Computational Linguistics & Phonetics Computational Linguistics & Phonetics Fachrichtung 4.7 Universität des Saarlandes

Semantic Theory

Note: The final exam will take place on July 19 at 11:00-13:00 in the Musiksaal (Geb. 11.2). Please be there a few minutes before 11 so you can get set up.

Computerlinguistik, 2. Studienabschnitt
M.Sc. Computational Linguistics

Lecturers: Manfred Pinkal, Alexander Koller
Place: Geb. 17.2, Seminarraum
Time: Tue 11-13, Thu 11-13 (used for lectures and exercises as needed)
Starts: 14.04.2005

This course teaches the prevalent formalisms and methods in natural-language semantics and their applications in natural language understanding systems. The students acquire the background knowledge necessary for an understanding of the current literature, and are acquainted with phenomena and methods in the semantics of words, sentences and texts, together with their formal modelling, as well as with the modelling of the syntax semantics interface and the interface to logic-based inference systems.

Topics of this course include:

  • Sentence semantics: Montague-style type-theoretical representations; semantics construction; scope ambiguities; underspecification
  • Discourse semantics: Anaphora; discourse representation theory (DRT)
  • Lexical semantics: Events; thematic roles; frames; lexical resources

Prerequisites: Familiarity with first-order predicate logic

Literature

  • Gamut, Logic, Language, and Meaning, Vol. 2, University of Chicago Press, 1991
  • Kamp/Reyle, From Discourse to Logic, Kluwer, 1993

Role in the degree programmes

  • Diplom: Pflichtveranstaltung, 4 LP
  • M.Sc.: Required course for specialisation "computational linguistics", 6 LP
  • Ergänzungsfach für Informatik: Pflichtveranstaltung
  • Nebenfach für Magister-Studiengänge: Wahlpflichtveranstaltung