The semantic complexity of Hausa kinship terms
This study aims at analysing the absolute semantic complexity of kin terms in Hausa, i.e. to measure the amount of semantic information of individual kin terms. Each kin term is defined by a set of sufficient and necessary conditions (i.e. properties and relations) derived from the construction of a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Sciendo
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Topics in Linguistics |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.2478/topling-2023-0009 |
| _version_ | 1797375873135935488 |
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| author | Batic Gian Claudio |
| author_facet | Batic Gian Claudio |
| author_sort | Batic Gian Claudio |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study aims at analysing the absolute semantic complexity of kin terms in Hausa, i.e. to measure the amount of semantic information of individual kin terms. Each kin term is defined by a set of sufficient and necessary conditions (i.e. properties and relations) derived from the construction of a genealogical “space”. In order to calculate semantic complexity, properties (e.g. x is male, x is older than y) and relations (e.g. x is married to y, x is father of y) are encoded as a series of predicates. The terms are defined in a feature matrix system: for each property and relation each kin term is assigned a value on a truth table. Resorting to predicate calculus, the complexity coefficient c of kin terms is calculated as the negative dyadic logarithm of the relative number of trues according to the formula proposed by Lehmann (1978) and adapted from Carnap and Bar-Hillel (1952). Being culture-independent, the definition of kinship terms in a feature-matrix system allows for a) cross-linguistic comparison; b) a consistent treatment of polysemous instances based on the principles of intension and extension; and c) further analysis and applications in representations of kinship systems formulated with genealogical or algebraic approaches. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T19:30:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-87e781e991c14c66bf5e63afd0c913c4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2199-6504 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T19:30:32Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Sciendo |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Topics in Linguistics |
| spelling | doaj.art-87e781e991c14c66bf5e63afd0c913c42023-12-26T07:43:29ZengSciendoTopics in Linguistics2199-65042023-12-01242152910.2478/topling-2023-0009The semantic complexity of Hausa kinship termsBatic Gian Claudio01University of Naples L’Orientale, ItalyThis study aims at analysing the absolute semantic complexity of kin terms in Hausa, i.e. to measure the amount of semantic information of individual kin terms. Each kin term is defined by a set of sufficient and necessary conditions (i.e. properties and relations) derived from the construction of a genealogical “space”. In order to calculate semantic complexity, properties (e.g. x is male, x is older than y) and relations (e.g. x is married to y, x is father of y) are encoded as a series of predicates. The terms are defined in a feature matrix system: for each property and relation each kin term is assigned a value on a truth table. Resorting to predicate calculus, the complexity coefficient c of kin terms is calculated as the negative dyadic logarithm of the relative number of trues according to the formula proposed by Lehmann (1978) and adapted from Carnap and Bar-Hillel (1952). Being culture-independent, the definition of kinship terms in a feature-matrix system allows for a) cross-linguistic comparison; b) a consistent treatment of polysemous instances based on the principles of intension and extension; and c) further analysis and applications in representations of kinship systems formulated with genealogical or algebraic approaches.https://doi.org/10.2478/topling-2023-0009hausakinship terminologycomplexitypredicate calculuspolysemy |
| spellingShingle | Batic Gian Claudio The semantic complexity of Hausa kinship terms Topics in Linguistics hausa kinship terminology complexity predicate calculus polysemy |
| title | The semantic complexity of Hausa kinship terms |
| title_full | The semantic complexity of Hausa kinship terms |
| title_fullStr | The semantic complexity of Hausa kinship terms |
| title_full_unstemmed | The semantic complexity of Hausa kinship terms |
| title_short | The semantic complexity of Hausa kinship terms |
| title_sort | semantic complexity of hausa kinship terms |
| topic | hausa kinship terminology complexity predicate calculus polysemy |
| url | https://doi.org/10.2478/topling-2023-0009 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT baticgianclaudio thesemanticcomplexityofhausakinshipterms AT baticgianclaudio semanticcomplexityofhausakinshipterms |