动词体的球态语义学

本文介绍由塔斯基的立体几何导出的球态语义学，并将其应用于自然语言中的动词体现象。球态语义学特别适合应用于英语的进行体。这种方法有以下优点（i）它扩展了区间式语义，并同时避免了其缺陷，（ii）它解决了未完成体难题，（iii）它的解决方法无需诉诸最终结果策略。逻辑方法一般被认为难于处理自然语言的动词体问题。基于点的时间结构以及建立在该结构之上的经典普莱尔时态逻辑（[18]）太弱了。而基于区间的时态语义则缺乏足够的表达力，并且难以解释进行体（[4,8]）.本文给出一种新的基于球上整体－部分关系概念的模型和时态语义。这种球态语义学建基于塔斯基1927年引入的立体几何之上。与基于点和基于区间的语义不同，在球态语义学中很多动词体区分都由统一的逻辑方法刻画。在一个由封闭球构成的论域中，可达关系由相切性概念给出。相应地，我们可定义外切、内切、外径、内径以及同心等基本概念。与区间式语义不同，球是论域的初始概念，球态语义学不是在时间段而是在球中对事件赋值。因此，仅将时间区间作为初始概念而不承认其端点初性性的问题不复存在。英语中的进行体由球上的连续行动来刻画。行动是非终止的，只要球没有由外切相离。相应地，外切相离刻车动作完成。我们区分在均匀球和非均匀球中发生事件的整体-部分关系。非持续动作视为直径为零的同心球。球态语义学根据动作或执行完成的时刻来定义时间概念，其中不需要时间端点的概念。在保持与基于区间的时间模型类似的基础上，球态语义学暗示了一种关于可能世界的定性概念，并且它有利于解决时间的循环概念问题。

Sphere Semantics for Aspect

This paper introduces sphere semantics, which derives from Tarski＇s geometry of solids, and applies it to aspectual phenomena in natural language. Sphere semantics is particu-laxly geared for the English progressive. The approach has the following virtues： （i） It extends interval-based semantics but omits its pitfalls, （ii） it solves the imperfective puzzle, and （iii） the proposed solution needs no appeal to the strategy of eventual outcomes. Logical approaches to natural-language aspect have proved elusive. Point-based structures of time and the classical Priorian tense logic [18] have turned out to be too weak. Interval- based semantics lacks expressive power and suffers from poor interpretation of the progressive （[4, 8]）. A new model and the semantics of time is in this paper based on the mereological notion of spheres. Sphere semantics builds upon Tarski＇s geometry of solids introduced in 1927. Differing from both point-based and interval-based structures, many aspectual distinctions can be characterised in a unifying logical manner in sphere semantics. In a universe of closed spheres, an alternativeness relation is given in terms of tangentiality. The basic notions of external and internal tangents, external and internal diameters and concentricity may then be defined accordingly. Unlike in interval semantics, sphere semantics evaluates events not in segments of time but in spheres, which are primitives of the universe. Consequently, the problem of taking intervals as the primitive notion and at the same time dispensing with points of time at the extremities of an interval disappears. The English progressive is chaxacterised as a continuous action on spheres. An action is non-terminating in so far as a sphere is not exited via external tangents. Accordingly, tangential exit characterises completion. The mereological ＇part of＇ relation differentiates between those events holding in homogeneous and those holding in heterogeneous spheres. Non-duratives are null-diametric concentric