What is meant by compositional semantics?

Compositional semantics refers to an approach in linguistics and natural language processing where the meaning of a complex expression is determined by the meanings of its constituent parts and the rules used to combine them. In other words, the meaning of a sentence is derived from the meanings of its individual words and the rules governing their arrangement.

In the context of artificial intelligence and natural language understanding, compositional semantics plays a crucial role in enabling machines to understand and generate meaningful language. By breaking down sentences into smaller units (words, phrases) and understanding how these units combine to convey meaning, AI systems can interpret and generate human language more accurately.

So, in an interview, the correct answer could be something along these lines:

“Compositional semantics refers to an approach where the meaning of a complex expression, such as a sentence, is determined by the meanings of its individual parts (words, phrases) and the rules governing their combination. In the context of artificial intelligence and natural language processing, this approach is fundamental for enabling machines to understand and generate meaningful human language.”