The Language Analogy
Meaning (semantics) is sometimes/often/always context sensitive. Sometimes more than one context.
A language analogy example: a sentence without using a dictionary of words/labels (e.g. EDCS):
- The Thing1 jumped over the Thing2
With dictionary of words/labels:
- The Cow jumped over the Moon
Understanding this sentence requires more than one context:
- structural semantics, natural world semantics, nursery rhymes semantics ...
Another example: “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak”
After translation into Russian (and back):
- “The vodka is good, but the steak is lousy”