Encoding reflexivity: The syntax and semantics of natural reflexives

Reflexives and TAG Semantics

Nesson and Shieber (2006) argue that the synchronous TAG (STAG) formalism provides an empirically adequate, yet formally restrictive solution to the problem of associating semantic interpretations with TAG derivations. In this paper, I further explore this approach, focusing on the semantics of reflexives. I find that STAG indeed permits a simple analysis of core cases of reflexives. This analy...

Anaphora and Argument Structure: Topics in the Syntax and Semantics of Reflexives and Reciprocals

This thesis presents an examination of the syntactic and semantic properties of natural language reflexive and reciprocal expressions, which are commonly referred to as anaphors in syntactic theory. The work is carried out in the broader context of ‘binding theory’ and ‘control theory’. Binding theory has two main aspects. The first aspect is to explain the distribution of nominal expressions i...

Syntax and semantics in natural language parsers

The relationship between syntax and semantics is discussed, as an approach to thinking about different types of natural language parsers. Several types are then reviewed, and difficult natural language phenomena are discussed. The Psli3 semantic chart parser is presented as a possible solution to the problem of syntax, and its theoretical capabilities are discussed. An example of the current ca...

The Syntax of Transitive Reciprocal Constructions and Polysemy with Reflexives

The Syntax, Semantics, and Inference Mechanism of Natural Language

It is both desirable and plausible to treat natural language itself as a "knowledge representation (KR) formalism. Every KR formalism has syntax and support certain inferences. The syntax of a KR formalism specifies the form in which knowledge must be encoded, and its inference mechanism depends on its syntax. If natural language is a formalism for representing knowledge, then its syntax provid...