Formal Semantics

Formal semantics aims at analyzing natural language expressions by identifying their core meaning that is independent of context. Formal semantics aims at analyzing the meaning of natural language expressions using the tools from logic and mathematics. “Formal semantics as a part of linguistic theory was born of two parents: Philosophical logic and Generative grammar. Like any child, this child inherits some features from each parent, learns others from the parents during life, follows its peers in certain ways, and eventually develops an independent personality and makes its own unique contributions.” Barbara H. Partee and Paul Portner (eds.) 2002. Formal Semantics: The Essential Readings: Blackwell.