Vectors or Relations? Tegenover as a problem for a compositional semantics of PPs

Abstract

A framework that proposes to analyse spatial relations in terms of a set of vectors that represent positions relative to the reference object, vector space semantics, seems to solve the problem of non-compositionality for modified PPs. A preposition that was not included in the development of this framework, is the Dutch tegenover, ‘opposite’. The analysis that is presented in this paper concludes that tegenover denotes multiple properties that interact to form different meanings. However, a few problems arise when defining these properties. Most importantly, some of the properties cannot be defined without referring to the located object. This creates a new problem of compositionality, which is an indication that the framework of vector space semantics needs revision.