Download or read book Simultaneously Acquiring the Syntax and Semantics of Spatial Referring Expressions written by Jeremy Wright and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 93 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To be useful for communication language must be grounded in perceptions of the world, but acquiring such grounded language is a challenging task that increases in difficulty as the length and syntactic complexity of utterances grow. Several state of the art methods exist to learn complex grounded language from unannotated utterances, however each requires that the semantic system of the language be completely defined ahead of time. This expectation is problematic as it assumes not only that agents must have complete semantic understanding before starting to learn language, but also that the human designers of these systems can accurately transcribe the semantics of human languages in great detail. This paper presents Reagent, a construction grammar framework for concurrently learning the syntax and semantics of complex English referring expressions, with an emphasis on spatial referring expressions. Rather than requiring fully predefined semantic representations, Reagent only requires access to a set of semantic primitives from which it can build appropriate representations. The results presented here demonstrate that Reagent can acquire constructions that are missing from its starting grammar by observing the contextual utterances of a fully fluent agent, can approach fluent accuracy at inferring the referent of such expressions, and learns meanings that are qualitatively similar to the constructions of the agent from which it is learning. We propose that this approach could be expanded to other types of expressions and languages, and forms a solid foundation for general natural language acquisition.
Download or read book Syntax and Semantics of Spatial P written by Anna Asbury and published by John Benjamins Publishing. This book was released on 2008-05-21 with total page 426 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The category P belongs to a less studied area in theoretical linguistics, which has only recently attracted considerable attention. This volume brings together pioneering work on adpositions in spatial relations from different theoretical and cross-linguistic perspectives. The common theme in these contributions is the complex semantic and syntactic structure of PPs. Analyses are presented in several different frameworks and approaches, including generative syntax, optimality theoretic semantics and syntax, formal semantics, mathematical modeling, lexical syntax, and pragmatics. Among the languages featured in detail are English, German, Hebrew, Igbo, Italian, Japanese, and Persian. This volume will be of interest to students and researchers of formal semantics, syntax and language typology, as well as scholars with a more general interest in spatial cognition.
Download or read book Saying Seeing and Acting written by Kenny R. Coventry and published by Psychology Press. This book was released on 2004-07-31 with total page 227 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Our use of spatial prepositions carries an implicit understanding of the functional relationships both between objects themselves and human interaction with those objects. This is the thesis rigorously explicated in Saying, Seeing and Acting. It aims to account not only for our theoretical comprehension of spatial relations but our ability to intercede with efficacy in the world of spatially related objects. Only the phenomenon of functionality can adequately account for what even the simplest of everyday experiences show to be the technically problematic, but still meaningful status of expressions of spatial location in contentious cases. The terms of the debate are established and contextualised in Part One. In the Second Section, systematic experimental evidence is drawn upon to demonstrate specific covariances between spatial world and spatial language. The authors go on to give an original account of the functional and geometric constraints on which comprehension and human action among spatially related objects is based. Part Three looks at the interaction of these constraints to create a truly dynamic functional geometric framework for the meaningful use of spatial prepositions. Fascinating to anyone whose work touches on psycholinguistics, this book represents a thorough and incisive contribution to debates in the cognitive psychology of language.
Download or read book Mapping Spatial PPs written by Guglielmo Cinque and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2010 with total page 313 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume focuses on the internal structure of prepositional phrases, an area that has so far received little attention from the standpoint of cartography. Despite the wide range of data and considerations presented in these essays, the contributors reach a strikingly convergent conclusion: that phrases composed of spatial prepositions, adverbs, and particles do not have different structures, but merely spell out different parts of the same articulated configuration.
Download or read book Semantics written by James R. Hurford and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1983-04-28 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Introduces the major elements of semantics in a simple, step-by-step fashion. Sections of explanation and examples are followed by practice exercises with answers and comment provided.
Download or read book Modelling the Semantic Variability of Spatial Prepositions in Referring Expressions written by Adam Louis Richard-Bollans and published by . This book was released on 2021 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Acquisition of Lexical Semantics for Spatial Terms written by Terrance Philip Regier and published by . This book was released on 1992 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Making Space written by Nora Newcombe and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2000 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Argues for an interactionist approach to spatial development that incorporates and integrates essential insights of the Piaget, Nativist, and Vygotskyan approaches.
Download or read book Syntax and Spatial Relations written by Stacy Lynn Klingler and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 86 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book An Introduction to Syntactic Analysis and Theory written by Dominique Sportiche and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2013-09-30 with total page 483 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An Introduction to Syntactic Analysis and Theory offers beginning students a comprehensive overview of and introduction to our current understanding of the rules and principles that govern the syntax of natural languages. Includes numerous pedagogical features such as 'practice' boxes and sidebars, designed to facilitate understanding of both the 'hows' and the 'whys' of sentence structure Guides readers through syntactic and morphological structures in a progressive manner Takes the mystery out of one of the most crucial aspects of the workings of language – the principles and processes behind the structure of sentences Ideal for students with minimal knowledge of current syntactic research, it progresses in theoretical difficulty from basic ideas and theories to more complex and advanced, up to date concepts in syntactic theory
Download or read book Syntax and Semantics of Prepositions written by Patrick Saint-Dizier and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2006-03-02 with total page 340 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the first book to provide an integrated view of preposition from morphology to reasoning, via syntax and semantics. It offers new insights in applied and formal linguistics, and cognitive science. It underlines the importance of prepositions in a number of computational linguistics applications, such as information retrieval and machine translation. The book presents a wide range of views and applications to various linguistic frameworks.
Download or read book Semantics Theories written by Claudia Maienborn and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2019-02-19 with total page 449 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Now in paperback for the first time since its original publication, the material gathered here is perfect for anyone who needs a detailed and accessible introduction to the important semantic theories. Designed for a wide audience, it will be of great value to linguists, cognitive scientists, philosophers, and computer scientists working on natural language. The book covers theories of lexical semantics, cognitively oriented approaches to semantics, compositional theories of sentence semantics, and discourse semantics. This clear, elegant explanation of the key theories in semantics research is essential reading for anyone working in the area.
Download or read book Language Development Syntax and semantics written by Stan A. Kuczaj and published by Psychology Press. This book was released on 1982 with total page 512 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First published in 1981. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
Download or read book Space Time and the Use of Language written by Thora Tenbrink and published by Walter de Gruyter. This book was released on 2008-09-25 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Does temporal language depend on spatial language? This widespread view is intuitively appealing since spatial and temporal expressions are often similar or identical. Also, metaphors consistently express temporal phenomena in terms of spatial language, pointing to a close semantic and conceptual relationship. But what about the application of the two kinds of linguistic expressions in natural discourse? The book draws together findings on terms that describe the relation of objects or events to each other (such as in front / behind, before / after, etc.), highlighting the relationship between cognition and language usage. Using the method of cognitively motivated discourse analysis, novel empirical results are presented to complement earlier findings. The detailed investigation of a selected range of terms that appear to be parallel in space and time highlights both similarities and fundamental differences in their application. As a result, a new picture emerges: The concepts of space and time are represented in language usage in various systematic ways, reflecting how we understand the world - and at the same time reflecting how our concepts of space and time differ fundamentally. The volume contributes to a debate that has been of interest for cognitive linguists for several decades, concerning the understanding of transfer processes between two conceptually intertwined domains. The specific contribution of this work consists of addressing the novel question of how such processes come into play in the actual application of relevant expressions in natural discourse. By adopting established approaches from Discourse Analysis for issues that are deeply rooted in interdisciplinary research in Cognitive Science, insights are drawn together from two hitherto largely unrelated fields of research to approach the topic from an original perspective, leading to a deeper understanding of the relationship between the domains of space and time and their expression in language.
Download or read book Spatial Cognition and the Semantics of Prepositions in English Polish and Russian written by Alan J. Cienki and published by Peter Lang Gmbh, Internationaler Verlag Der Wissenschaften. This book was released on 1989 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The object of this work will be a selected group of prepositions in English, Polish and Russian which can express spatial relationships? This study focuses on "everyday" usage of the languages in question.
Download or read book Encyclopedia of Language Development written by Patricia J. Brooks and published by SAGE Publications. This book was released on 2014-03-28 with total page 1471 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The progression from newborn to sophisticated language user in just a few short years is often described as wonderful and miraculous. What are the biological, cognitive, and social underpinnings of this miracle? What major language development milestones occur in infancy? What methodologies do researchers employ in studying this progression? Why do some become adept at multiple languages while others face a lifelong struggle with just one? What accounts for declines in language proficiency, and how might such declines be moderated? Despite an abundance of textbooks, specialized monographs, and a couple of academic handbooks, there has been no encyclopedic reference work in this area--until now. The Encyclopedia of Language Development covers the breadth of theory and research on language development from birth through adulthood, as well as their practical application. Features: This affordable A-to-Z reference includes 200 articles that address such topic areas as theories and research tradition; biological perspectives; cognitive perspectives; family, peer, and social influences; bilingualism; special populations and disorders; and more. All articles (signed and authored by key figures in the field) conclude with cross reference links and suggestions for further reading. Appendices include a Resource Guide with annotated lists of classic books and articles, journals, associations, and web sites; a Glossary of specialized terms; and a Chronology offering an overview and history of the field. A thematic Reader’s Guide groups related articles by broad topic areas as one handy search feature on the e-Reference platform, which includes a comprehensive index of search terms. Available in both print and electronic formats, Encyclopedia of Language Development is a must-have reference for researchers and is ideal for library reference or circulating collections. Key Themes: Categories Effects of language on cognitive development Fundamentals, theories and models of language development Impairments of language development Language development in special populations Literacy and language development Mechanisms of language development Methods in language development research Prelinguistic communicative development Social effects in language acquisition Specific aspects of language development
Download or read book Semantics in Language Acquisition written by Kristen Syrett and published by John Benjamins Publishing Company. This book was released on 2018-08-02 with total page 399 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume presents the state of the art of recent research on the acquisition of semantics. Covering topics ranging from infants' initial acquisition of word meaning to the more sophisticated mapping between structure and meaning in the syntax-semantics interface, and the relation between logical content and inferences on language meaning (semantics and pragmatics), the papers in this volume introduce the reader to the variety of ways in which children come to realize that semantic content is encoded in word meaning (for example, in the event semantics of the verbal domain or the scope of logical operators), and at the level of the sentence, which requires the composition of semantic meaning. The authors represent some of the most established and promising researchers in this domain, demonstrating collective expertise in a range of methodologies and topics relevant to the acquisition of semantics. This volume will serve as a valuable resource for students and faculty, and junior and seasoned researchers alike.
