Meaning and Grammar : An Introduction to Semantics

by Gennaro Chierchia and Sally McConnell-Ginet

• ISBN13: 9780262531641
• ISBN10: 026253164X
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-03-20
• Publisher: Mit Pr

Summary

This self-contained introduction to natural language semantics addresses the major theoretical questions in the field. The authors introduce the systematic study of linguistic meaning through a sequence of formal tools and their linguistic applications. Starting with propositional connectives and truth conditions, the book moves to quantification and binding, intensionality and tense, and so on. To set their approach in a broader perspective, the authors also explore the interaction of meaning with context and use (the semantics-pragmatics interface) and address some of the foundational questions, especially in connection with cognition in general. They also introduce a few of the most accessible and interesting ideas from recent research to give the reader a bit of the flavor of current work in semantics. The organization of this new edition is modular; after the introductory chapters, the remaining material can be covered in flexible order. The book presupposes no background in formal logic (an appendix introduces the basic notions of set theory) and only a minimal acquaintance with linguistics. This edition includes a substantial amount of completely new material and has been not only updated but redesigned throughout to enhance its user-friendliness.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
Preface to the Second Edition	xiii
The Empirical domain of Semantics	1	(52)
Introduction	1	(5)
General Constraints on Semantic Theory	6	(11)
Implication Relations	17	(16)
More Semantic Relations and Properties	33	(19)
Summary	52	(1)
Denotation, Truth, and Meaning	53	(60)
Introduction	53	(2)
Denotation	55	(14)
Truth	69	(30)
Problems	99	(14)
Quantification and Logical Form	113	(82)
Introduction	113	(34)
Quantification in English	147	(40)
Logical Form (If)	187	(8)
Speaking, Meaning, and Doing	195	(62)
Introduction	195	(1)
Expression Meaning and Speaker's Meaning	196	(16)
Sentential Force and Discourse Dynamics	212	(8)
Speech Acts	220	(19)
Conversational Implicature	239	(18)
Intensionality	257	(72)
Introduction	257	(9)
IPC: An Elementary Intensional Logic	266	(13)
Some Intensional Constructions in English	279	(39)
Problems with Belief Sentences	318	(11)
Contexts: Indexicality, Discourse, and Presupposition	329	(62)
Introduction	329	(1)
Indexicals	330	(19)
Presuppositions and Contexts	349	(16)
Projecting Presuppositions Recursively	365	(26)
Lambda Abstraction	391	(40)
An Elementary Introduction to Lambda Abstraction	391	(7)
Semantics via Translation	398	(9)
VP Disjunction and Conjunction	407	(8)
Relative Clauses	415	(5)
VP Anaphora	420	(9)
Conclusions	429	(2)
Word Meaning	431	(70)
Introduction	431	(5)
Semantic Analysis of Words	436	(22)
Modifiers	458	(14)
More on Verbal Semantics	472	(10)
Semantic Imprecision	482	(19)
Generalized Quantifiers	501	(28)
The Semantic Value of NPs	501	(6)
PCGQ and F4	507	(4)
Generalized Conjunction	511	(6)
Generalized Quantifiers and Empirical Properties of Language	517	(10)
Concluding Remarks	527	(2)
Appendix: Set-Theoretic Notation and Concepts	529	(12)
Notes	541	(8)
References	549	(10)
Index	559