On the semantic interpretation of nominals

Abstract

In this paper we examine a subset of polysemous elements, the logical structure of nominals, and argue that many cases of polysemy have well-defined calculi, which interact with the grammar in predictable and determinate ways for disambiguation. These calculi constitute part of the lexical organization of the grammar and contribute to the lexical semantics of a word. The lexical system of the grammar is distinct from the conceptual representation associated with a lexical item, where polysemy is less constrained by grammar. We propose a structured semantic representation, the Lexical Conceptual Paradigm (LCP) which groups nouns into paradigmatic classes exhibiting like behavior.