In this paper, we explore the interaction between lexical semantics and pragmatics. We argue that linguistic processing is informationally encapsulated and utilises relatively simple ‘taxonomic’ lexical semantic knowledge. On this basis, defeasible lexical generalisations deliver defeasible parts of logical form. In contrast, pragmatic inference is openended and involves arbitrary real-world kn...

Last week we saw that it is possible to construct an underspecified semantic representation of sentence meaning compositionally in (R)MRS. However, although much of this representation is motivated by work on formal semantics (e.g. generalized quantifiers), (R)MRS itself is not a logic with proof and model theory. Rather it describes sets of trees of well-formed formulas in a neo-Davidsonian ve...

Lambon Ralph, Sage, and Ellis (1996) described a patient, JO, who had impaired understanding of written words in the presence of normal comprehension of objects and spoken words.She was able to recognise letters and could differentiate written words from nonwords in lexical decision tasks. JO's ability to read aloud all types of words and nonwords was also intact. Although JO's understanding wi...