List of semantic features

[Ambridge, Ben]

Last week I posted a request for proposed lists of semantic primitives (primarily for verbs, but also for nouns). Thanks to everyone who responded. Though (as I feared) proposed definitive lists are thin on the ground, I received quite a few helpful references/suggestions.

- WordNet (http://wordnet.princeton.edu/) has semantic feature annotations for all word types, and these can be automatically extracted.
- Talmy's (1988) paper on force dynamics is very useful, as the proposal includes both literal and metaphorical cases. I haven't yet managed to get hold of it myself, but Talmy's (2003) book Toward a cognitive semantics also seems relevant.
 - Wierzbicka (1972, 1980, 1985, 1988, 1996) proposes a list of semantic primes (approximately 50, though these relate to all word types). See also Szymanek (1988)
- Various publications by Jackendoff (1972, 1983, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1996). discuss how semantic primitives are combined to yield meaning (Lexical Conceptual Structures).
- The following two papers contain "semantic features" for nouns and verbs. However, these are not semantic "primitives" as such, more just associations for each word.

MCRAE K., CREE G. S., SEIDENBERG M. S., MCNORGAN C. (2005). Semantic feature production norms for a large set of living and nonliving things. Behavior Research Methods, 37, 547-559.
Vinson D. P.,   Vigliocco G. (2008). Semantic feature production
norms for a large set of objects and events. Behavior Research Methods, 40, 183-190.


Thanks
Ben

--

Dr Ben Ambridge
School of Psychology
University of Liverpool
Eleanor Rathbone Building
Bedford St South
Liverpool
L69 7ZA

Tel +44 151 794 1111
http://pcwww.liv.ac.uk/~ambridge/

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