Practical Grammar 8: Difference between revisions

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== The Difference between Defining Equations and Constraining Equations ==
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There are several types of equations that can be used in annotations. So far, we have encountered the following two:
== Complement Clauses ==
 
(1) ↑=↓1; <br>
(2) (↑ OBJ) =↓2;
 
These equations are both defining equations.
 
'''Defining equations''' add their information to an f-structure.
 
There is a second kind of equation, which we have not seen yet, but which you will need for the following exercise. These are called constraininig equations.
 
'''Constraininig equations''' test whether their information is contained in an f-structure. They do NOT add the information themselves.


Illustration:
Next, we come to the exciting topic of complement (= subordinate) clauses. Here are two examples:


Case 1:
(1) Fred thought that Lilly disappeared<br>
(2) Fred asked whether Lilly disappeared


Imagine you have the following defining equation:
There is nothing really special about these structures. As with prepositional phrases, we need


(↑ TENSE) = pres;
# lexical items for the new verbs
# lexical items for the two complementizers ''that'' and ''whether''
# two new phrase structure rules.


* it turns the f-structure [] into the f-structure [TENSE pres], i.e. it adds its information to the f-structure.
We make the following assumptions:
* it turns the f-structure [TENSE pres] into the f-structure [TENSE pres], i.e. it adds its information to the f-structure. If the information was already there, the f-structure remains the same.


Case 2:
# ''that'' and ''whether'' belong to the part of speech C (= complementizer).
# A complementizer combines with a following S to form another S.
# The C and the lower S are co-heads of the upper S.
# You need to add a new VP rule which allows a VP to consist of a V and an S. The S bears the GF '''COMP'''.
# Complementizers have no PRED value.


Now, imagine you have the following constraining equation:
<span style="color: blue>Exercise 9 </span>


(↑ TENSE) =<sub>c</sub> pres;
1. Open Grammar Grammar 8<br>
2. Implement the analysis for sentences (1)-(2) as described above.<br>
3. Parse. Your output should look exactly like the output decribed in the document Exercise-9-expected-output.pdf on Olat.


* it marks the f-structure [] as ill-formed, since it does not contain the information TENSE pres, i.e. the constraining equations is a test on an f-structure.
Note that the complementizers in (1) and (2) cannot be exchanged:
* it marks the f-structure [] as well-formed, but does not change it.


When to use a constraining equation:
(3) *Fred asked that Lilly disappeared<br>
(4) *Fred thought whether Lilly disappeared


'''Constraining equations''' are used when one item needs to make sure that an f-structure contains a particular piece of information that must be contributed by some other item.
The reason is that there is an incompatibility of clause type information in (3) and (4): the verb ''thought'' requires a declarative clause as its COMP, but
the word ''whether'' can only head interrogative clauses. In (4), we find the opposite incompatibility.


<span style="color: blue>Exercise 10 </span>


1. Add the feature CLAUSE_TYPE to the lexical entries that need it so that (3)-(4) are not accepted by the grammar for the reasons stated above, but (1)-(2) stay grammatical.<br>
2. Parse. Your output should look exactly like the output decribed in the document Exercise-9-expected-output.docx on Olat.






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== Complement Clauses ==

Latest revision as of 05:28, 16 June 2026

Complement Clauses

Next, we come to the exciting topic of complement (= subordinate) clauses. Here are two examples:

(1) Fred thought that Lilly disappeared
(2) Fred asked whether Lilly disappeared

There is nothing really special about these structures. As with prepositional phrases, we need

  1. lexical items for the new verbs
  2. lexical items for the two complementizers that and whether
  3. two new phrase structure rules.

We make the following assumptions:

  1. that and whether belong to the part of speech C (= complementizer).
  2. A complementizer combines with a following S to form another S.
  3. The C and the lower S are co-heads of the upper S.
  4. You need to add a new VP rule which allows a VP to consist of a V and an S. The S bears the GF COMP.
  5. Complementizers have no PRED value.

Exercise 9

1. Open Grammar Grammar 8
2. Implement the analysis for sentences (1)-(2) as described above.
3. Parse. Your output should look exactly like the output decribed in the document Exercise-9-expected-output.pdf on Olat.

Note that the complementizers in (1) and (2) cannot be exchanged:

(3) *Fred asked that Lilly disappeared
(4) *Fred thought whether Lilly disappeared

The reason is that there is an incompatibility of clause type information in (3) and (4): the verb thought requires a declarative clause as its COMP, but the word whether can only head interrogative clauses. In (4), we find the opposite incompatibility.

Exercise 10

1. Add the feature CLAUSE_TYPE to the lexical entries that need it so that (3)-(4) are not accepted by the grammar for the reasons stated above, but (1)-(2) stay grammatical.
2. Parse. Your output should look exactly like the output decribed in the document Exercise-9-expected-output.docx on Olat.





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