Introduction to semantics

The course provides an overview of the linguistic theory in the domain of formal semantics. For students with a necessary background, the course serves to systematize their knowledge, for all others the course aims to establish a necessary level of knowledge in semantic theory.

Competences:
• Ability to do independent research in formal semantic theory
• Ability to identify interesting and theoretically significant problems in formal semantics

A completed course at the level of the course “Introduction to Semantics” or “Formal methods in linguistics” at the II. Degree Linguistics program at UNG.

• Denotation, truth conditions
• Theory of reference
• Lambda calculus
• Presuppositions and implicatures
• Quantification and logical form
• Intensionality

Knowledge of the fundamental aspects of formal semantics, the formal theory of meaning.

• Shalom Lappin (ur.). 1997. The Handbook of Contemporary Semantic Theory- Oxford: Blackwell Catalogue E-version
• Gennaro Chierchia in Sally McConnell-Ginet. 2000. Meaning and Grammar: an introduction to semantics. Cambridge MA: MIT Press. Catalogue E-version
• Irene Heim in Angelika Kratzer. 1998. Semantics in Generative Grammar. Oxford: Blackwell. Catalogue E-version
• Peter Ludlow (ur.). 1997. A Readings in the Philosophy of Language. Cambridge MA: MIT Press. Catalogue E-version

Homework assignments and final term paper (50% / 50%).

Associate professor of Linguistics at the University of Nova Gorica.

Bibliography:

1. STATEVA, Penka, ANDREETTA, Sara, REBOUL, Anne Colette, STEPANOV, Arthur. 2021. Bilingual children's use of the Maximize Presupposition principle. Glossa. 6(1): 1-27, ilustr. ISSN 2397-1835. http://doi.org/10.5334/gjgl.1236.
2. STATEVA, Penka, STEPANOV, Arthur, DÉPREZ, Viviane, DUPUY, Ludivine Emma, REBOUL, Anne Colette. 2019. Cross-linguistic variation in the meaning of quantifiers: Implications for pragmatic enrichment. Frontiers in Psychology 10:957, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00957.
3. DUPUY, Ludivine Emma, STATEVA, Penka, ANDREETTA, Sara, CHEYLUS, Anne, DÉPREZ, Viviane, HENST, Jean-Baptiste van der, JAYEZ, Jacques, STEPANOV, Arthur, REBOUL, Anne Colette. 2019. Pragmatic abilities in bilinguals: The case of scalar implicatures. Linguistic approaches to bilingualism 9(2): 314-340.
4. STATEVA, Penka, STEPANOV, Arthur. Two "many"-words in Slovenian: Experimental evidence for pragmatic strengthening. 2017. Acta linguistica academica: An international journal of linguistics 64(3): 435-473.
5. SAUERLAND, Uli, STATEVA, Penka (eds). 2007. Presupposition and implicature in compositional semantics. Hampshire; New York: Palgrave Macmillan.