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Proof Theory at the Syntax/Semantics Interface
LSA Institute, July 8-10, 2005
| Richard T. Oehrle, Proof Theory Tutorial (abstract, slides)
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| Sat. Morning Session: Clausal Architecture and Inferences
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| Oystein Nilsen, A proof theoretical approach to (ad)verb placement (abstract, notes)
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| Raffaella Bernardi & Anna Szabolcsi, Semantically based inferences in syntax
(abstract, slides, notes)
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| Sat. Afternoon Session: Grammar and Natural Logic
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| Larry Moss, Completeness in natural logic: what and why? (abstract, slides)
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| Yoad Winter, On inference with scopally ambiguous sentences (abstract,slides)
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| Edward Stabler, Natural logic in linguistic theory (abstract, notes)
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| Sun. Morning Session: Symmetry and Scope
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| Chris Barker: Direct compositionality on demand (abstract, slides)
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| Michael Moortgat: Grammatical invariants (abstract, slides)
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Semantics plays a role in grammar in at least three guises. One, grammar
calculates the meaning of a sentence from the meanings of its component
parts, defined typically with reference to truth in a model. For example,
No whale flies is true if and only if the intersection of the sets of
whales and things that fly is empty in the model. Two, the acceptability of
a syntactic construction may depend on morpho-syntactic features with a
semantic flavor. For example, Under no circumstances would a whale fly is
acceptable, whereas Under some circumstances would a whale fly is not,
corresponding to presence vs. absence of a downward entailing feature in
the preposed phrase. Such features play a pervasive and theoretically
prominent role in generative syntax. Three, speakers make various
inferences based on semantic knowledge. For example, No whale flies entails
No blue whale flies and No whale flies high.
It is usually assumed that once a compositional model theoretic semantics
is specified for all expressions, its fruits can be freely enjoyed by
syntax and inferencing. An alternative is to "syntacticize semantics" by
invoking proof theory. Recent work has indicated that employing proof
theoretical considerations may not only be computationally advantageous but
may also be enlightening from the perspective of "pure" theoretical
linguistics.
This NSF sponsored workshop (BCS-0444071)
took place at the 2005 Linguistic Society
of America Institute. Its central goal was to explore how the use of proof
theory as a mediator between model theoretic semantics and generative
syntax can lead to theoretically interesting insights at the
syntax/semantics interface.
| Organizers: | Anna Szabolcsi and Edward Stabler
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| Contact: | Anna Szabolcsi
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| Linguistics
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| New York University
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| 719 Broadway, Rm. 423
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| New York , NY 10003
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| Phone: 212-998-7956
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| Fax: 212-995-4707 (attn. Szabolcsi)
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| e-mail: anna.szabolcsi@nyu.edu
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| LSA page |
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