Frame semantics (linguistics)

The frame semantics is a semantic theory which analyzes the meaning of linguistic expressions in relation to the world of knowledge the speaker. It was designed by Charles J. Fillmore as a development of Kasusgrammatik. In German-speaking linguistic frame theory, however, was initially attributed only a vortheoretischer value for linguistics. Due to their semiotic grounds it is now regarded as linguistically sound. For example, outlined the linguist Alexander Ziem and Klaus Peter Konerding relevant terms and theories to substantiate the frame semantics linguistically. The frame semantics is emerging as cognitive science methodology in semantics research. In addition, the frame semantics can be described as interdisciplinary research, since their theory feeds both from the AI research, cognitive psychology and linguistics.

The frame semantics is based on the insight that can only detect (eg a word ) the meaning of a linguistic expression, if one has the appropriate knowledge of the world. Here it is crucial in the frame semantics on the assumption that this world knowledge is organized in so-called frames. Frames are thus knowledge frames that have formed on the basis of experience. Frames have within the process of understanding the function of feeding -relevant knowledge to understand and organize. A frame is thus a mental representation of a stereotypical situation, which is abstracted from speakers from the repeated experience with real-life situations and their individual elements can be defined only in relation to each other. In the frame semantics, it is assumed that each linguistic expression (at least) is activated such frame and understood with respect to this frame. An active frame causes a actants thus to establish on the basis of relevant background knowledge a reference. Thus, a frame activates certain ideas and controls beyond the expectations of the recipient.

So you can for example buy the word only in relation to a frame to understand what could be called as COMMERCIAL TRANSACTION. For this frame include at least the following elements: a seller, a buyer, commodity, price and money, and possibly an invoice and a receipt. In addition, part of this frame the knowledge about how they relate these frame elements: the seller has the goods, he wants to leave for money, he sets a price, the buyer gives the seller a corresponding amount, whereupon the goods in his possession takes place, etc.

The key here is that the meaning of individual words is generally not defined by individual frame elements, but by a certain perspectivization a frame. Thus, a commercial transaction is referred to buy from the perspective of the buyer with the verb to sell from the perspective of the seller with the verb. Similarly, one can into perspective the transfer of money with different verbs in different frame elements, be it to the price ( She has the asking price paid ), on the goods ( you paid for the book), on the money from the perspective of the buyer ( She has spent a lot of money for the book ), on the money from the perspective of the seller ( he has received for the book a lot of money ), etc.

The transaction frame allows us not only to understand individual words, but also to understand the similarities and differences between semantically related words in a unified framework.

The Strukturkonstituenten of frames

• Blank spaces indicate through which predications to an expression can contextualize sense.

• Default values ​​are ( provisionally ) inferred data that are already associated with the called frame. Fill vacancies of a frame. There are data that are typically to be expected.

• Concrete fill values ​​are by the context and the perception of currently shared data. You can specify the frame by also occupy spaces.

The frame semantics was originally a theory for the acquisition of word meanings. Meanwhile Frames are used in the main versions of the design grammar for the description of structural meanings. For example, the meaning of the ditransitive construction by a general TRANSFER- frame is described.

There are a number of projects that deal with the collection and systematization of frames and make the results in the form of lexical databases available. The first of these projects was the launched by Charles Fillmore FrameNet project for the English language. Meanwhile, there are similar projects for other languages ​​, for example, the German SALSA project and the GermanNet project (see links).