Modelling vague lexical time expressions by means of fuzzy set theory*

Abstract

Abstract On the basis of some large scale inquiries into the nature of time expressions in natural language, in which informants were asked to indicate sharp (crisp) and closed time intervals for a range of linguistic expressions, several models of representing vague lexical time intervals by means of fuzzy set theory are discussed. These models primarily depend on the type of expressions used, and thus take into account the complex heterogeneous semantics of time indications.