Semantic Tests: Key Concepts and Definitions
Weak Determiners
Weak determiners denote a cardinal quantifier (Q).
Simple Future Representation
S_E,R is the representation of simple future.
Quantifier Restriction over Event Time
The restriction of a quantifier over an event time variable consists of a relation between the event time and reference time.
Relational Predicates
Which of the following grammatical categories denote relational predicates? Action verbs and prepositions.
Quantifier Restriction and Logical Modality
The restriction of a quantifier translating logical modality contains reference to possible worlds accessible to the speaker.
Thematic Roles in Logical Form (LF)
In LF translation, thematic roles are arguments.
Time-Frame Adjuncts
Time-frame adjuncts denote predicates of reference time and event time.
Permission and Modals
The permission reading of some modals involves deontic modality and possibility.
Secondary Predications
Syntactically, secondary predications are small clauses.
Set Theory Operations
Set theory operates both on set membership and set cardinality.
Strong Determiners
Strong determiners are determiners which form proportional quantifiers.
Adverbs Semantically
Semantically, adverbs are one-place predicates of eventualities.
Davidson’s Argument on Entailment
Davidson argues that the entailment from “Jones buttered the toast slowly” to “Jones buttered the toast” resembles the entailment pattern in P&Q ⇒ P.
Parsons (1990) Argument
Parsons (1990) argues against the obligatoriness of arguments.
Patient Arguments
Patient arguments are typically present in action events.
Logical Form of States
The logical form of states includes a predication of an individual.
Thematic Roles and Syntactic Positions
Thematic roles are sometimes assigned to different syntactic positions.
Thematic Roles and Syntactic Arguments
Thematic roles are always assigned to syntactic arguments.
Thematic Roles Denotation
Thematic roles denote a relation between an individual and an event.
Restricted Quantifier Notation
In restricted quantifier notation, both the restriction and the scope denote the cardinality of a set.
Proportional Quantifiers
Proportional quantifiers form strong determiners.
Arguments of Non-Copulative Verbs
Semantically, the arguments of a non-copulative verb can be an individual and an event.
Adverbials and Conjunction
For Davidson, adverbials are optional because their semantics is based on conjunction (&).
Parsons (1990) on Optional Arguments
For Parsons (1990), arguments are sometimes optional semantically.
Theme Arguments
Theme arguments are typically present in movement events.
“John is Intelligent” Denotation
“John is intelligent” denotes a state.
Argument Alternations
Argument alternations sometimes involve different thematic roles.
Syntactic Adjuncts and Thematic Roles
Syntactic adjuncts are never assigned thematic roles.
Thematic Roles Denotation
Thematic roles denote a relation between an individual and an event.
Depictive Secondary Predications
Syntactically, depictive secondary predications are analyzed as adjuncts.
Genitive Translation into LF
The genitive translates into LF as a definite quantifier over two formulas.
LF Translation of State Verbs
The LF translation of state verbs involves the predicate HOLD.
LF of Past Perfect
The LF of past perfect contains the following:
- $t: t < ts
- $t’: t’ < t
Time Clauses
In time clauses, there is a single reference time.
State Verbs and Progressive Aspect
State verbs are often ungrammatical in the progressive because of a clash between the predicates of event time.
Continuing State Reading
The continuing state reading is characteristic of the present perfect and the present perfect progressive.
Reichenbach’s Future Perfect
For Reichenbach, the temporal structure of the future perfect is S_E_R.
Logical Modality
Logical modality concerns what is necessarily or possibly true.
Epistemic Modals at LF
At LF, epistemic modals are translated as quantifiers over possible worlds.
Resultative Secondary Predications
Syntactically, resultative secondary predications are analyzed as complements.
LF Translation of the Genitive
In the LF translation of the genitive, we use the predicate POSS.
LF Translation of an Event Verb
The LF translation of an event verb involves the predicate CUL or the predicate HOLD.
“Yesterday”
“Yesterday” is a reference time adverb.
Reichenbach’s Simple Past
For Reichenbach, the temporal structure of the simple past is E, R_S.
State Verbs and Progressive Aspect
State verbs are often ungrammatical in the progressive because of a clash between the predicates of the event time.
Result State Reading
The result state reading is characteristic of the present perfect.
LF of Past Perfect
The LF of the past perfect contains the following:
- $t: t < ts
- $t’: t’ < t
Deontic Modality
Deontic modality involves what is desirable for the speaker.
Possibility Operator
Which is the right statement? The possibility operator is ◊ (rhombus).