Computational Linguistics Colloquium

Thursday, 23 July, 16:15
Conference Room, Building C7 4

Embodiment and Semantics

Embodied theories of semantic content propose that the meaning of a word, phrase or sentence, is primarily a sensory and motor simulation. This simulation re-creates, to some degree, the actual experience of whatever the langauge describes. In this talk I will review the current theories of embodiment in semantics, taking a cognitive and neuroscientific perspective. Some behavioural data will be presented that explore interactions beteen the comprehension of motion words (e.g. rise, fall, climb, drop) and the perception of visual motion. Finally, conclusions will be drawn about how much support there is for strong versions of embodied theories.

If you would like to meet with the speaker, please contact Berry Claus.