Course content

The course is designed for those who take an interest in meaning as expressed in natural language. It addresses how linguistic objects (words and sentences) relate to entities in the world and whether this relationship is mediated by concepts; how meaning can be represented formally in an optimal way and how such representations can be employed in other areas of linguistic analysis, such as e.g. syntax; how and why language differs from other communication systems; how language is employed to communicate various types of meaning.

Learning outcome

The students should achieve an understanding of how the interpretation of complex expressions can be computed and how people handle and exploit ambiguities, polysemy and other semantic phenomena in daily communication.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures/seminars, supervision.

Compulsory assignments

• One written assignment approx. 2000 words / 5 pages

Recommended previous knowledge

Basic undergraduate courses in language and linguistics.

Course materials

Curriculum/reading list will be announced at the beginning of the semester.

Credit reductions