Vagueness, gradability and typicality : the interpretation of adjectives and nouns / by Galit W. Sassoon.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Sassoon, Galit W.

Series:

Current Research in the Semantics / Pragmatics Interface 27.

Current research in the semantics/pragmatics interface ; v. 27

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Pragmatics.

Semantics.

Vagueness (Philosophy).

Grammar, Comparative and general--Noun.

Grammar, Comparative and general.

Grammar, Comparative and general--Adjective.

Language and languages--Philosophy.

Language and languages.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (446 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Lieden : Brill, 2013.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

This book presents a study of the connections between vagueness and gradability, and their different manifestations in adjectives (morphological gradability effects) and nouns (typicality effects). It addresses two opposing theoretical approaches from within formal semantics and cognitive psychology. These approaches rest on different, apparently contradictory pieces of data. For example, for psychologists nouns are linked with vague and gradable concepts, while for linguists they rarely are. This difference in approach has created an unfortunate gap between the semantic and psychological studies of the concepts denoted by nouns, as well as adjectives. The volume describes a wide range of relevant facts and theories. Psychological notions such as prototypes and dimensions are addressed with formal rigor and explicitness. Existing formal semantic accounts are examined against empirically established cognitive data. The result is a comprehensive unified approach. The book will be of interest to students and researchers working on the semantics and pragmatics of natural languages and their cognitive basis, the psychology of concepts, and the philosophy of language.

Contents:

Preliminary Material / Galit W. Sassoon

1 Introduction / Galit W. Sassoon

2 The Linguistic and Psychological Perspectives / Galit W. Sassoon

3 An Overview of Linguistic Theories / Galit W. Sassoon

4 An Overview of Psychological Theories / Galit W. Sassoon

5 Information Structure with Degrees and Dimensions / Galit W. Sassoon

6 Partial Information about Gradability and Typicality / Galit W. Sassoon

7 A Degree-Function Based Typology of Predicates / Galit W. Sassoon

8 The Learning Principle and Complex Concepts / Galit W. Sassoon

9 The Meaning and Distribution of Gradability Morphemes / Galit W. Sassoon

10 General Conclusions / Galit W. Sassoon

Appendix / Galit W. Sassoon

References / Galit W. Sassoon

Index / Galit W. Sassoon.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Description based on print version record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9789004248588

9004248587

9781781902646

178190264X

OCLC:

862049423

Publisher Number:

10.1163/9789004248588 DOI