# KEHOME/knowledge/theory/NaturalSemanticMetalanguage/definition.html
# Oct/18/2003
NSM definitions
NSM definitions
This note summarizes the basic ideas of Natural Semantic Metalanguage,
as described by Wierzbicka [1] and Goddard [2].
Basic Ideas
-
Every word has one or more word-senses (concepts),
which have different meanings.
-
Every concept has a literal meaning,
and may have one or more metaphorical meanings.
A meaning has an essential core ("semantic invariant"),
and context-dependent variations.
-
The definition ("explication") of a complex concept
is a sequence of paraphrases using simpler concepts.
A definition characterizes the complete meaning ("range of use")
of a concept.
-
Every natural language includes the same set of universal concepts
( "semantic primes" )
which cannot be defined by simpler concepts.
-
Matching a prototype
is a sufficient, but not necessary, condition
for a unit to be subsumed under a concept.
Examples
- NSM definition of loves [2]
-
Person-X loves Person-Y =
X often thinks about Y
X thinks good things about Y
X wants to do good things for Y
X wants good things to happen to Y
when X thinks about Y, X often wants to be with Y
when X thinks about Y, X often feels something good
- genus-differentia definition of love [3]
-
Love is an emotion proceeding from the evaluation of an existent
as a positive value and as a source of pleasure.
References
-
Anna Wierzbicka, "Semantics: Primes and Universals",
Oxford University Press, 1996.
-
Cliff Goddard, "Polysemy: A Problem of Definition",
pp. 129 - 151 in
Yael Ravin and Claudia Leacock, "Polysemy:
Theoretical and Computational Approaches",
Oxford University Press, 2000.
- Ayn Rand, "Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology",
Expanded Second Edition, Meridian, 1990.
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