{"id":2237,"date":"2021-08-19T21:18:57","date_gmt":"2021-08-19T21:18:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.rutgers.edu\/lgsa\/?p=2237"},"modified":"2022-05-24T13:41:39","modified_gmt":"2022-05-24T13:41:39","slug":"yu-cao-passed-his-dissertation-defense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.rutgers.edu\/lgsa\/yu-cao-passed-his-dissertation-defense\/","title":{"rendered":"Yu Cao Passed His Dissertation Defense"},"content":{"rendered":"

Congratulations to Yu Cao<\/a> who passed his dissertation defense on August 13th!<\/p>\n

Title :\u00a0Plurality and quantification in graph representation of meaning.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chair :\u00a0<\/strong>Simon Charlow<\/a><\/p>\n

Committee :\u00a0<\/b>Adam Jardine<\/a>, Paul Pietroski<\/a>, Bruce Tesar<\/a>, Chris Barker<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Abstract :\u00a0<\/strong>The study of meaning is inseparable from that of semantic representation, as design efforts in the latter exert far-reaching implications for linguistics and related computation. In this thesis, we present a representation formalism based\u00a0on directed graphs and explore its explanatory benefits in application to classic issues in plurality and quantification, two\u00a0aspects of natural language semantics treated in previous graph formalisms with varied linguistic adequacy.

Our graph language covers the essentials of natural language semantics (thematic relations, modification,\u00a0co-reference, intensionality, plurality, quantification, and coordination) while using only monadic second-order variables.\u00a0We show that the model-theoretical interpretation of this language can be defined in terms of graph traversal, where the\u00a0relative scope of variables arises from their order of valuation.

We present a unification-based mechanism for constructing semantic graphs at a simple syntax-semantics interface, whose task is to decide equivalence among discourse referents introduced by linguistic tokens, through\u00a0syntax and through non-syntactic resolutions. Syntax is then formulated as a deterministic partition function on discourse\u00a0referents. By establishing a partly deterministic relation between semantics and syntactic distribution, we show that this\u00a0function finds a natural implementation in categorial grammars due to the way they manipulate syntactic resources. The\u00a0syntax-semantics interface described here is automated to facilitate future exploration.

In applying the present graph formalism to selected topics in plurality and quantification, we show that\u00a0distributive predication of various forms (and even lack thereof) can be attributed to variants of a graph motif that\u00a0performs quantification, and the partial determinism between semantics and syntactic distribution allows these variants\u00a0to share roughly the same syntax. Our syntax-semantics interface offers streamlined solutions to compositional\u00a0problems in cross-categorial conjunction and scope permutation of quantificational expressions. A scope taking strategy\u00a0analogous to co-reference resolution is shown to simplify the treatment of exceptional scoping behaviors of indefinites.<\/p>\n

Congratulations Dr. Cao! We wish you the best for your future\u00a0endeavors!<\/em><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Congratulations to Yu Cao who passed his dissertation defense on August 13th! Title :\u00a0Plurality and quantification in graph representation of meaning. 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