Re: semantics ...

[C.D.Wright@solipsys.co.uk]

From: Robin Turner <robin@Bilkent.EDU.TR>

<snip long but interesting introductory material>

> ... before going multilingual with the gismu list
> (which it is high time we did) we need to think
> carefully about our lexicography.

This is unquestionably true.

> One solution would be to adopt a feature-based analysis
> of the gismu involved, using features which are, as far
> as possible, consistent across cultures.

> An alternative ... use the Natural Semantic Model ... which
> aims to define terms using a limited number of universally
> accepted words (I think the current total is 90).

In the end, aren't these two methods basically the same?
In the final analysis, don't they both say ...

  There is a small, enumerated list of points in semantic
    space which have the following properties:

    1. Every language has a word at that location
    2. Between them they cover *all* of semantic space.

??


> ... I think a bit of semantic analysis now might
> save us a lot of grief later.

Er, surely you mean  "... a lot of semantic analysis ..."


co'o mi'e sidirait.
" If you never go off at a tangent
  you will forever run in circles. "