This paper proposes a simplified notational methodology which directly composes logical formulas for natural language in temporal linear order. While this system in no way implies a complete rejection of structural aspects of language, as few assumptions about structure as possible are made. In fact, this project envisions the fundamental goal of language analysis as inferring a highly structured meaning from an indeterminately structured string of words. However, this analysis will also show where assumptions of processing precedence for em-bedded elements are essential, such constructions being partially comparable to Chomsky's notions of "phases" (Chomsky, 2001). Thus, minimal notions of hierarchal syntactic structure are ultimately defended. First, the challenges and controversies surrounding traditional analyses are described. Then the alternative advocated here is presented, and examples involving quantifier scope ambiguity and relative clauses are derived.

Username
Password