Erin Zaroukian, 25/10/2013, 11 am

Date: Friday 25^th October
Time: 11 am

Place: Conference room of the Pavillon Jardin - 29, rue d'Ulm

Speaker: Erin Zaroukian (Post-doc, IJN)

Title: “Variation in Vagueness”

Abstract: In natural language, vagueness abounds. In the sentence *John served approximately 50 sandwiches*, for example, there is potential indeterminacy in what counts as a sandwich, what counts as an event of serving, and what quantities qualify as *approximately fifty*. I explore sentences like these in the context of the question What is the nature of vagueness?  I address this through case studies of a variety of modifiers, focusing on * approximately*, *maybe*, and *about*, as in *John served approximately/maybe/about 50 sandwiches*. Comparing modal modifiers like * maybe *to non-modal modifiers like *approximately*, I argue that vagueness is a systematically heterogeneous phenomenon by identifying fundamental differences in the vague readings these two classes of modifiers produce.

Jean Nicod Emerging Ideas

“Doc’in Nicod” is now “Jean Nicod Emerging Ideas”!

The goal of this talk series will be for members, associates, friends, and neighbors of Institut Jean Nicod to present their on-going work related to cognitive science. Given that the group is inherently interdisciplinary, we will try to prioritize work which is accessible and interesting to the many different areas of cognitive science represented at Jean Nicod (anthropology, linguistics, philosophy, and psychology).

New term for the Doc in Nicod

Sessions of the Doc in Nicod will resume soon! 

We are now looking for participants (master, PhD students, postdocs or even young researchers) to present their work. The new person responsible for the organization is Martin Fortier, PhD student with Jérôme Dokic and Frédéric Nef.

Feel free to contact him if you want to give a talk!