SEMANTIC PREDICATE

Section 7-1 SEMANTIC PREDICATE

The simplest predicate
Predicate with a propositional argument
Such a predicate with additional arguments
Such arguments as the predicate
Semantic elements of the verb phrase

The predicate appears to structure multiple levels of meaning. The predicate with its arguments is a proposition and the proposition may become an argument of a superior predicate. This kind of recursion in the semantic structure makes it important to characterize each predicate by reference to its signature — the number and respective types of its arguments. It will later become clear that syntactically each level of meaning must be represented by a differently ordered structure.

	Sentence	Proposition
(1)	They waited.	WAIT(a)
(2)	They waited long.	LONG(WAIT(a))
(3)	They waited in the next room.	IN(WAIT(a),b)
(4)	They were in the next room.	IN(a,b)

The simplest predicate.

The sentence illustrated in figure (1) expresses its predicate in a single word — a finite verb in the past tense. In this case the subject of the sentence is its only argument and apparently is not even changed by the situation expressed. It is possible to “wait for someone,” but such an additional object changes the valence of the verb, giving it a second argument. This kind of argument is expressed as a complement in the verb phrase. Notice that the meaning of the pronoun is diagrammed as originating on the determiner.

Predicate with a propositional argument.

Sentence (2) has two predicates, the first being the same as in sentence (1). The outside predicate takes advantage of the orientation of the situation in time, giving it an extended duration. Natural language puts this modification, a situation descriptor, in the form of an adverb. An adverbial phrase, such as ’for a long time,” is synonymous and takes the form of a prepositional phrase. This additional complement would express another argument, as in the next sentence.

Such a predicate with additional arguments.

The addition of an argument may take the form illustrated in sentence (3). There are still two predicates, the first being the same as in sentences (1) and (2). This time the outside predicate orients the situation in space, locating it at a more remote place. The particular preposition used in English, in, is overloaded and could in appropriate contexts refer to relationships of time or manner. Notice that functional modification is expressed with a limiting adjective phrase, next, preceding the noun.

Such arguments as the predicate.

By the use of the copula it is possible for the additional predicates illustrated in the previous sentences to be made the focus of the assertion. Each relation defined in MultiNet may be conceptualized as a sort of state, being a situation entity.

Semantic elements of the verb phrase.

The first four examples cited to illustrate the verb phrase involve the copula to connect elements semantically to the subject. For three of them the first order representation involves a proposition embedded as subject argument.

	Sentence	Proposition
(5)	John is my friend for life.	LIFELONG(FRIEND(a))
(6)	John is of an astute sort.	ASTUTE(a)
(7)	John is astute at school.	AT(ASTUTE(a),b)
(8)	John is already aboard.	ALREADY(ABOARD(a))

	Sentence	Proposition	Argument=Time of Event
(9)	John built a house last year.	IN(BUILD(a,b),c)	c = "the year previous"
(10)	John then thought he might not finish.	AT(THINK(a,b),c)	c = "that time"
(11)	John stood on the platform during the performance.	IN(STAND(a,ON(a,b)),c)	c = "that time"

[John then thought he might not finish.]

[John stood on the platform during the performance.]

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