Extended Generative Lexicon
Sumiyo Nishiguchi · 2013
This paper proposes an elaboration of the Generative Lexicon (GL) in Pustejovsky (1995) based on a survey of BC-CWJ (2009). I manually classified the Japanese NP1-no NP2 “NP1’s NP2 ” construction in accordance with semantic relations between the two nominals. The result indicates the need for the expansion of GL for computing the meaning of the NP1no NP2 construction by incorporating referential module, as I call, that predicates temporary location, time, and manner of the referent. For example, in ima-no nihon “the present Japan, ” ima-no modifies the time of the event argument in the referential module. 1 Generative Lexicon Theory Generative Lexicon (GL) is a theory proposed in Pustejovsky (1995). GL reduces lexical ambiguity and avoids multiple lexical entries by allowing semantic type-shifts based on the detailed lexical information. For example, instead of considering book as lexically ambiguous, the Qualia Structure enables semantic type-shifting of book; this provides means for solving a type-mismatch between finish and a book in (1b). (1) a. Sue finished reading a book. b. Sue finished a book. Most likely, the meanings of (1a) and (1b) are alike; (1a) expresses the action more explicitly than (1b), that is, Sue finished reading a book according to a highly probable reading. The correct interpretation of (1b) that Sue finished reading a book, rather than swallowing a book or something else, is obtained by means of the lexical knowledge that books are made to be read—the purpose or the telic role of the book is to have its readers. The reading activity contains an event argument inside and the agent of the event argument is realized as the sentential subject Sue. Such “purpose ” or TELIC role is encoded in the lexical knowledge in GL (Pustejovsky 1995). According to Pustejovsky who based his theory on Moravcsik (1975), the following four qualia that originate from Aristotle’s concept of matters represent four inherent properties of the referent. (2) CONSTITUTIVE part-whole relation, material, weight FORMAL orientation, magnitude, shape, dimensionality, color, position, ontological