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:
 
Case 1:
 
Imagine you have the following defining equation:
 
(↑ TENSE) = pres;


* it turns the f-structure [] into the f-structure [TENSE pres], i.e. it adds its information to the f-structure.
Next, we come to the exciting topic of complement (= subordinate) clauses. Here are two examples:
* 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:
(1) Fred thought that Lilly disappeared<br>
(2) Fred asked whether Lilly disappeared


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


(↑ TENSE) =<sub>c</sub> pres
# lexical items for the new verbs
# lexical items for the two complementizers ''that'' and ''whether''
# two new phrase structure rules.


* 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.
We make the following assumptions:
* it marks the f-structure [] as well-formed, but does not change it.


When to use a constraining equation:
# ''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.


'''Constraining equations''' are used when one item depends on some other item's adding a particular piece of information to an  f-structure.
<span style="color: blue>Exercise 9 </span>


=== The Syntax of Constraining equations in xlfg ===
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.


Since xlfg does not use subscripts, it uses "==" as constraining equations.
Note that the complementizers in (1) and (2) cannot be exchanged:
 
Illustration:
 
'''<span style="color: red>(↑ TENSE) =<sub>c</sub> pres</span>''' becomes '''<span style="color: blue>(↑ TENSE) == pres;</span>''' in xlfg.
 
== Complement Clauses ==


Exercise (based on section 5.1)
(3) *Fred asked that Lilly disappeared<br>
(4) *Fred thought whether Lilly disappeared


* Write a grammar including the words in the following sentences:
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.


(1) Oscar thinks Sarah likes musicals<br>
<span style="color: blue>Exercise 10 </span>
(2) Oscar thinks that Sarah likes musicals


* Make any further changes that are necessary to obtain exactly the f-structure (10) on p. 101 for (1)-(2).
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>
* Extend your grammar to predict the following facts.
2. Parse. Your output should look exactly like the output decribed in the document Exercise-9-expected-output.docx on Olat.


(3) Oscar enquires whether Sarah likes musicals<br>
(4) *Oscar enquires Sarah likes musicals<br>
(5) *Oscar enquires that Sarah likes musicals


For sentence (3), you should obtain an f-structure which is identical to that of sentence (1), with the exception that the CLTYPE of (3) should be INTER.


Now make sure that your grammar does not license the following example:
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  [[Practical_Grammar |'''Main page''']]  [[Practical_Grammar_2|'''Week 2''']]  [[Practical_Grammar_3|'''Week 3''']]  [[Practical_Grammar_4|'''Week 4''']]  [[Practical_Grammar_5|'''Week 5''']]  [[Practical_Grammar_6|'''Week 6''']]  [[Practical_Grammar_7|'''Week 7''']]  [[Practical_Grammar_8|'''Week 8''']]  '''Week 9'''     
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(6) *Oscar thinks whether Sarah likes musicals
<!--  [[Practical_Grammar_10|'''Week 10''']]  [[Practical_Grammar_11|'''Week 11''']] [[Practical_Grammar_12|'''Term Paper Project''']] -->

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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