Natural semantic metalanguage


The Natural semantic metalanguage is a linguistic theory that reduces lexicons down to a set of semantic primitives. It is based on the conception of Polish professor Andrzej Bogusławski. The theory was formally developed by Anna Wierzbicka at Warsaw University and later at the Australian National University in the early 1970s, and Cliff Goddard at Australia's Griffith University.

Approach

The Natural Semantic Metalanguage theory attempts to reduce the semantics of all lexicons down to a restricted set of semantic primitives, or primes. Primes are universal in that they have the same translation in every language, and they are primitive in that they cannot be defined using other words. Primes are ordered together to form explications, which are descriptions of semantic representations consisting solely of primes.
Research in the NSM approach deals extensively with language and cognition, and language and culture. Key areas of research include lexical semantics, grammatical semantics, phraseology and pragmatics, as well as cross-cultural communication.
Dozens of languages, including representatives of 16 language groups, have been studied using the NSM framework. They include English, Russian, Polish, French, Spanish, Italian, Swedish, Danish, Finnish, Malay, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Ewe, Wolof, East Cree, Koromu, at least 16 Australian languages, and a number of creole languages including Trinidadian creole, Roper River Kriol, Bislama and Tok Pisin.
Apart from the originators Anna Wierzbicka and Cliff Goddard, a number of other scholars have participated in NSM semantics, most notably Bert Peeters, Zhengdao Ye, Felix Ameka, Jean Harkins, Marie-Odile Junker, Anna Gladkova, Jock Wong, Carsten Levisen, Helen Bromhead, Adrian Tien, Carol Priestley, Yuko Asano-Cavanagh and Gian Marco Farese.

Semantic primes

are concepts that are universal, meaning that they can be translated literally into any known language and retain their semantic representation, and primitive, as they are proposed to be the most simple linguistic concepts and are unable to be defined using simpler terms.
Proponents of the NSM theory argue that every language shares a core vocabulary of concepts. In 1994 and 2002, Goddard and Wierzbicka studied languages across the globe and found strong evidence supporting this argument.
Wierzbicka's 1972 study proposed 14 semantic primes. That number was expanded to 60 in 2002 by Wierzbicka and Goddard, and the current agreed-upon number is 65.
Each language's translations of the semantic primes are called exponents. Below is a list of English exponents, or the English translation of the semantic primes. It is important to note that some of the exponents in the following list are polysemous and can be associated with meanings in English that are not shared. However, when used as an exponent in the Natural semantic metalanguage, it is only the prime concept which is identified as universal.
The following is a list of English exponents of semantic primes adapted from Levisen and Waters 2017.
CategoryPrimes
SubstantivesI, YOU, SOMEONE, PEOPLE, SOMETHING/THING, BODY
Relational SubstantivesKIND, PART
DeterminersTHIS, THE SAME, OTHER~ELSE~ANOTHER
QuantifiersONE, TWO, SOME, ALL, MUCH/MANY, LITTLE/FEW
EvaluatorsGOOD, BAD
DescriptorsBIG, SMALL
Mental predicatesTHINK, KNOW, WANT, DON'T WANT, FEEL, SEE, HEAR
SpeechSAY, WORDS, TRUE
,, MovementDO, HAPPEN, MOVE
Existence, PossessionBE, THERE IS, BE, MINE
Life and DeathLIVE, DIE
TimeWHEN/TIME, NOW, BEFORE, AFTER, A LONG TIME, A SHORT TIME, FOR SOME TIME, MOMENT
SpaceWHERE/PLACE, HERE, ABOVE, BELOW, FAR, NEAR, SIDE, INSIDE, TOUCH
Logical ConceptsNOT, MAYBE, CAN, BECAUSE, IF
Intensifier, AugmentorVERY, MORE
SimilarityLIKE/AS/WAY

NSM syntax

NSM primes can be combined in a limited set of syntactic frames that are also universal. These valency options specify the specific types of grammatical functions that can be combined with the primes. While these combinations can be realized differently in other languages, it is believed that the meanings expressed by these syntactic combinations are universal.
Example of valency frames for SAY
A semantic analysis in the NSM approach results in a reductive paraphrase called an explication that captures the meaning of the concept explicated. An ideal explication can be substituted for the original expression in context without change of meaning.
For example: Someone X killed someone Y:
Semantic molecules are intermediary words used in explications and cultural scripts. While not semantic primes, they can be defined exclusively using primes. Semantic molecules can be determined as words that are necessary to build upon to explicate other words. These molecules are marked by the notation in explications and cultural scripts. Some molecules are proposed to be universal or near-universal, while others are culture- or area-specific.
Examples of proposed universal molecules:
Body partshands, mouth, eyes, head, ears, nose, face, teeth, fingers, breast, skin, bones, blood
Physicallong, round, flat, thin, hard, soft, sharp, smooth, heavy
Biosocialchildren, men, women, be born, mother, father, wife, husband

Applications

Minimal English

Minimal English is a derivative of the natural semantic metalanguage research, with the first major publication in 2018. It is a reduced form of English designed for non-specialists to use when requiring clarity of expression or easily translatable materials. Minimal English uses an expanded set of vocabulary to the semantic primes. It includes the proposed universal and near-universal molecules, as well as non-universal words which can assist in clarity. As such, it already has counterparts targeted at speakers of other natural languages, e.g. Minimal French, Minimal Polish, 65 Sanaa and so on. Minimal English differs from other simple Englishes as it has been specifically designed for maximal cross-translatability.

Language engineering

Applications of NSM have also been proposed for natural language processing, natural language understanding and artificial intelligence.

Revivalistics

suggests that NSM can be of benefit in as it "can neutralize the Western semantic bias involved in reconnecting with ancient Aboriginal traditions using English, and may allow a fuller understanding of the original meaning of the Aboriginal lexical items."