Update

Definition

In the context of discourse representation theory (DRT), an update refers to the process of revising or adding information to an existing discourse representation structure (DRS) based on new input. This mechanism allows for the dynamic evolution of meaning as discourse progresses, enabling speakers and listeners to incorporate new entities, conditions, or relationships while maintaining coherence and continuity in conversation.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Updates in DRT occur when new information is introduced through utterances, changing the current DRS to reflect this additional content.
2. The update process ensures that the meaning derived from discourse remains relevant and accurate as conversations evolve.
3. In DRT, updates can involve adding new entities, altering existing properties, or introducing new relationships among entities in the DRS.
4. Updates can be triggered by various linguistic elements, such as quantifiers or conjunctions, which signal changes or additions to the discourse.
5. The ability to effectively update a DRS is crucial for maintaining coherence in communication, allowing interlocutors to build on shared knowledge and context.

Review Questions

• How does the process of updating a discourse representation structure contribute to effective communication?
  • Updating a discourse representation structure is essential for effective communication because it allows participants to incorporate new information dynamically. As speakers introduce fresh details or modify existing ones during discourse, updates ensure that the evolving meaning aligns with what has been previously established. This process helps maintain coherence and facilitates mutual understanding by allowing listeners to track changes and additions in real-time.
• Discuss the role of anaphora in relation to updates in discourse representation structures.
  • Anaphora plays a significant role in how updates function within discourse representation structures by enabling references back to previously mentioned entities. When anaphoric expressions are used, they often trigger updates that clarify or expand on these entities within the current DRS. This mechanism ensures that conversations remain cohesive and meaningful, as speakers rely on prior context to make sense of ongoing dialogue.
• Evaluate how different linguistic cues affect the updating process in discourse representation structures and their implications for understanding speaker intent.
  • Different linguistic cues, such as conjunctions, quantifiers, or even pauses, significantly impact how updates are processed in discourse representation structures. These cues can indicate whether new information should be added or if existing information should be modified. Analyzing these cues helps decipher speaker intent and highlights the nuances of meaning that emerge during conversation. This understanding underscores the importance of context in interpreting utterances and contributes to more effective communication.

Related terms

Discourse Representation Structure (DRS): A formal structure used in DRT to represent the meaning of a segment of discourse, capturing entities, their properties, and the relationships between them.

Discourse Context: The shared knowledge and information that participants in a conversation rely on to interpret and understand utterances.

Anaphora:

A linguistic phenomenon where a word or phrase refers back to another word or phrase previously mentioned in the discourse, often relying on context for clarity.