Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 15, 2026

Natural Language Semantics

Natural Language Semantics (NLS) is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal covering formal semantics and its interfaces in grammar, especially in syntax. The journal features mainly research papers as well as some short essays. It is considered one of the top four journals in formal semantics, alongside Linguistics and Philosophy, the Journal of Semantics, and Semantics and Pragmatics.

Last revised
Jun 15, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
Length
554 w
Citations
11
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Natural Language Semantics
DisciplineLinguistic semantics
LanguageEnglish
Edited byAmy Rose Deal
Publication details
History1993–present
Publisher
FrequencyQuarterly
1.1 (2022)
Standard abbreviations
ISO 4 (alt) · Bluebook (alt)
NLM (alt) · MathSciNet (alt Paid subscription required)
ISO 4Nat. Lang. Semant.
Indexing
CODEN (alt · alt2) · JSTOR (alt) · LCCN (alt)
MIAR · NLM (alt) · Scopus · W&L
CODENNLSEEM
ISSN0925-854X (print)
1572-865X (web)
LCCN93643719
JSTOR0925854X
OCLC no.243539944
Links

Natural Language Semantics (NLS) is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal covering formal semantics and its interfaces in grammar, especially in syntax. The journal features mainly research papers as well as some short essays. It is considered one of the top four journals in formal semantics, alongside Linguistics and Philosophy, the Journal of Semantics, and Semantics and Pragmatics.1

History

NLS was founded in 1993 by Irene Heim and Angelika Kratzer, who served as its first editors-in-chief. It was founded in order to provide a venue for research that integrates formal semantics with other branches of linguistics, in contrast to previously established journals that emphasized connections to logic and philosophy of language.23

In 2026, the editors and editorial board resigned en masse in order to found a new diamond open access journal Semantics of Natural Languages (SNL) which will published by Open Library of Humanities. The decision followed editorial pressure from Springer, which had threatened to merge the journal unless the editors increased revenues by publishing more papers. Springer has stated that 2026 will be the final volume of NLS, which will thereafter cease publication.456

Reception

NLS grew to be the central venue for the then-emerging study of crosslinguistic variation and typology within formal semantics.7 The journal played a crucial role in establishing formal semantics as a core area within theoretical linguistics.23 Work published in the journal has been described as displaying "the same standards of lucidity and originality that mark its [founders] own thinking and writing".3

According to the Journal Citation Reports, the journal has a 2022 impact factor of 1.1.8

Abstracting and indexing

The journal is abstracted and indexed in:

References

References

  1. Janssen, Theo; Zimmermann, Ede (2021), "Montague semantics", in Zalta, Edward N. (ed.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2021 ed.), Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, retrieved 2024-08-07, The most important journals in the field are Linguistics and Philosophy, the Journal of Semantics, Natural Language Semantics, and Semantics and Pragmatics
  2. Partee, Barbara (2011). "Formal semantics: Origins, issues, early impact". The Baltic International Yearbook of Cognition, Logic and Communication. 6. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.826.5720.
  3. Crnič, Luka; Pesetsky, David; Sauerland, Uli (2014). "Introduction" (PDF). In Crnič, Luka; Sauerland, Uli (eds.). The Art and Craft of Semantics: A Festschrift for Irene Heim. Cambridge, MA: MIT. ISBN 9781502857477. Cite error: The named reference "biographicalnotes" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  4. Orrall, Avery (2026). "Editors of semantics journal resign, launch new journal after publisher 'ultimatum'". Retraction Watch. Retrieved 2026-06-05.
  5. Deal, Amy Rose; Mayr, Clemens; Schwarz, Florian; Kratzer, Angelika; Heim, Irene (2026). "Open Letter". Semantics of Natural Languages.
  6. "Open Library of Humanities". 2026-06-02. Retrieved 2026-06-05.
  7. Cable, Seth (2021). "The "Remote Past", "Recent Past", and "Current Past" of Cross-Linguistic Formal Semantic Research" (PDF). Franklin Institute Symposium: The Past, Present and Future of Formal Semantics.
  8. "Natural Language Semantics". 2022 Journal Citation Reports (Social Sciences ed.). Clarivate. 2023 – via Web of Science.
External links