Introduction to Semantics

(https://www.coli.uni-saarland.de/~saurer/lehre/ws00/intro.sem.-ws00.html)

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Lecture with Exercise Sessions
First Stage ("Erster Studienabschnitt")
Instructor: Werner Saurer

Lect. Mon 11-13, Ex. Wed 11-13; Building 17.3, seminar room
First Meeting: Monday, 30 October 2000

Content of Course

This course introduces the basic concepts and formal tools used in the model-theoretic paradigm of the semantics for natural languages.
In particular the topics include
- first order predicate logic (review)
- modal and temporal logic
- possible worlds semantics
- type theory, extensional as well as intensional
- lambda abstraction and lambda conversion
- the relationship between syntactic and semantic structure

Prerequisites

Mathematical Foundations I or good working knowledge of first order predicate logic

Position in the degree programs

Computational Linguistics diploma program: The course is an obligatory part of the pre-diploma exam ("Diplom-Vorprüfung") according to the old examination regulations; according to the new examination regulations (expected to be valid with the beginning of the fall/winter semester 1999/2000) a graded certificate ("benoteter Schein") for the course is an obligatory part of the pre-diploma exam.
MA students with a minor in Computational Linguistics: The course is an elective in the second stage (after the Intermediate Exam - "Zwischenprüfung").
Computer scientists with a minor in Computational Linguistics: The course is an obligatory part of the first stage. The exam is optional. (Alternatively: Grammar Formalisms)

Text Book

L.T.F. Gamut, Logic, Language, and Meaning, Vol. 2: Intensional Logic and Logical Grammar. U of Chicago Press, 1991.

Credits

The course carries 4 credits. Upon passing the written exam at the end of the semester (90 minutes) a graded certificate ("benoteter Schein") is issued (see "Position in the degree programs" above). (Here is a sample exam.) Students who do not need this certificate will receive a "certificate of attendance" upon demand if they attended regularly.

Exercise Session

Wed 11-13, Building 17.3, seminar room, first meeting: Wed 11 November 2000.

Detailed Plan of Lectures

Lecture 1
Introduction: What is semantics? Semantic phenomena, general idea of compositional semantics, lexical semantics, some older semantic theories.

Lecture 2
Introduction to model-theoretic semantics (First Order Predicate Logic (FOL); syntax and formalization).

Lecture 3
Semantics of FOL: model structure,  truth definition, semantic properties and relations.

Lecture 4
Proof theory; lexical semantics: meaning postulates.

Lecture 5
Equivalence transformations, normal forms, resolution; problems of FOL as a tool for semantic representation.

Lecture 6
Temporal  logic.

Lecture 7
Modal logic.

Lecture 8
The theory of types: Motivation and introduction.

Lecture 9
The theory of types (continued).

Lecture 10
Type theory with the lambda operator.

Lecture 11
Intensional logic (intensional theory of types): Motivation and introduction.

Lecture 12
Intensional logic (continued).

Lecture 13
Intensional logic and Montague Grammar.

Lecture 14
Montague Grammar (continued).

Written exam: Wed, 09.02.00 (sample exam)