According to semantic theory, the words "colorless" and "green" can not appear together because they violate:
A) phonological rules.
B) phrase structure rules.
C) the relation principle.
D) selection restrictions.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The words "colorless" and "green" violate selection restrictions, which are semantic rules determining which word combinations are meaningful based on the attributes of the words involved. "Colorless green" is contradictory because something that is colorless cannot possess a color like green.

According to Semantic Theory, the Words "Colorless" and "Green" Can