Explaining Meaning: The Interplay of Syntax, Semantics, and Pragmatics

Abstract

Russian verbal prefixes are traditionally analysed as polysemous and their contribution often appears to be unpredictable. Exploring in detail two of them, po- and na-, I show how most of the variation in their interpretations can be predicted by combining the Frame Semantic analysis offered in Zinova (2017) with pragmatic computation within Rational Speech Act theory. The set of possible competing expressions is determined on the basis of morphological information and context-dependent syntactic restrictions on the verb. Such a system where morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics work together allows to explain (most of) the apparent polysemy and non-transparency of verbal prefixes.