Formal semantics of Natural Language: Adverbs of quantification
Formal semantics of Natural Language: Adverbs of quantification
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自然语言的形式语义：量化副词
DOI：
10.1017/cbo9780511897696.003
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发表时间：
2008
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
David Lewis
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
David Lewis
我要考虑的副词可分为六组近义词，如下所示。通常，大多数，一般，几乎总是，除少数例外，通常，通常，通常，经常，通常很少，通常很少，很少，几乎从不括号内的项目在语义上与列表中的项目不同，我在这里不作讨论。如果你愿意，可以省略它们。第一个猜测：量词在时间上？这似乎是合理的，特别是如果我们停止在每个列表的第一个单词，这些副词作为量词随着时间的推移。也就是说，例如，always是一个修饰语，它与一个句子Φ结合形成一个句子always Φ，这个句子在被修饰的句子Φ中为真，在任何时候都为真。同样地，我们可能会猜测有时Φ、从不Φ、通常Φ、经常Φ和很少Φ分别为真，如果Φ有时为真，则不为真、大多数为真、许多为真或很少为真。但很容易找到各种原因，为什么这个第一个猜测太简单了。首先，我们可以注意到，被量化的时间不一定是瞬间。它们可以是合适的时间段。例如，(7)雾通常在中午之前升起，这意味着通常所修饰的句子在大多数日子是正确的，而不是在大多数时刻。事实上，这句话在某一时刻是正确的是什么？
Cast of characters The adverbs I wish to consider fall into six groups of near-synonyms, as follows. Always, invariably, universally, without exception Sometimes, occasionally, [once] Never Usually, mostly, generally, almost always, with few exceptions, [ordinarily], [normally] Often, frequently, commonly Seldom, infrequently, rarely, almost never Bracketed items differ semantically from their list-mates in ways I shall not consider here; omit them if you prefer. First guess: quantifiers over times? It may seem plausible, especially if we stop with the first word 011 each list, that these adverbs function as quantifiers over times. That is to say that always , for instance, is a modifier that combines with a sentence Φ to make a sentence Always Φ that is true iff the modified sentence Φ, is true at all times. Likewise, we might guess that Sometimes Φ, Never Φ, Usually Φ, Often Φ, and Seldom Φ are true, respectively, iff Φ is true at some times, none, most, many, or few. But it is easy to find various reasons why this first guess is too simple. First, we may note that the times quantified over need not be moments of time. They can be suitable stretches of time instead. For instance, (7) The fog usually lifts before noon here means that the sentence modified by usually is true on most days, not at most moments. Indeed, what is it for that sentence to be true at a moment?