Situation World Semantics Theory

A Situation World Semantics Theory is a semantic theory that uses partial world representations (to interpret linguistic expressions as alternatives to complete world representations).

• AKA: Barwise-Perry Semantics, Partial World Semantics, Situational Theory of Meaning.
• Context:
  • It can typically evaluate Linguistic Expression with respect to partial world states rather than complete possible worlds.
  • It can typically represent Semantic Content using structured situations composed of relations and individuals standing in those relations.
  • It can typically handle Natural Language Phenomenon including quantifier domain restrictions, donkey pronouns, and exhaustive interpretations.
  • It can typically model Information Flow between different situations through constraints and channels.
  • It can typically capture Contextual Dependence of meaning on particular circumstances and specific contexts.
  • ...
  • It can often analyze Attitude Ascription by relating mental states to situations rather than complete worlds.
  • It can often interpret Question as situation types that classify situations where the question is answered.
  • It can often represent Tense and Aspect through temporal situations and temporal relations between situations.
  • It can often account for Implicit Argument through situational parameters that are not explicitly expressed.
  • It can often model Point of View by attributing situations to different perspective holders.
  • ...
  • It can range from being a Simple Situation Semantics to being a Complex Situation Semantics, depending on its expressive power.
  • It can range from being a Pure Situation Semantics to being a Hybrid Situation Semantics, depending on its theoretical integration.
  • It can range from being a Philosophical Situation Semantics to being a Computational Situation Semantics, depending on its application domain.
  • It can range from being a Classical Situation Semantics to being a Neo-Situation Semantics, depending on its theoretical development stage.
  • ...
  • It can incorporate Davidsonian Event Semantics by treating events as special types of situations with temporal properties.
  • It can formalize Situation Type as abstract patterns that classify concrete situations.
  • It can distinguish between Actual Situation and Non-Actual Situation while maintaining the same semantic framework.
  • It can employ Resource Situation to provide parameter values for context-dependent expressions.
  • ...
• Examples:
  • Situation Semantics Application Categories, such as:
    • Natural Language Situation Semanticss, such as:
      • Quantifier Domain Restriction Situation Semantics for contextual quantification.
      • Donkey Pronoun Situation Semantics for anaphora resolution.
      • Exhaustive Interpretation Situation Semantics for pragmatic inference.
    • Philosophical Situation Semanticss, such as:
      • Information Flow Situation Semantics for knowledge transmission.
      • Mental Content Situation Semantics for attitude attribution.
      • Constraint-Based Situation Semantics for meaning naturalization.
  • Theoretical Approach Categories, such as:
    • Formal Situation Semanticss, such as:
      • Situation Theory Situation Semantics for logical foundation.
      • Channel Theory Situation Semantics for information connection.
      • Relational Situation Semantics for structural representation.
    • Computational Situation Semanticss, such as:
      • Situation Schema Situation Semantics for natural language processing.
      • Discourse Representation Situation Semantics for context modeling.
      • Constraint-Based Situation Semantics for inference system.
  • ...
• Counter-Examples:
  • Possible World Semantics, which uses complete world representations rather than partial situations.
  • Truth-Conditional Semantics, which focuses on abstract truth conditions rather than concrete situations.
  • Formal Semantics of Logic, which typically lacks partiality and context-sensitivity.
  • Direct Reference Theory, which connects linguistic expressions directly to referents without situation mediation.
  • Model-Theoretic Semantics, which evaluates expressions against complete models rather than partial situations.
• See: Linguistic Expression, Possible World, Montague Grammar, Context Dependence, Event Semantics, Information Theory, Semantic Theory.

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References

2014

• (Wikipedia, 2014) ⇒ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/situation_semantics Retrieved:2014-12-9.
  • Situation semantics, pioneered by Jon Barwise and John Perry in the early 1980s, attempts to provide a solid theoretical foundation for reasoning about common-sense and real world situations, typically in the context of theoretical linguistics, philosophy, or applied natural language processing,

2013

• http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/situations-semantics/
  • QUOTE: Situation semantics was developed as an alternative to possible worlds semantics. In situation semantics, linguistic expressions are evaluated with respect to partial, rather than complete, worlds. There is no consensus about what situations are, just as there is no consensus about what possible worlds or events are. According to some, situations are structured entities consisting of relations and individuals standing in those relations. According to others, situations are particulars. In spite of unresolved foundational issues, the partiality provided by situation semantics has led to some genuinely new approaches to a variety of phenomena in natural language semantics. In the way of illustration, this article includes relatively detailed overviews of a few selected areas where situation semantics has been successful: implicit quantifier domain restrictions, donkey pronouns, and exhaustive interpretations. It moreover addresses the question of how Davidsonian event semantics can be embedded in a semantics based on situations. Other areas where a situation semantics perspective has led to progress include attitude ascriptions, questions, tense, aspect, nominalizations, implicit arguments, point of view, counterfactual conditionals, and discourse relations.

1983

• Jon Barwise, and John Perry. (1983). “Situations and Attitudes". MIT Press, ISBN 0-262-02189-7

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