Summary of important terms – May 3, 2007
REFERENCE:
identifies a particular thing in this world, utterance-dependant, variable
→ e.g. My dog [one dog clearly defined]
DENOTATION:
identifies a class of entities in this world, relation between expression
and world, meaning in the language system, invariant, utterance-independent
→ e.g. ‘dog’ [particular class of entities]
SENSE:
set/network of sense-relations between expressions in one language,
interlexical + intralingual
→ e.g. Animal – dog: [taxonomic relationship]
EXTENSION:
defines a class of entities in this world
INTENSION:
defines the property of the class of entities
Note:
* lexemes do not have reference but are used as referring expressions

interdependency between sense & denotation: inverse;
large denotation > small sense; small denotation > large sense
→
e.g.
Animal
(large
class
of
entities,
not
very
specific)
terrier (smaller class of entities, more specific)
* extension & intension as complementary aspects of denotation
→ e.g. Dog > denotes the class of entities in which dogs belong + and the property
that classifies dogs as members of the entity
* sense and denotation of an expression is often not clearly defined but can have
fuzzy boundaries
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Basic and non-basic expressions
OBJECT-WORDS:
lexical or content words having meaning in isolation, i.e. basic
expressions
DICTIONARY-WORDS:
function words having only meaning in context, i.e. non-basic
expressions
OSTENSIVE DEFINITION:
identification by pointing
→ e.g. This is a dog.
Note:
* implies knowledge or inference of the intension
CONDITION OF ATOMICITY:
meaning of basic expressions should be logically and psy-
chologically independent of the meaning of other expressions
Note:
* Very difficult!! Expressions are learned easier when using sense relations!
BASIC EXPRESSION:

frequent occurrence in every-day language use

define a greater proportion of the total vocabulary

used to form a systematic set of interconnected definitions
→ associated with atomic concepts (foundation of the conceptual system which
guides + constraints thinking and rational discourse)
PHENOMENAL ATTRIBUTES:
FUNCTIONAL ATTRIBUTES:
perceived through senses
what makes things useful for a particular purpose
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