Editing Conceptual semantics (section)

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'''Conceptual semantics''' is a framework for semantic analysis developed mainly by [[Ray Jackendoff]] in 1976. Its aim is to provide a characterization of the conceptual elements by which a person understands words and sentences, and thus to provide ''an explanatory semantic representation'' (title of a Jackendoff 1976 paper).  ''Explanatory'' in this sense refers to the ability of a given linguistic theory to describe how a component of language is acquired by a child (as proposed by [[Noam Chomsky]]; see [[Levels of adequacy]]).

Recently, conceptual semantics in particular, and [[lexical semantics]] in general, have taken on increasing importance in linguistics and psycholinguistics.  Many contemporary theories of [[syntax]] (how sentences are constructed from individual words) rely on elements that are idiosyncratic to words themselves.  As a result, a sound theory accounting for the properties of  the meanings of words is required.