Semantic bounds for everyday language

Authors
Publication date 2012
Journal Semiotica
Volume | Issue number 188
Pages (from-to) 323-332
Organisations
  • Faculty of Humanities (FGw)
  • Interfacultary Research - Institute for Logic, Language and Computation (ILLC)
Abstract
We consider the notion of everyday language. We claim that everyday language is semantically bounded by the properties expressible in the existential fragment of second-order logic. Two arguments for this thesis are formulated. First, we show that Barwise's so-called test of negation normality works properly only when assuming our main thesis. Second, we discuss the argument from practical computability for finite universes. Everyday language sentences are directly or indirectly verifiable. We show that in both cases they are bounded by second-order existential properties. Moreover, there are known examples of everyday language sentences that are the most difficult in this class (NPTIME-complete).
Document type Article
Language English
Published at https://doi.org/10.1515/sem-2012-0022
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