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Re: [ontolog-forum] Current Semantic Web Layer pizza (was ckae)

To: "[ontolog-forum]" <ontolog-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: "Barker, Sean (UK)" <Sean.Barker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: "John F. Sowa" <sowa@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 05 Sep 2007 11:37:52 -0400
Message-id: <46DECD50.2050305@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Jerry,    (01)

As you know, I was trying to summarize a very large amount of
semiotics in one sentence, and quibbles are bound to come up.    (02)

 > Syntax is about how symbols combine, so atomic symbols can
 > have semantics without syntax...    (03)

That example could be analyzed and reinterpreted in any number
of ways.  One way is to say that syntax is about the form of the
sign without considering anything external to it.  In that case,
recognizing the absence of related signs is part of the form.    (04)

 > A more elaborate example is protolanguage, where there is
 > simply a sequence of symbols and it's up to the hearer to
 > figure out what the relations between their meanings are.    (05)

It still has a syntax:    (06)

   Sequence -> Sign Sign*    (07)

And the semantics is very informal -- in the sense that context
is essential to determining the full semantics.  That makes it
an extreme case of an NL.  In fact, you might claim that it
represents the "natural language" of a child at 18 months.
(Of course, you could also quibble about that.)    (08)

 > Is music an example of syntax and pragmatics without semantics?    (09)

Good question.  I'd start by saying that it certainly has syntax,
and the question of whether and what kind of semantics or pragmatics
it might have is still an open research problem.    (010)

John    (011)


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