linguistic meaning

1.1 Pretheoretic domains

Semantic properties and relations

• Actual meanings
• Ambiguity
• Anomaly
• Logicosemantic relations
  • Contradiction
  • Implication
  • Synonymy
• Thematic relations

External significance

• Reference
• Truth/falsity
• Informativeness

Internal significance

1.2 Semantics as linguistics

Cognitivist perspective

Properties of semantic rules

• Compositionality
• Recursivity
• Tacit knowledge

Acquisition of semantic rules

• Induction problem
• Universal grammar

Use of semantic rules

• Semantics = context-independent meaning
• Pragmatics = context-independent meaning

1.3 The place and responsabilites of semantic theory

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Inception: 8/29/99. Last revision: 10/8/99.