semantic primes. It is important to note that some of the exponents in the following list are polysemous and can be associated with meanings in English (and other languages) that are not shared. However, when used as an exponent in the Natural semantic metalanguage, it is only the prime concept which is identified as universal. The following is a list of English exponents of semantic primes adapted from Levisen and Waters (eds.) 2017. NSM syntax NSM primes can be combined in a limited set of syntactic frames that are also universal. These valency options specify the specific types of grammatical functions that can be combined with the primes. While these combinations can be realized differently in other languages, it is believed that the meanings expressed by these syntactic combinations are universal. Example of valency frames for SAY (from Semantic Analysis) someone said something→[minimal frame] someone said: '––'→[direct speech] someone said something to someone→[plus 'addressee'] someone said something about something/someone→[plus 'locutionary topic'] Explications A semantic analysis in the NSM approach results in a reductive paraphrase called an explication that captures the meaning of the concept explicated. An ideal explication can be substituted for the original expression in context without change of meaning. For example: Someone X killed someone Y: someone X did something to someone else Y because of this, something happened to Y at the same time because of this, something happened to Y's body because of this, after this Y was not living anymore (archived at) Semantic molecules Semantic molecules are intermediary words used in explications and cultural scripts. While not semantic primes, they can be defined exclusively using primes. Semantic molecules can be determined as words that are necessary to build upon to explicate other words. These molecules are marked by the notation [m] in explications and cultural scripts. Some molecules are proposed to be universal or near-universal, while others are culture- or area-specific. Examples of proposed universal molecules: Applications Minimal English Minimal English is a derivative of the natural semantic metalanguage research, with the first major publication in 2018. It is a reduced form of English designed for non-specialists to use when requiring clarity of expression or easily translatable materials. Minimal English uses an expanded set of vocabulary to the semantic primes. It includes the proposed universal and near-universal molecules, as well as non-universal words which can assist in clarity. As such, it already has counterparts targeted