UMass Amherst LINGUIST 610 - A Couple Quick Questions on Conjunctions

Unformatted text preview:

Seth Cable Semantics and Generative Grammar Fall 2011 Ling 610 1 A Couple Quick Questions on Conjunctions (1) Eliminating a Lexical Ambiguity, Part 1 We’ve analyzed sentences like (a) below by postulating the lexical entry for “and” in (b). a. Barack [ smokes and dances ] b. [[ and ]] = [ λf ∈ D<et> : [ λg ∈ D<et> : [ λx ∈ De : f(x) = T and g(x) = T ] ] ] However, as was discussed in class, the lexical entry above will not be enough to interpret all sentences containing “and”. In order to analyze sentences like (c), where “and” conjoins together two sentences, we will need the lexical entry in (d). c. [ [ Barack smokes ] and [ Joe dances ] ] d. [[ and ]] = [ λp ∈ Dt : [ λq ∈ Dt : q = T and p = T ] ] e. Question 1 Provide a proof showing that the lexical entry in (d) will provide the correct truth-conditions for sentence (c) As mentioned in class, this kind of ambiguity may be undesirable. We would like to find some productive way of relating the two lexical entries in (b) and (d) together. Let us, then, imagine the following picture. Let’s suppose that there is really only one lexical entry for “and”, the one in (d), which treats “and” as of type < t , < t , t > >. Furthermore, let’s suppose that in sentences like (1a), there’s some phonologically null morpheme ‘SHIFT1’ that is attached to “and”. Thus, the structure of (1a) is really that in (1f) below: f. S NP VP1 Barack VP2 ConnP smokes Conn VP3 SHIFT 1 and dances g. Question 2 Provide a lexical entry for ‘SHIFT1’ which predicts that the extension of the ‘Conn’ node will be equal to the function in (1b). h. Question 3 Show that the lexical entry you provided for Question 2 also allows you to compute the correct T-conditions for “Barack smokes or dances.”Seth Cable Semantics and Generative Grammar Fall 2011 Ling 610 2 (2) Eliminating a Lexical Ambiguity, Part 2 Now consider sentences like (a), below, which we will assume to have the hierarchical structure indicated. a. [ Barack [ [ likes and respects ] Joe ] ] b. Question 1 Briefly explain why neither the entry for “and” in (1d) nor the entry you gave for “SHIFT1” in (1g) will allow you to interpret the sentence above. Let us, for fun’s sake, postulate an additional, phonologically null operator in English, this one dubbed “SHIFT2” Let us moreover suppose that the structure of (2a) is as below. c. S NP1 VP Barack V3 NP2 V1 ConnP Joe likes Conn V2 SHIFT2 Conn respects SHIFT1 and d. Question 2 Please provide a lexical entry for ‘SHIFT2’ that allows the structure in (2c) to be interpreted. Please show that this lexical entry will yield the correct truth-conditions for


View Full Document
Download A Couple Quick Questions on Conjunctions
Our administrator received your request to download this document. We will send you the file to your email shortly.
Loading Unlocking...
Login

Join to view A Couple Quick Questions on Conjunctions and access 3M+ class-specific study document.

or
We will never post anything without your permission.
Don't have an account?
Sign Up

Join to view A Couple Quick Questions on Conjunctions 2 2 and access 3M+ class-specific study document.

or

By creating an account you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use

Already a member?