SEMANTICS-7: Utterances, Sentences & Propositions

Summary

This lecture explores the three levels of abstraction in semantics: **utterance**, **sentence**, and **proposition**. It explains how utterances are acts of speaking, regardless of grammaticality, while sentences are grammatical structures. Propositions are the most abstract level, representing the core meaning of sentences, independent of grammar or language. The lecture illustrates how different languages and grammatical forms can express the same proposition, emphasizing the importance of propositions in understanding universal meaning. By distinguishing these levels, the lecture highlights their relevance in semantic analysis, translation, and communication across languages.

Takeaways

• 😀 An **utterance** is the most concrete level of language and refers to the physical act of saying something, regardless of grammar or structure.
• 😀 An **utterance** can range in length from a single word to an entire paragraph, but it must be spoken by one person at a specific time and location.
• 😀 The key distinction between an **utterance** and a **sentence** is that an utterance is about the physical act of speaking, while a sentence refers to a grammatically structured set of words.
• 😀 **Utterances** do not need to be grammatically correct; for example, interjections like 'ouch' or 'wow' are considered utterances but not full sentences.
• 😀 A **sentence** is more abstract than an utterance and includes grammatical rules and structure. Sentences are often written in italics to distinguish them from utterances.
• 😀 The **sentence** is about the form and syntax of language, while the **utterance** focuses purely on the act of speaking.
• 😀 A **proposition** is the most abstract level of meaning in language, representing the core idea or concept behind a sentence, independent of grammar or language.
• 😀 The same **proposition** can be expressed in multiple ways across different languages or sentence structures while retaining the same underlying meaning.
• 😀 Propositions disregard grammatical details like tense, voice, and word order, focusing purely on the semantic content that can be universally understood.
• 😀 In translations, a translator often works with **propositions** to extract the core meaning from a sentence, before applying the appropriate grammatical structure of the target language.
• 😀 The purpose of using **propositions** is to capture universal meaning that is not tied to a specific language or grammatical structure, making them a crucial tool in semantic analysis.

Q & A

What is the difference between an utterance and a sentence?

An utterance is the act of producing language, a physical event that may or may not follow grammatical rules. A sentence, on the other hand, is a grammatical structure that conveys a complete thought and follows linguistic rules.

What makes an utterance different from a sentence in terms of its structure?

An utterance does not require grammatical structure and can be as simple as a single word or sound, like 'ouch.' In contrast, a sentence must have a proper grammatical structure that forms a complete idea.

Why are quotation marks used to denote an utterance?

Quotation marks are used to signify an utterance because they distinguish the spoken act from the sentence itself, indicating that it is a spoken form rather than a written or grammatical structure.

Can an utterance be a complete sentence? Provide an example.

Yes, an utterance can be a complete sentence. For example, 'I like apples' can be an utterance when spoken, though it is also a complete grammatical sentence.

What is a proposition in terms of linguistic abstraction?

A proposition is the most abstract level of meaning, focusing on the core idea conveyed by a sentence, independent of grammar or language. It reflects the essential meaning, like the action and entities involved, without considering the specific grammatical structure or language.

How does the proposition of a sentence differ from the sentence itself?

The proposition abstracts away from the grammatical details of a sentence and focuses only on the core meaning. For example, both 'John ate the apple' and 'The apple was eaten by John' convey the same proposition, even though they have different grammatical structures.

Why are propositions considered universal, and not tied to any specific language?

Propositions are universal because they represent the core meaning of a sentence, independent of the language used. They abstract away from language-specific grammatical structures, which is why they can be translated across different languages while maintaining the same meaning.

In what way does a translator use propositions to convert sentences?

A translator first converts a sentence into a proposition, which represents the core idea of the sentence. Once the proposition is established, the translator applies the grammatical rules of the target language to express that same core meaning in the new language.

What role does grammar play in the formation of a proposition?

Grammar does not play a role in the formation of a proposition. A proposition focuses purely on the core meaning of the sentence, without considering its grammatical structure, tense, or language-specific rules.

Why is it important to distinguish between utterances, sentences, and propositions in semantic analysis?

It is important to distinguish between these levels in semantic analysis because each level focuses on different aspects of meaning. Utterances deal with the physical act of speaking, sentences focus on grammatical structure, and propositions capture the core, universal meaning that transcends language and grammar.