Individuation Criteria, Dot-types and Copredication:A View from Modern Type Theories

International audienceIn this paper we revisit the issue of copredica-tion from the perspective of modern type theories. Specifically, we look at: a) the counting properties of dot-types, and b) the case of a complex dot-type that has remained unsolved in the literature, i.e. that of newspaper. As regards a), we show that the account proposed in (Luo, 2010) for dot-types makes the correct predictions as regards counting. In order to verify this, we implement the account in the Coq proof-assistant and check that the desired inferences follow. Then, we look at the case of b), the case of a dot-type which is both resource and context sensitive. We propose a further resource sensitive version of the dot-type, in effect a linear dot-type. This along with local coercions can account for the behaviour attested

Predication and cognitive context: Between minimalism and contextualism

In this paper, we suggest a strategy for modelling cognitive context within a truth\u2010conditional semantics, using Asher's model of predication. This allows us to introduce the notion of type presupposition intended as a lexical constraint to the composition of the truth\u2010conditional content. More specifi\u2010cally, we suggest that this model of predication produces a notion of truth\u2010conditional meaning where the cognitive context fixes a set of lexical restrictions and forced modifi\u2010cations. We conclude that this model might offer an inter\u2010mediate position between Minimalism and Contextualism: an account that provides intuitive truth conditions within a formal semantic theory

Type Theories and Lexical Networks: using Serious Games as the basis for Multi-Sorted Typed Systems

In this paper, we show how a rich lexico-semantic network which has been built using serious games, JeuxDeMots, can help us in grounding our semantic ontologies as well as different sorts of information in doing formal semantics using rich or modern type theories (type theories within the tradition of Martin Löf). We discuss the domain of base types, adjectival and verbal types, hyperonymy/hyponymy relations as well as more advanced issues like homophony and polysemy. We show how one can take advantage of this wealth in a formal compositional semantics framework. This is a way to sidestep the problem of deciding how your type ontology should look like once you have made a move to a many sorted type system. Furthermore, we show how this kind of information can be extracted  from JeuxdeMots and inserted into a proof-assistant like Coq in order to perform reasoning tasks using modern type theoretic semantics

Compositionality and Concepts in Linguistics and Psychology

cognitive science; semantics; languag

Infinity and the Foundations of Linguistics

The concept of linguistic infinity has had a central role to play in foundational debates within theoretical linguistics since its more formal inception in the mid-twentieth century. The Conceptualist tradition, marshalled in by Chomsky and others, holds that infinity is a core explanandum and a link to the formal sciences. Realism/Platonism takes this further to argue that linguistics is in fact a formal science with an abstract ontology. In this paper, I argue that a central misconstrual of formal apparatus of recursive operations such as the set-theoretic operation merge has led to a mathematisation of the object of inquiry, producing a strong analogy with discrete mathematics and especially arithmetic. The main product of this error has been the assumption that natural, like some formal, languages are discretely infinite. I will offer an alternative means of capturing the insights and observations related to this posit in terms of scientific modelling. My chief aim will be to draw from the larger philosophy of science literature in order to offer a position of grammars as models compatible with various foundational interpretations of linguistics while being informed by contemporary ideas on scientific modelling for the natural and social sciences

Adverbs in a Modern Type Theory

Abstract. This paper is the first attempt to deal with aspects of the semantics of adverbs within a modern type theoretical setting. A number of issues pertaining to the semantics of different classes of adverbs like verididality and intensionality will be discussed and further shown to be captured straightforwardly within a modern type theoretical setting. In particular, I look at the issue of veridicality and show that the inferences associated with veridical adverbs can be dealt with via typing alone, i.e. without the aid of meaning postulates. In case of intensional adverbs like intentionally or allegedly, I show that these can be captured by making use of the type theoretical notion of context, i.e. without the use of possible worlds.