ABSTRACT
While experimental pragmatics has long been an established sub-discipline in the study of meaning, experimental semantics has been slower to establish itself and still has a less well-defined profile. Yet, experimental approaches are playing an ever more central role in the development and testing of semantic theories. This chapter surveys current trends in experimental research in semantics. On the basis of a series of case studies on domains where experimental approaches have been productively applied – including numerical expressions, quantification, adjective meaning, free choice inferences, and modality – we explore the types of issues that have been investigated experimentally, and the variety of methodologies that have been used to address them. Also discussed are some central challenges characterizing experimental research in semantics, including distinguishing between logical content and pragmatic reasoning, establishing appropriate linking hypotheses, and determining the role of formal experiments versus other empirical methods. This chapter concludes with practical guidelines for the fruitful application of experimental methods to questions in semantics.
