Reference to Abstract Objects in Discourse - Asher, Nicholas

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Résumé :
Reference to Abstract Objects in Discourse presents a novel framework and analysis of the ways we refer to abstract objects in natural language discourse. The book begins with a typology of abstract objects and related entities like eventualities. After an introduction to `bottom up, compositional' discourse representation theory (DRT) and to previous work on abstract objects in DRT (notably work on the semantics of the attitudes), the book turns to a semantic analysis of eventuality and abstract object denoting nominals in English. The book then substantially revises and extends the dynamic semantic framework of DRT to develop an analysis of anaphoric reference to abstract objects and eventualities that exploits discourse structure and the discourse relations that obtain between elements of the structure. A dynamic, semantically based theory of discourse structure (SDRT) is proposed, along with many illustrative examples. Two further chapters then provide the analysis of anaphoric reference to propositions VP ellipsis. The abstract entity anaphoric antecedents are elements of the discourse structures that SDRT develops. The final chapter discusses some logical and philosophical difficulties for a semantic analysis of reference to abstract objects. For semanticists, philosophers of language, computer scientists interested in natural language applications and discourse, philosophical logicians, graduate students in linguistics, philosophy, cognitive science and artificial intelligence.

Sommaire:
1 - From Events to Propositions: A Tour of Abstract Entities, Eventualities and the Nominals That Denote Them.- 1. Distributional Data and the Typology of Abstract Entities.- 2. Quantification, Abstract Object Anaphora and the Typology of Abstract Objects.- 3. Principles of Summation and Structured Domains for Abstract Entities.- 4. Provisional Conclusions.- 2 - A Crash Course in Drt.- 1. A Philosophical Overview of the Aims of Discourse Representation Theory.- 2. The Basic Fragment.- 3. Expanding the Fragment: Events in DRT.- 4. Plurals in DRT.- 5. Appendix: Formalization of DRS Construction and DRS Interpretation.- 3 - Attitudes and Attitude Descriptions.- 1. Attitudes and Attitude Formation.- 2. Attitudes, Operators, and Predicates.- 3. Interpreting Attitude Ascriptions.- 4. Concepts and Attitudes.- 5. Attitudes, Propositions, and Representations.- 6. Conclusions.- 4 - The Semantic Representation for Sentential Nominals.- 1. Syntactic and Semantic Assumptions and Basic Principles.- 2. Derived Nominals.- 3. Of-ing Gerund Phrases and Bare Nominals.- 4. That Clauses.- 5. More Abstract Nominals: Infinitivais and Projective Propositions.- 5 - Problems For The Semantics Of Nominals.- 1. IP Gerunds and Some Data About Them.- 2. The Syntactic and Semantic Analysis of IP Gerunds.- 3. Naked Infinitives 204.- 4. Correspondences and Connections Between Abstract Objects.- 5. The Problem of Event Negation Solved.- 6. Conclusions Concerning DRS Construction for Nominals: Lessons for Natural Language Metaphysics.- 6 - Anaphora and Abstract Entities.- 1. Toward a Unified Analysis of Abstract Entity Anaphora.- 2. Event Anaphora.- 3. Event-Type Anaphora and Using Event-Types to Construct Event Sums.- 4. Proposition Anaphora.- 5. Fact Anaphora.- 6. Concept Anaphora in DRT.- 7- A Theory Of Discourse Structure for an Analysis of Abstract Entity Anaphora.- 1. The Problem of Discourse Structure and Anaphora.- 2. Discourse Structure and Discourse Representation Theory.- 3. Discourse Relations and Their Semantics.- 4. Principles of Discourse Segmentation and SDRS Constituent Construction.- 5. Revision of Constituents after Updating.- 6. Taking Stock.- 7. Appendix of Definitions and Constraints in Chapter 7.- 8 - Applying the Theory of Discourse Structure to the Anaphoric Phenomena.- 1. Constraints on Abstract Object Anaphora Derived from an SDRS: Availability and Well-Foundedness.- 2. Some Examples of Proposition Anaphora.- 3. Availability, Anaphora and Constituent Revision.- 4. Discourse Subordination.- 5. Event and Plural Anaphora Revisited.- 6. Anaphoric Connections Across Different Abstract Types.- 7. Conclusions About Abstract Anaphora.- 9 - Applications of The Theory of Discourse Structure to Concept Anaphora and Vp Ellipsis.- 1. Extending SDRS Theory.- 2. Examples of Overt Concept Anaphora.- 3. VP Ellipsis.- 4. Sloppy Identity.- 5. Concluding Thoughts on Abstract Entity Anaphora.- 6. Appendix of Definitions and Constraints for Concept Anaphora.- 10 - Model Theory for Abstract Entities and its Philosophical Implications.- 1. First Order or Higher Order DRT?.- 2. Intentional Frames and Intensional Contents.- 3. Problems of Self-Reference.- 4. Two Arguments for a Representational Theory of Abstract Entities.- 5. Metaphysical Representationalism and Metaphysical Reduction.- 6. Technical Appendix.- Conclusion.