Quantifiers and Cognition: Logical and Computational Perspectives

This volume on the semantic complexity of natural language explores the question why some sentences are more difficult than others. While doing so, it lays the groundwork for extending semantic theory with computational and cognitive aspects by combining linguistics and logic with computations and cognition. Quantifier expressions occur whenever we describe the world and communicate about it. Generalized quantifier theory is therefore one of the basic tools of linguistics today, studying the possible meanings and the inferential power of quantifier expressions by logical means. The classic version was developed in the 1980s, at the interface of linguistics, mathematics and philosophy. Before this volume, advances in "classic" generalized quantifier theory mainly focused on logical questions and their applications to linguistics, this volume adds a computational component, the third pillar of language use and logical activity. This book is essential reading for researchers in linguistics, philosophy, cognitive science, logic, AI, and computer science.

Contenu

Introduction.- Acknowledgments.- Part I: Procedural Semantics.- 1. Algorithmic Theory of Meaning.- 2. Complexity in Linguistics.- Part II: Simple Quantifiers.- 3. Basic Generalized Quantifier Theory.- 4. Computing Simple Quantifiers.- 5. Cognitive Processing of Quantifiers.- Part III: Complex Quantifiers.- 6. Standard Polyadic Lifts.- 7. Complexity of Polyadic Quantifiers.- 8. Complexity of Quantified Reciprocals.- 9. Branching Quantifiers.- Part IV: Collective Quantifiers.- 10. Complexity of Collective Quantification.- Part V: Perspectives and Conclusions.- Conclusions.- A. Mathematical Machinery.- Bibliography.- Subject Index.