# Distributional Semantics and Linguistic Theory

## TL;DR

This paper reviews how distributional semantics, which creates multi-dimensional word representations, can inform and enhance theoretical linguistics, especially in areas like semantic change, polysemy, and grammar interfaces.

## Contribution

It critically discusses distributional semantics methods and results relevant to theoretical linguistics, promoting cross-disciplinary integration.

## Key findings

- Distributional semantics captures aspects of meaning in natural language.
- It offers insights into semantic change, polysemy, and grammar interfaces.
- The review encourages collaboration between computational and theoretical linguistics.

## Abstract

Distributional semantics provides multi-dimensional, graded, empirically induced word representations that successfully capture many aspects of meaning in natural languages, as shown in a large body of work in computational linguistics; yet, its impact in theoretical linguistics has so far been limited. This review provides a critical discussion of the literature on distributional semantics, with an emphasis on methods and results that are of relevance for theoretical linguistics, in three areas: semantic change, polysemy and composition, and the grammar-semantics interface (specifically, the interface of semantics with syntax and with derivational morphology). The review aims at fostering greater cross-fertilization of theoretical and computational approaches to language, as a means to advance our collective knowledge of how it works.