Knowledge

Generative semantics

Source 📝

355:, and were subsequently transformed into recognizable sentences by transformations. This approach necessitated more complex underlying structures than those proposed by Chomsky, and thus more complex transformations. Despite this additional complexity, the approach was appealing in several respects. First, it offered a powerful mechanism for explaining synonymity. In his initial work in generative syntax, Chomsky motivated transformations using 81: 183: 40: 343:
structures would serve as the input to a semantic computation which would output a denotation. This approach captured the relationship between syntactic and semantic patterns, while allowing the syntax to work independently of the semantics, as Chomsky and others had argued for on the basis of empirical observations such as the famous "
342:
in the sense that the meaning of a sentence was computed on the basis of its syntactic structure rather than the other way around. In these approaches, syntactic structures were generated by rules stated in terms of syntactic structure alone, with no reference to meaning. Once generated, these
367:
cases of synonymity in a similar fashion, which proved to be a challenge given the tools available at the time. Second, the theory had a pleasingly intuitive structure: the form of a sentence was quite literally
350:
The generative semantics framework took the opposite view, positing that syntactic structures are computed on the basis of meanings. In this approach, meanings were generated directly by the grammar as
383:
Despite its opposition to generative grammar, the generative semantics project operated largely in Chomskyan terms. Most importantly, the generative semanticists, following Chomsky, were opposed to
453:
There is little agreement concerning the question of whose idea generative semantics was. All of the people mentioned here have been credited with its invention (often by each other).
363:
pairs such as "I hit John" and "John was hit by me", which have different surface forms despite their identical truth conditions. Generative semanticists wanted to account for
276:
in the mid-1960s, but stood in opposition to it. The period in which the two research programs coexisted was marked by intense and often personal clashes now known as the
820: 838: 547: 418: 327:
The controversy surrounding generative semantics stemmed in part from the competition between two fundamentally different approaches to
937:(1967). Constraints on variables in syntax. (Doctoral dissertation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology). Free copy available at 145: 117: 855:; & Fodor, Jerry A. (1964). The structure of a semantic theory. In J. A. Fodor & J. J. Katz (Eds.) (pp. 479–518). 622: 344: 98: 53: 413:(1957) among others. By contrast, generative semantics was faced with the problem of explaining the emergence of meaning in 124: 352: 304: 392: 273: 20: 131: 985: 953: 832: 750: 244: 226: 164: 67: 319:
which is very close in spirit to the original generative semantics framework, which he played a role in developing.
299:
Generative semantics is no longer practiced under that name, though many of its central ideas have blossomed in the
208: 1001: 876: 767: 113: 472:(i.e. the thing that's doing the kicking) must be animate whether it is the subject of the active verb (as in " 193: 102: 612: 403: 892:(1975). Discussion of Ray C. Dougherty's "Generative semantics methods: A Bloomfieldian counterrevolution". 1006: 697: 503: 464:
that motivated the passive transformation, but the fact that active and passive verb forms have the same
417:
rather than social and rational terms. This problem was solved in the 1980s by Lakoff in his version of
882:
Lakoff, George; & Ross, John R. . (1976). Is deep structure necessary?. In J. D. McCawley (Ed.),
842: 59: 722: 563: 332: 138: 372:
from its meaning via transformations. To some, interpretive semantics seemed rather "clunky" and
261: 204: 91: 959:
Ross, John R. . (1970). On declarative sentences. In R. A. Jacobs & P. S. Rosenbaum (Eds.),
661:
Lakoff, George (1990). "Invariance hypothesis: is abstract reasoning based on image-schemas?".
498: 200: 709: 400: 395:
in the 1970s. The notion that meaning generates grammar is itself old and fundamental to the
300: 269: 391:
and not learned. Chomsky and Lakoff were united by their opposition to the establishment of
758: 493: 430: 388: 308: 8: 434: 377: 580: 1011: 795:
Dougherty, Ray C. (1975). Reply to the critics on the Bloomfieldian counterrevolution.
678: 541: 508: 422: 410: 396: 335: 24: 407: 981: 949: 889: 868:. (1971). On generative semantics. In D. D. Steinberg & L. A. Jakobovits (Eds.), 828: 746: 682: 618: 590: 438: 28: 781: 738: 670: 643: 585: 575: 513: 277: 1016: 852: 810: 870:
Semantics: An interdisciplinary reader in philosophy, linguistics and psychology
924: 806: 289: 995: 973: 865: 674: 647: 426: 360: 312: 303:
tradition. It is also regarded as a key part of the intellectual heritage of
293: 338:. In the 1960s, work in the generative tradition assumed that semantics was 934: 847:
Ideology and Linguistic Theory: Noam Chomsky and the deep structure debates
638:
Partee, Barbara (2011). "Formal Semantics: Origins, Issues, Early Impact".
414: 356: 281: 441:. Such a view of the mind has not been fully approved by neuroscientists. 784:(1974). Generative semantics methods: A Bloomfieldian counterrevolution. 614:
The Linguistics Wars: Chomsky, Lakoff, and the Battle over Deep Structure
433:
and other sensory input, which crystallizes into language in the form of
384: 285: 272:
rather than the other way around. Generative semantics developed out of
640:
The Baltic International Yearbook of Cognition, Logic and Communication
938: 460:
Strictly speaking, it was not the fact that active/passive pairs are
328: 311:, and some of its insights live on in mainstream generative grammar. 211:. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. 80: 425:. Thus, engaging with the physical world provides the person with 376:
in comparison. This was especially so before the development of
296:, who dubbed themselves "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse". 265: 905:
Syntax and semantics 7: Notes from the linguistic underground
963:(pp. 222–272). Washington: Georgetown University Press. 872:(pp. 232–296). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 966:
Ross, John R. . (1972). Doubl-ing. In J. Kimball (Ed.),
531: 480:
phrase after the passive verb ("The ball was kicked by
970:(Vol. 1, pp. 157–186). New York: Seminar Press. 743:
Conjectures and refutations in syntax and semantics
105:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. 993: 858:Katz, Jerrold J.; & Postal, Paul M. (1964). 421:, according to which language generates through 860:An integrated theory of linguistic descriptions 894:International Journal of Dravidian Linguistics 797:International Journal of Dravidian Linguistics 786:International Journal of Dravidian Linguistics 322: 927:(1972). The best theory. In S. Peters (Ed.), 564:"Essentials of Semantic Syntax: an Appetiser" 961:Readings in English transformational grammar 919:Adverbs, vowels, and other objects of wonder 617:. Oxford University Press. 15 October 2021. 546:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( 879:. In J. D. McCawley (Ed.) (pp. 43–61). 68:Learn how and when to remove these messages 16:Research program in theoretical linguistics 654: 589: 579: 245:Learn how and when to remove this message 227:Learn how and when to remove this message 165:Learn how and when to remove this message 921:. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 695: 387:and accepted his idea that language is 994: 931:. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. 817:. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. 689: 660: 642:. Vol. 6. BIYCLC. pp. 1–52. 637: 561: 631: 468:. For example, the agent of the verb 345:colorless green ideas sleep furiously 23:as practiced within the framework of 305:head-driven phrase structure grammar 176: 103:adding citations to reliable sources 74: 33: 980:. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 903:McCawley, James D. (Ed.). (1976a). 745:. New York: North-Holland Pub. Co. 581:10.25189/2675-4916.2021.V2.N1.ID290 274:transformational generative grammar 13: 939:http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/15166 562:Seuren, Pieter (28 January 2021). 536:(Second ed.). Academic Press. 476:kicked the ball") or appears in a 14: 1028: 49:This article has multiple issues. 532:Newmeyer, Frederick, J. (1986). 181: 79: 38: 768:Aspects of the Theory of Syntax 732: 90:needs additional citations for 57:or discuss these issues on the 605: 555: 525: 456: 449: 1: 519: 404:Course in General Linguistics 268:are computed on the basis of 910:McCawley, James D. (1976b). 534:Linguistic Theory in America 7: 941:. (Published as Ross 1986). 917:McCawley, James D. (1979). 914:. New York: Academic Press. 907:. New York: Academic Press. 877:Toward generative semantics 862:. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. 827:. Oxford University Press. 778:. New York: Harper and Row. 771:. Cambridge: The MIT Press. 504:Minimal recursion semantics 487: 323:Interpretive or generative? 207:the claims made and adding 10: 1033: 929:Goals of linguistic theory 280:. Its proponents included 260:was a research program in 18: 875:Lakoff, George. (1976 ). 815:The structure of language 591:21.11116/0000-0007-DAE7-F 696:Freeman, Jeremy (2008). 675:10.1515/cogl.1990.1.1.39 648:10.4148/biyclc.v6i0.1580 466:selectional requirements 444: 19:Not to be confused with 568:Cadernos de Linguística 262:theoretical linguistics 1002:Generative linguistics 948:. Norwood, NJ: ABLEX, 944:Ross, John R. (1986). 884:Syntax and semantics 7 849:. New York: Routledge. 717:Cite journal requires 499:Generative linguistics 114:"Generative semantics" 776:Cartesian linguistics 663:Cognitive Linguistics 419:Cognitive Linguistics 301:cognitive linguistics 974:Seuren, Pieter A. M. 968:Syntax and semantics 825:The linguistics wars 762:. The Hague: Mouton. 759:Syntactic Structures 494:Cognitive revolution 435:conceptual metaphors 309:construction grammar 266:syntactic structures 258:Generative semantics 99:improve this article 912:Grammar and meaning 886:(pp. 159–164). 821:Harris, Randy Allen 1007:Grammar frameworks 890:McCawley, James D. 843:Goldsmith, John A. 509:Origin of language 423:sensory experience 411:dependency grammar 397:Port-Royal Grammar 192:possibly contains 25:generative grammar 839:Huck, Geoffrey J. 782:Dougherty, Ray C. 739:Brame, Michael K. 624:978-0-19-974033-8 439:rational thinking 336:generative syntax 255: 254: 247: 237: 236: 229: 194:original research 175: 174: 167: 149: 72: 29:general semantics 1024: 946:Infinite syntax! 853:Katz, Jerrold J. 813:(Eds.). (1964). 811:Katz, Jerrold J. 774:Chomsky (1965). 765:Chomsky (1965). 756:Chomsky (1957). 727: 726: 720: 715: 713: 705: 693: 687: 686: 658: 652: 651: 635: 629: 628: 609: 603: 602: 600: 598: 593: 583: 559: 553: 551: 545: 537: 529: 514:Origin of speech 459: 452: 415:neuro-biological 393:formal semantics 333:transformational 315:has developed a 278:linguistics wars 264:which held that 250: 243: 232: 225: 221: 218: 212: 209:inline citations 185: 184: 177: 170: 163: 159: 156: 150: 148: 107: 83: 75: 64: 42: 41: 34: 1032: 1031: 1027: 1026: 1025: 1023: 1022: 1021: 992: 991: 978:Semantic syntax 925:Postal, Paul M. 807:Fodor, Jerry A. 735: 730: 718: 716: 707: 706: 694: 690: 659: 655: 636: 632: 625: 611: 610: 606: 596: 594: 560: 556: 539: 538: 530: 526: 522: 490: 447: 353:deep structures 325: 317:semantic syntax 251: 240: 239: 238: 233: 222: 216: 213: 198: 186: 182: 171: 160: 154: 151: 108: 106: 96: 84: 43: 39: 32: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1030: 1020: 1019: 1014: 1009: 1004: 990: 989: 971: 964: 957: 942: 932: 922: 915: 908: 901: 887: 880: 873: 866:Lakoff, George 863: 856: 850: 836: 818: 804: 793: 779: 772: 763: 754: 734: 731: 729: 728: 719:|journal= 688: 653: 630: 623: 604: 554: 523: 521: 518: 517: 516: 511: 506: 501: 496: 489: 486: 446: 443: 324: 321: 290:James McCawley 253: 252: 235: 234: 189: 187: 180: 173: 172: 87: 85: 78: 73: 47: 46: 44: 37: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1029: 1018: 1015: 1013: 1010: 1008: 1005: 1003: 1000: 999: 997: 987: 986:0-19-875028-5 983: 979: 975: 972: 969: 965: 962: 958: 955: 954:0-89391-042-2 951: 947: 943: 940: 936: 935:Ross, John R. 933: 930: 926: 923: 920: 916: 913: 909: 906: 902: 899: 895: 891: 888: 885: 881: 878: 874: 871: 867: 864: 861: 857: 854: 851: 848: 844: 840: 837: 834: 833:0-19-509834-X 830: 826: 822: 819: 816: 812: 808: 805: 802: 798: 794: 791: 787: 783: 780: 777: 773: 770: 769: 764: 761: 760: 755: 752: 751:0-7204-8604-1 748: 744: 740: 737: 736: 724: 711: 703: 699: 692: 684: 680: 676: 672: 668: 664: 657: 649: 645: 641: 634: 626: 620: 616: 615: 608: 592: 587: 582: 577: 573: 569: 565: 558: 549: 543: 535: 528: 524: 515: 512: 510: 507: 505: 502: 500: 497: 495: 492: 491: 485: 483: 479: 475: 471: 467: 463: 458: 454: 451: 442: 440: 437:, organizing 436: 432: 428: 424: 420: 416: 412: 409: 405: 402: 398: 394: 390: 386: 381: 379: 375: 371: 366: 362: 358: 354: 348: 346: 341: 337: 334: 330: 320: 318: 314: 313:Pieter Seuren 310: 306: 302: 297: 295: 294:George Lakoff 291: 287: 283: 279: 275: 271: 267: 263: 259: 249: 246: 231: 228: 220: 217:December 2022 210: 206: 202: 196: 195: 190:This article 188: 179: 178: 169: 166: 158: 147: 144: 140: 137: 133: 130: 126: 123: 119: 116: –  115: 111: 110:Find sources: 104: 100: 94: 93: 88:This article 86: 82: 77: 76: 71: 69: 62: 61: 56: 55: 50: 45: 36: 35: 30: 26: 22: 977: 967: 960: 945: 928: 918: 911: 904: 897: 893: 883: 869: 859: 846: 824: 814: 800: 796: 789: 785: 775: 766: 757: 742: 733:Bibliography 710:cite journal 701: 698:"Mind Games" 691: 669:(1): 39–74. 666: 662: 656: 639: 633: 613: 607: 595:. Retrieved 574:(1): 01–20. 571: 567: 557: 533: 527: 481: 477: 473: 469: 465: 461: 457: 455: 450: 448: 406:(1916), and 382: 378:trace theory 373: 369: 364: 349: 347:" sentence. 340:interpretive 339: 326: 316: 298: 257: 256: 241: 223: 214: 191: 161: 155:January 2021 152: 142: 135: 128: 121: 109: 97:Please help 92:verification 89: 65: 58: 52: 51:Please help 48: 552:See p. 138. 385:behaviorism 307:(HPSG) and 286:Paul Postal 27:, nor with 996:Categories 900:, 151-158. 823:. (1995). 803:, 249-271. 792:, 255-286. 520:References 462:synonymous 408:Tesnière's 401:Saussure's 201:improve it 125:newspapers 54:improve it 1012:Semantics 704:(Jul 03). 683:144380802 542:cite book 329:semantics 205:verifying 60:talk page 21:semantics 976:(1974). 845:(1995). 841:; & 809:; & 741:(1976). 597:27 March 488:See also 399:(1660), 389:acquired 282:Haj Ross 270:meanings 431:tactile 370:derived 361:passive 331:within 199:Please 139:scholar 1017:Syntax 984:  952:  831:  749:  681:  621:  427:visual 374:ad hoc 357:active 292:, and 141:  134:  127:  120:  112:  679:S2CID 445:Notes 146:JSTOR 132:books 982:ISBN 950:ISBN 829:ISBN 747:ISBN 723:help 619:ISBN 599:2022 548:link 484:"). 482:John 474:John 470:kick 118:news 671:doi 644:doi 586:hdl 576:doi 365:all 203:by 101:by 998:: 896:, 799:, 788:, 714:: 712:}} 708:{{ 700:. 677:. 665:. 584:. 570:. 566:. 544:}} 540:{{ 478:by 429:, 380:. 288:, 284:, 63:. 988:. 956:. 898:4 835:. 801:4 790:3 753:. 725:) 721:( 702:9 685:. 673:: 667:1 650:. 646:: 627:. 601:. 588:: 578:: 572:2 550:) 359:/ 248:) 242:( 230:) 224:( 219:) 215:( 197:. 168:) 162:( 157:) 153:( 143:· 136:· 129:· 122:· 95:. 70:) 66:( 31:.

Index

semantics
generative grammar
general semantics
improve it
talk page
Learn how and when to remove these messages

verification
improve this article
adding citations to reliable sources
"Generative semantics"
news
newspapers
books
scholar
JSTOR
Learn how and when to remove this message
original research
improve it
verifying
inline citations
Learn how and when to remove this message
Learn how and when to remove this message
theoretical linguistics
syntactic structures
meanings
transformational generative grammar
linguistics wars
Haj Ross
Paul Postal

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.