Abstract
This paper addresses the problems of lexical representation and coherence. Our discussion of these problems leads to what we call a sense generation approach. We will present two accounts from within this approach and illustrate them with respect to concept combination. In section 2 of this paper we describe the tension that exists between the two phenomena of semantic flexibility and specificity. There are accounts of lexical representation in which this tension raises major problems and there are others in which it provides a clue to resolving these problems. The former are characterised by what Clark (1983) calls the selection of senses and the latter by what he calls sense creation. In section 3 we discuss the implications of sense selection accounts for coherence and concept combination, indicating problems that arise. We rely heavily on Murphy & Medin’s (1985) arguments and suggest some extensions. In section 4 we present the sense generation view (which is related to Clark’s notion of sense creation) which avoids such difficulties. Central to this account is a consideration of partiality, reduction of partiality being brought about by constraints provided by the discourse and situational factors. In section 5 we will sketch two different approaches to concept combination within this framework. In section 6 we draw conclusions and raise questions regarding the nature of coherence and lexical representation.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Braisby, Nick, 1989. Situating Word Meaning. Paper presented at the Conference on Situation Theory and its Applications, Asilomar, CA.
Clark, Herbert H., 1983. Making Sense of Nonce Sense. In d’Arcais, G.B. Flores and Ray J. Jarvella (eds.).The Process of Language Understanding.Chichester: John Wiley and Sons, 297–331.
Dunbar, George L., 1988. The Cognitive lexicon. Ph.D. Thesis. Centre for Cognitive Science, University of Edinburgh.
Franks, Bradley, 1989. Concept Combination: Towards an Account of Privatives. Edinburgh Research Paper in Cognitive Science.
Franks, Bradley, Terry Myers and Scott McGlashan, 1988. Defeasibility in Concept Combination. InProceedings of the Tenth Annual Conference of the American Cognitive Science SocietyMontreal.
Lakoff, George, 1987. Cognitive Models and prototype theory. In Neisser, U. (ed.).Concepts and Conceptual Development: Ecological and Intellectual Factors in Categorization63–100. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Murphy, Gregory L. and Douglas L. Medin, 1985. The role of theories in conceptual coherence.Psychological Review92,289–316.
Platts, Michael, 1979.Ways of Meaning.London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
Quine, Willard V.O., 1960.Word and Object.Cambridge, Mass.: MIT.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1992 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Braisby, N., Franks, B., Myers, T. (1992). Partiality and Coherence in Concept Combination. In: Ezquerro, J., Larrazabal, J.M. (eds) Cognition, Semantics and Philosophy. Philosophical Studies Series, vol 52. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-2610-6_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-2610-6_7
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-5153-8
Online ISBN: 978-94-011-2610-6
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive