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The Structural Design of Language

By Thomas S. Stroik, Michael T. Putnam

In this book, Stroik and Putnam take on Turing's challenge. They argue that the narrow syntax – the lexicon, the Numeration, and the computational system – must reside, for reasons of conceptual necessity, within the performance systems.

Query Details


Query Subject:   Syntax and semantics of "photograph"
Author:   Graeme Forbes
Submitter Email:  click here to access email

Linguistic LingField(s):  Syntax
Subject Language(s):  English


Query:   Mon, 9 Feb 1998 15:45:25 -0600
Graeme Forbes
forbes@mailhost.tcs.tulane.edu
Syntax and semantics of ''photograph''

Graeme Forbes
Celia Scott Weatherhead Distinguished Professor
Department of Philosophy
Tulane University
New Orleans, LA 70118-5698
Voice: 504-862 3385 (direct); 865-5305 (dept)
Fax: 504-862-8714

Syntax and semantics of ''photograph''

Can anyone explain why (1) below is acceptable, but (2) is not?

(1) I saw John leave.
(2) I photographed John leave.

According to Higginbotham, the ''unsupported clause'' in (1) is an event
nominal. At LF (1) is something like ''for some event e of John's leaving, I
saw e''. So why can't we say (2), since the same style of LF makes good
sense?
LL Issue: 9.200
Date posted: 10-Feb-1998



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