Linguistics 800D Ð Introduction to Semantics. MW 13.30-15.10; Wells Hall B102.
Bill Ladusaw (UC Santa Cruz). ladusaw@ucsc.edu
Office: Wells Hall A606.
Website: http://people.ucsc.edu/~ladusaw/semantics/
á Regular attendance in lecture.
á Midterm problem set (due 7/23).
á Submission of a 3-5 page paper (due on Monday, August 4) presenting how the course has affected something youÕre working on. Electronic submissions in, text, pdf, or MS word format allowed/encouraged.
An introductory course in semantics generally aims at getting you to do semantics as well as knowing about what it is. This requires a good deal of engagement with problems and formal techniques. In the current context, this is not an expectation. But I will provide periodic Òhomework assignmentsÓ which could assist you in developing some of that ability.
1. M, 6/30: Meaning and understanding; context and content.
Notes on Meaning and Understanding
2. W, 7/2: Ambiguity and vagueness; Deniable and undeniable implications.
Ambiguity v. Vagueness; Lexical vs Compositional.
3. M, 7/7: Ontological matters. Compositional structure.
4. W, 7/9: Predicates and arguments. Logical representations.
5. M, 7/14: Thematic roles and argument linking.
6. W, 7/16: Argument structure and polysemy.
7. M, 7/21: Quantificational structure: force, restriction and scope.
Outline of Class 78. W, 7/23: Classic account of scope and binding. (Midterm due)
Outline of Class 89. M, 7/28: Generalizing: GQs; adverbial quantification; modality. The problem with donkeys.
Class 9 Notes10. W, 7/30: Discourse anaphora. Novelty and familiarity. Ellipsis.
Beyond 1st order analysis11. M, 8/4: Discourse dynamics: Illocutionary force, focus. (Final paper due tomorrow.)
Slides from the last week.12. W, 8/6: Where to go from here. Final comments and questions.
1. The clowns all sat on JumboÕs trunk.
2. Maria talked to Sandra about her aunt.
3. The chancellor told the proctor to stop drinking in the
dorms.
4. I didnÕt buy an SUV because it uses a lot of gas.