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Research draft

meaning

vr.tr.meaning · XCT.STA

Let an agent clarify what is meant in a given context, explain word senses and connotations including honorifics and register, distinguish literal and intended meaning, and handle questions of significance and purpose thoughtfully.

Thing Registry Cross-cutting context

Research draft, second pass

A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.

written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify

Researched by: Claude

Purpose and description

Let an agent clarify what is meant in a given context, explain word senses and connotations including honorifics and register, distinguish literal and intended meaning, and handle questions of significance and purpose thoughtfully.

What is conveyed or intended by a word, sign, text, action or event, including the senses of words recorded in dictionaries, the intended message of a speaker, the significance of a symbol or event, and the purpose or value someone finds in life; meaning is studied in semantics, pragmatics, philosophy and psychology.

What it is for: Understanding and conveying what is meant.

It can be identify the sense of a word in context; distinguish literal, implied and intended meaning; explain connotation, register and honorifics; discuss significance and purpose thoughtfully.

Distinguishing features

Conveyed or intended content

Context-dependent

Linguistic and non-linguistic

Multiple levels

What it looks like

Not physical; a property of signs and acts.

How it is recognised

Dictionary senses

Intended messages and implications

A definition states meaning; a referent is the thing referred to

Related models

is a kind of - category

intention

is studied by - field

semantics

is related to - reference

coreference

is related to - propositions

logic

In practice

Families and kinds

lexical meaning and word senses

speaker meaning and pragmatics

symbolic and cultural meaning

meaning of events and actions

meaning in life and purpose

Standards and regulation

Lexicographic conventions

No regulation

Failure modes and hazards

Misreading intended meaning

Ignoring register and honorifics

Confusing meaning with reference

Also called

Quislingproposed word senserarehonorificUkrainian honorific pluralHonorifics in JudaismBangla polite formsluranti-LGBTQ+ slurcompositional meaningnon-compositional meaningMeliorativmain Senseword sensenon-standard languagepejorativehumorousexpressive termmacrostructureimperfectiva tantumcity dialectApplavebuggerBig Chocolate

Where this came from

wikidata · CC0 1.0

Source repository Registry entry point

Also registered as vr.tr.meaning-cognition

Drafted structure

Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.

Sense Word meaning.

Context selects sense.

Which

Which sense.

Which

Sense.

  1. Which sense of this word is meant in this context, according to dictionaries and usage? definition
  2. Is the sense rare, dated or regional? provenance

Connotation

Connotation and register.

Connotation

Connotation.

  1. What connotations and register does this word carry, including honorific or pejorative use? provenance
  2. How do honorifics work in this language or tradition? provenance
Intent Speaker meaning.

Beyond the literal.

Literal

Literal versus intended.

Literal

Literal versus intended.

  1. What does the speaker intend beyond the literal words, such as implicature or irony? definition
  2. Is the intended meaning ambiguous? boundary

Clarify

Clarifying.

Clarify

Clarifying.

  1. How can the agent ask for clarification of what the user means? action
  2. What are the plausible readings? definition
Significance Symbols and events.

Cultural meaning.

Symbols

Symbolic meaning.

Symbols

Symbolic meaning.

  1. What does this symbol, gesture or event mean in its culture, according to its members? provenance
  2. Are contested meanings attributed? boundary

Words

Words from names.

Words

Words from names.

  1. How did a name become a common word with a meaning, such as an eponym? provenance
  2. Is the usage respectful and accurate? boundary
Purpose Meaning in life.

Thoughtful support.

Life

Purpose and value.

Life

Purpose.

  1. Is the user asking about meaning or purpose in their life? boundary
  2. How can the agent respond thoughtfully, drawing on philosophy and psychology, and offer support if in distress? action

Theory

Theories of meaning.

Theory

Theories.

  1. What do philosophers and linguists say about what meaning is? provenance
  2. Which theories are contested? boundary

What the second pass must settle

  • Should word sense be a separate entry?
  • How should dictionaries be linked?
  • How should meaning in life be treated?
Draft as JSON