Shape Nouns and Shape Concepts: A Geometry for 'Corner'

This paper investigates geometric and ontological aspects of shape concepts underlying the semantics of nouns. Considering the German shape nouns Ecke and Knick (corner and kink) we offer a geometric framework to characterize substantial aspects of shape based on features of the object's boundary. Using the axiomatic method, we develop a geometric system, called `planar shape geometry', enriching the basic inventory of ordering geometry by shape curves. The geometric characterization is not sufficient to decide which are the referents of the nouns Ecke and Knick among the entities involved in the spatial constellation. Different tests using the German topological prepositions in and an (in and at) are employed to bring forth this decision for the case of Ecke. Since these tests do not give uniform evidence in favor of one solution, we have to conclude that Ecke is flexible in selecting the referent and the characterizations discussed reflect its meaning spectrum.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 1998
• Where: SPATIALCOGNITION
• Authors: Carola Eschenbach, Christopher Habel, Lars Kulik, Annette Leßmöllmann
• Keywords: Geometric, German Shape Nouns, Information Management, Planar Shape Geometry, SPATIALCOGNITION 1998