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Ontologies and construals in lexical semantics

Paradis, Carita LU orcid (2005) In Axiomathes 15. p.541-573
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework of lexical meaning, broadly along the lines of Cognitive Semantics (Langacker 1987). Within the proposed model, all aspects of meaning are to be explained in terms of properties of ontologies in conceptual space, i.e. properties of content ontologies and schematic ontologies and construals which are imposed on the conceptual structures on the occasion of use. It is through the operations of construals on ontological structures that different readings of lexical expressions arise. Lexical meanings are dynamic and sensitive to contextual demands, rather than fixed and stable. In a dynamic, usage-based model like this, polysemy and multiple readings emerge as a natural consequence of the... (More)
The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework of lexical meaning, broadly along the lines of Cognitive Semantics (Langacker 1987). Within the proposed model, all aspects of meaning are to be explained in terms of properties of ontologies in conceptual space, i.e. properties of content ontologies and schematic ontologies and construals which are imposed on the conceptual structures on the occasion of use. It is through the operations of construals on ontological structures that different readings of lexical expressions arise. Lexical meanings are dynamic and sensitive to contextual demands, rather than fixed and stable. In a dynamic, usage-based model like this, polysemy and multiple readings emerge as a natural consequence of the human ability to think flexibly. Another more specific purpose of this paper is to draw attention to the usefulness of ontologies in linguistic research in general and semantic modelling in particular. (Less)
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author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
adjectives, cognitive semantics, linguistics, ontology, nouns, construal
in
Axiomathes
volume
15
pages
541 - 573
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:33646369977
ISSN
1572-8390
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
c457e535-e929-4501-82d6-1e890055801e (old id 1583571)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:37:12
date last changed
2022-03-29 03:19:30
@article{c457e535-e929-4501-82d6-1e890055801e,
  abstract     = {{The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework of lexical meaning, broadly along the lines of Cognitive Semantics (Langacker 1987). Within the proposed model, all aspects of meaning are to be explained in terms of properties of ontologies in conceptual space, i.e. properties of content ontologies and schematic ontologies and construals which are imposed on the conceptual structures on the occasion of use. It is through the operations of construals on ontological structures that different readings of lexical expressions arise. Lexical meanings are dynamic and sensitive to contextual demands, rather than fixed and stable. In a dynamic, usage-based model like this, polysemy and multiple readings emerge as a natural consequence of the human ability to think flexibly. Another more specific purpose of this paper is to draw attention to the usefulness of ontologies in linguistic research in general and semantic modelling in particular.}},
  author       = {{Paradis, Carita}},
  issn         = {{1572-8390}},
  keywords     = {{adjectives; cognitive semantics; linguistics; ontology; nouns; construal}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{541--573}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Axiomathes}},
  title        = {{Ontologies and construals in lexical semantics}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/2997280/1590149.pdf}},
  volume       = {{15}},
  year         = {{2005}},
}