The document discusses different views on how language can be seen as a form of creation. It provides examples from Hindu myths, the Bible, and fictional statements to illustrate this. Words and sentences are not just symbols but can be considered as creating or representing actual things, individuals, actions, or situations in the mind of the listener or reader. There is a debate around whether and how precisely a word or phrase can be thought of as an object or event in itself.

1. What is language, anyway?

2. The Word
• SYMBOL (or SIGN): Sound, writing etc
• GENERAL MEANING (or CONCEPT or SENSE)
• OBJECT (or ACTION etc)

3. The Word
• SIGN
• THOUGHT
• THING

4. The Word
CREATION

5. Language as CREATION
• Hindu myth:
• God wanted to speak
• God said bhur and the Earth was created
• God said bhuvar and Space was created
• God said suvar and Sky was created

6. Language as CREATION
• The Bible
• In the beginning was the Word
• And the Word was with God
• And the Word was God

7. Language as CREATION
• Let there be light!
• Let there be animals!
• Let there be sea!
• Etc

8. Language as CREATION?
•Expecto
Patronum!

9. Language as CREATION
• The Declaration of Independence
• アメリカ独立宣言
• Create a principle of equality

10. Language as CREATION
• I hereby name this ship Johnny
• Creates a name
• I hereby declare this meeting open/closed
• Creates a situation

11. The word “horse”

12. The meaning of horse

13. The actual horse

14. horse
PHON

15. Horse
PHON /hɔːs/

16. SYNTAX
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN

17. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN

18. Horse: Category
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT

19. Horse: Valency
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT
VAL

20. Horse
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [ ]
VAL

21. Horse
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [ ]

22. Horse
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]

23. Horse
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]

24. Horse
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]

25. Horse
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]

26. Horse
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM

27. Horse
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM ??????

28. Horse
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM [identity of referent (actual thing)

29. Horse
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM [identity of referent
+ general meaning ]

30. Horse
PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM [identity of referent
+ general meaning ]

31. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM [identity of referent
+ general meaning ]

32. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM

33. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM ID
GENERAL
MEANING

34. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM ID

35. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM INDEX

36. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM INDEX X

37. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM INDEX Y

38. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM INDEX Z

39. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM INDEX 1

40. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM INDEX 2

41. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM INDEX X

42. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM INDEX 3rd Person
Singular

43. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM INDEX X

44. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM
INDEX X

45. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM
INDEX X
FRAMES

46. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM
INDEX X
FRAMES: GENERAL MEANING

47. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM
INDEX X
FRAMES <
Horse-Frame

48. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM
INDEX X
FRAMES <
Horse-Frame
Entity X

49. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM
INDEX X
FRAMES <
Horse-Frame
Entity X
X = 3rd Person, Singular

50. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM
INDEX X
FRAMES <
Horse-Frame
Entity X

51. PHON /hɔːs/
SYN
CAT [noun]
VAL [Determiner]
SEM
INDEX X
FRAMES <
Horse-Frame
Entity X
>

52. PHON /ʃiː/
SYN
CAT [ CASE [ ]]
VAL [ ]
SEM
INDEX
FRAMES <
–Frame
Entity
>

53. PHON /ʃiː/
SYN
CAT [ noun CASE [ ]]
VAL [ ]
SEM
INDEX
FRAMES <
–Frame
Entity
>

54. PHON /ʃiː/
SYN
CAT [ noun CASE [ nom ]]
VAL [ ]
SEM
INDEX
FRAMES <
–Frame
Entity
>

55. PHON /ʃiː/
SYN
CAT [ noun CASE [ nom ]]
VAL [ ???? ]
SEM
INDEX
FRAMES <
–Frame
Entity
>

56. PHON /ʃiː/
SYN
CAT [ noun CASE [ nom ]]
VAL [ ]
SEM
INDEX
FRAMES <
–Frame
Entity
>

57. PHON /ʃiː/
SYN
CAT [ noun CASE [ nom ]]
VAL [ ]
SEM
INDEX X
FRAMES <
–Frame
Entity
>

58. PHON /ʃiː/
SYN
CAT [ noun CASE [ nom ]]
VAL [ ]
SEM
INDEX X
FRAMES <
female –Frame
Entity
>

59. PHON /ʃiː/
SYN
CAT [ noun CASE [ nom ]]
VAL [ ]
SEM
INDEX X
FRAMES <
female –Frame
Entity X
>

60. PHON /hɪm/
SYN
CAT [ CASE [ ]]
VAL < >
SEM
INDEX
FRAMES <
–Frame
Entity
>

61. PHON /hɪm/
SYN
CAT [ noun CASE [ acc ]]
VAL < >
SEM
INDEX X
FRAMES <
Male –Frame
Entity X
>

62. PHON /sliːps/
SYN
CAT [ ]
VAL <NP[CASE ] X= PER: NUM: >
SEM
INDEX
FRAMES <
–Frame
Entity
>

63. PHON /sliːps/
SYN
CAT [ ? ]
VAL <NP[CASE ? ] X= PER:? NUM: ? >
SEM
INDEX ??
?
FRAMES <
? –Frame
Entity ??
>

64. PHON /sliːps/
SYN
CAT [ verb ]
VAL <NP[CASE nom] X= PER: 3 NUM:sing>
SEM
INDEX S
FRAMES <
Sleeping–Frame
Entity X
>

65. PHON /siːz/
SYN
CAT [ ]
VAL <NP[CASE ] X= PER: NUM: ,
NP[CASE ] Y= PER: NUM: >
SEM
INDEX
FRAMES <
–Frame
>SEER
SEEN

66. PHON /siːz/
SYN
CAT [ ]
VAL <NP[CASE ] X= PER: NUM: ,
NP[CASE ] Y= PER: NUM: >
SEM
INDEX
FRAMES <
–Frame
>SEER
SEEN

67. PHON /siːz/
SYN
CAT [ ? ]
VAL <NP[CASE ? ] X= PER:? NUM: ? ,
NP[CASE ? ] Y= PER: ? NUM:?
>
SEM
INDEX ?
FRAMES <
? –Frame
>SEER
SEEN
?
?

68. PHON /siːz/
SYN
CAT [ verb ]
VAL <NP[CASE nom ] X= PER:3 NUM: 1 ,
NP[CASE acc ] Y= PER: NUM: >
SEM
INDEX S
FRAMES <
Sleeping –Frame
>SEER
SEEN
X
Y

69. The Word
CREATION

70. Language as CREATION
• Hindu myth:
• God wanted to speak
• God said bhur and the Earth was created
• God said bhuvar and Space was created
• God said suvar and Sky was created

71. Language as CREATION
• The Bible
• In the beginning was the Word
• And the Word was with God
• And the Word was God

72. Language as CREATION
• Let there be light!
• Let there be animals!
• Let there be sea!
• Etc

73. Language as CREATION?
•Expecto
Patronum!

74. PHON /hɪm/
SYN
CAT [ noun CASE [ acc ]]
VAL < >
SEM
INDEX X
FRAMES <
Male –Frame
Entity X
>
The Word
creates an
individual
Or
object
Or
individual
In the
listener’s
mind

75. PHON /hɪm/
SYN
CAT [ noun CASE [ acc ]]
VAL < >
SEM
INDEX X
FRAMES <
Male –Frame
Entity X
>
The Word
IS LIKE
an
individual
Or
object
Or
individual

76. PHON /hɪm/
SYN
CAT [ noun CASE [ acc ]]
VAL < >
SEM
INDEX X
FRAMES <
Male –Frame
Entity X
>
The Word
IS
an
individual
Or
object
Or
individual

77. The word as CREATION
PHON /siːz/
SYN
CAT [ verb ]
VAL <NP[CASE nom ] X= PER:3 NUM: 1 ,
NP[CASE acc ] Y= PER: NUM: >
SEM
INDEX S
FRAMES <
Sleeping –Frame
>SEER
SEEN
X
Y

78. The word creates a situation
PHON /siːz/
SYN
CAT [ verb ]
VAL <NP[CASE nom ] X= PER:3 NUM: 1 ,
NP[CASE acc ] Y= PER: NUM: >
SEM
INDEX S
FRAMES <
Sleeping –Frame
>SEER
SEEN
X
Y

79. The word IS LIKE a situation
PHON /siːz/
SYN
CAT [ verb ]
VAL <NP[CASE nom ] X= PER:3 NUM: 1 ,
NP[CASE acc ] Y= PER: NUM: >
SEM
INDEX S
FRAMES <
Sleeping –Frame
>SEER
SEEN
X
Y

80. The word ISa situation
PHON /siːz/
SYN
CAT [ verb ]
VAL <NP[CASE nom ] X= PER:3 NUM: 1 ,
NP[CASE acc ] Y= PER: NUM: >
SEM
INDEX S
FRAMES <
Sleeping –Frame
>SEER
SEEN
X
Y

81. The word as CREATION
• A word IS a thing?
• A word IS an individual?
• A word IS an action?
• A phrase IS a thing?
• A phrase IS a situation?
• A sentence IS a situation?
• Maybe I’m crazy?

82. Language as CREATION
• Hindu myth:
• God wanted to speak
• God said bhur and the Earth was created
• God said bhuvar and Space was created
• God said suvar and Sky was created

83. Language as CREATION
• The Bible
• In the beginning was the Word
• And the Word was with God
• And the Word was God

84. Language as CREATION
• Unicorn
• The unicorn
• Friend
• Your friend
• Playing
• Playing tennis
• The unicorn was playing tennis with your
freind