sleep. Linguists account for unusual nature of this sentence by distinguishing two types of selection: semantic selection (s-selection) and categorical selection (c-selection). Relative to s-selection, the sentence is semantically anomalous – senseless – for three reasons: The s-selection of the adjective colorless is violated because it can only describe objects that lack color. The s-selection of the adverb furiously is violated because it can only describe activity that is compatible with angry action, and such meanings are generally incompatible with the activity of sleeping. The s-selection of the verb sleep is violated because it can occur only with subjects that can engage in sleep. However, relative to c-selection, the sentence is structurally well-formed: The c-selection of the adverb furiously is satisfied, as it combines with the verb sleep, satisfying the requirement that an adverb modifies a verb. The c-selection of the adjectives colorless and green are satisfied as they combine with noun idea, satisfying the requirement that an adjective modifies a noun. The c-selection of the intransitive verb sleep is satisfied as it combines with the subject colorless green ideas, satisfying the requirement that an intransitive verb combines with a subject. This leads to the conclusion that although meaningless, the structural integrity of this sentence is high. Attempts at meaningful interpretations Polysemy The mechanism of polysemy – where a word has multiple meanings – can be used to create an interpretation for an otherwise non-sensical sentence. For example, the adjectives green and colorless both have figurative meanings. Green has a wide range of figurative meanings, including "immature", "pertaining to environmental consciousness", "newly formed", and "naive". And colorless can be interpreted as "nondescript". Likewise the verb sleep can have the figurative meaning of "being in dormant state", and the adverb furiously can have the figurative meaning "to do an action violently or quickly". figurative meaning of colorless: nondescript figurative meanings of green: (i) immature; (ii) pertaining to environmental consciousness; (iii) newly formed; (iv) naive figurative meaning of sleep: be in a dormant mental state figurative meaning of furiously: to do an action quickly, vigorously, intensely, energetically or violently When these figurative meanings are taken into account the sentence Colorless green ideas sleep furiously can have legitimate meaning, with less oblique semantics, and so is compatible with the following interpretations: Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.= "Nondescript immature ideas have violent nightmares." Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.= "Naive ideas which have not yet