Two notions of resemblance and the semantics of ‘what it's like’

According to the resemblance account of ‘what it's like’ and similar constructions, a sentence such as ‘there is something like have toothache’ means having toothache resembles’. This has proved controversial in literature; some writers endorse it, many reject it. We show that this conflict illusory. Drawing on semantics intensional transitive verbs, we there are two versions account, depending whether ‘resembles’ construed notionally or relationally. While well-known criticisms undermine its relational version, they do not touch notional version. On contrary, version equivalent various accounts usually interpreted rivals resemblance. end by noting resolution controversy (a) explains why ‘like’, which comparative, appears construction concerns properties events (b) removes any pressure suppose ‘like’ ambiguous between comparative non-comparative sense.