CIDRAL Public Lecture: Professor Kai von Fintel (MIT): 'If'
| Dates: | 18 October 2016 |
|---|
| Times: | 17:00 - 19:00 |
|---|
| What is it: | Lecture |
|---|
| Organiser: | School of Arts, Languages and Cultures |
|---|
| How much: | Free |
|---|
| Who is it for: | University staff, Adults, Alumni, Current University students, General public, Post 16 |
|---|
|
This event is part of the CIDRAL programme for Winter 2016, 'Possible Worlds'.
Cognition and language revolve around distinguishing between alternative ways the world might be. As a possible worlds semanticist, I explore the grammar of how language connects us to possibilities. After a whirlwind survey of the field, I focus on some of my research on conditionals. This includes both the familiar "if ... then ..." kind but also many "if-less" kinds ("Walk in there and the dog barks at you"). I argue that conditionals are a core pattern at the heart of grammar and that "if" is merely a convenient lexification.
Kai von Fintel is Professor of Linguistics at MIT.
Travel and Contact Information
Find event
A101
Samuel Alexander Building
Manchester
