Mapping a parochial lexicon onto a universal semantics

In this paper, we argue that languages differ in what parts of meaning are

specified in the syntax and what parts are negotiated by the Conceptual-

Intentional systems (C-I). This leads to a kind of parametric variation, which

we illustrate with examples from Norwegian definiteness, Russian perfectivity,

Salish tense, and other natural language phenomena. Our claim is that syntactic

variation is not as great as sometimes suggested (for example, we argue that

Chinese has a D head and Salish has a T head), but nor are syntactico-semantic

representations identical across languages; LFs vary from one language to the

next, and in some cases C-I specifies what syntax/semantics does not, particularly

when it comes to reference tracking for the variables introduced by the syntax.

The result is a very clean system with no semantic module disinct from syntax

and hence no distinction between syntactic and semantic parameters.

Published online: 17 September 2008
https://doi.org/10.1075/la.132.08ram