Lecture Notes on Semantic Composition and Modification

These flashcards cover key concepts related to semantic composition and the use of adjectives in sentence structures.

Semantic Composition

The process by which word meanings combine into the meanings of larger phrases and sentences.

Noun Phrase (NP)

A sequence of words that can serve as a subject in a sentence, typically containing a noun and its modifiers.

Prepositional Phrase (PP)

A phrase that consists of a preposition followed by a proper name, often serving as a modifier of a noun phrase.

Adjective Phrase (AP)

A phrase that contains an adjective and can modify a noun within a noun phrase.

Modification

The process by which an adjective or prepositional phrase clarifies or describes a noun within a noun phrase.

Intersection in Semantics

The idea that the meaning of a modified phrase is the intersection of the meanings of the modifier and the modified phrase.

Attributive Use

When an adjective is used directly before a noun to describe it, such as in 'the red car'.

Predicative Use

When an adjective is used after a verb to describe the subject, such as in 'the car is red'.

Intersective Composition

A type of semantic composition where the meanings of both the noun and the modifier contribute to the final meaning, similar to set intersection.

N-N Inferences

Inferences drawn from sentences where a noun modified by another noun leads to conclusions about their relationships.

Validity of Inferences

The quality of an inference being logically sound, where the premises entail the conclusion.

Context Dependency

The meaning of an adjective may rely on the context it is used in, often depending on comparison classes relevant to the subject.

Structure Dependent Meanings

Meanings of adjectives that are determined by the structure in which they appear and cannot function independently.

Set of Individuals

A group defined by specific characteristics or properties, often used in semantic analysis to determine meanings.

Comparison Class

A set of entities that adjectives compare to in terms of their properties, affecting their interpretation.

Non-intersective Adjectival Modification

Modification where the meaning of the adjective does not lead to a straightforward combination of sets, often due to contextual factors.