Semantic Structures

Semantic Structuresis a large-scale study of conceptual structure and its lexical and syntactic expression in English that builds on the theory of Conceptual Semantics described in Ray Jackendoff's earlier books Semantics and Cognition and Consciousness and the Computational Mind. Jackendoff begins by summarizing the relevant arguments in his two previous books, setting out the basic parameters for the formalization of meaning, and comparing his mentalistic approach with Fodor's Language of Thought hypothesis. He then takes up the Problem of Meaning, extending the range of semantic fields encompassed by the Conceptual Semantics formalism, and the Problem of Correspondence, formalizing the relation between semantic and syntactic structure. Jackendoff extends and deepens the theory to come to grips with such crucial issues as -roles and -marking; arguments, modifiers, and adjuncts; binding and control; and the thematic linking hierarchy. Ray Jackendoff is Chairman of the Program in Linguistics and Cognitive Science at Brandeis University.

Ray Jackendoff is Seth Merrin Professor of Philosophy and Codirector of the Center for Cognitive Studies at Tufts University. He is the author of many books, including Foundations of Language.