(2006) The Natural Semantic Metalanguage (NSM) approach

Published on May 12, 2017. Last updated on February 17, 2019.

Goddard, Cliff, & Peeters, Bert (2006). The Natural Semantic Metalanguage (NSM) approach: An overview with reference to the most important Romance languages. In Bert Peeters (Ed.), Semantic primes and universal grammar: Empirical evidence from the Romance languages (pp. 13-38). Amsterdam: John Benjamins. DOI: 10.1075/slcs.81.07god

Section 1.2 of this paper maps the growth of the NSM lexicon over the years. Sections 1.3 and 1.4 provide an account of the main analytical concepts (allolexy, portmanteaus and [non-compositional] polysemy) that, over the years, have emerged from the NSM enterprise, and notably from the pursuit of universality. Sections 1.5 and 1.6 report on developments in NSM syntax, including the idea that primes may have a number of “valency options”.

Research carried out by one or more experienced NSM practitioners

	Crude application of NSM principles carried out without prior training by an experienced NSM practitioner
	Approximate application of NSM principles carried out without prior training by an experienced NSM practitioner
	Sound application of NSM principles carried out without prior training by an experienced NSM practitioner
	Research carried out in consultation with or under the supervision of one or more experienced NSM practitioners
	Research carried out by one or more experienced NSM practitioners