AN ANALYSIS OF ‘IF’ SENTENCES FROM THE STANDPOINT OF COMMUNICATION
| Autor: | Patrick Suppes, Colleen E. Crangle |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 1993 |
| Předmět: | |
| Zdroj: | jlse. 22:1-23 |
| ISSN: | 1613-3838 0341-7638 |
| Popis: | This article examines ‘if‘ sentences and asks how one can explain the acceptability of one sentence over another in specific written contexts. It takes into account the temporal relations expressed in ‘if‘ sentences and the communicative intents that lie behind their use. The analysis presented has its roots in our work on robots that understand English. We hold the strong conviction that the many subtle but clear distinctions that exist in English, such as those expressed in ‘if‘ sentences, are there for good purpose. They have developed historically and are used for effective and accurate communication. Although it may well be that our ultimate objective in communication with robots is to have the same completely free and sloppy use of language characteristic of spoken speech, a necessary first step toward this goal is to have robots understand the standard uses of English typically found in well-written text. It is in this framework that the analysis presented in this paper is conducted. Why are ‘if‘ sentences such a challenge in general to semantics? One reason is the wide range of complex notions they can be used to communicate. A recent issue of The Nm York Times Book Review (July 26, 1992) contains these examples. Notice not only what complex idea is being communicated in each case, but what specific temporal, logical, or causal relation is being described. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
|