Inferring heuristic classification hierarchies from natural language input

A methodology for inferring hierarchies representing heuristic knowledge about the check out, control, and monitoring sub-system (CCMS) of the space shuttle launch processing system from natural language input is explained. Our method identifies failures explicitly and implicitly described in natural language by domain experts and uses those descriptions to recommend classifications for inclusion in the experts' heuristic hierarchies

Case and event structure

I argue in this paper for a novel analysis of case in Icelandic, with implications for case theory in general. I argue that structural case is the manifestation on the noun phrase of features which are semantically interpretable only on verbal projections; thus, Icelandic case does not encode features of noun phrase interpretation, but it is not uninterpretable either; case is properly seen as reflecting (interpretable) tense and aspect features. Accusative case in Icelandic is available when the two subevents introduced in a transitive verb phrase are identified with each other, and dative case is available when the two parts are distinct (thus Icelandic case manifests aktionsart or inner aspect, in partial contrast to Finnish). This analysis bears directly on the theory of feature checking in the Minimalist Program; specifically, it paves the way for a restrictive theory of feature checking in which no features are strictly uninterpretable: all formal features come in interpretable-uninterpretable pairs, and feature checking is the matching of such pairs, driven by legibility conditions at Spell-Out

The Unbearable Lightness of Being a Copula in Latin: on a Textual Problem in Cicero's Oration in Defence of Publius Sestius

A textual problem from Cicero's oration In defence of Publius Sestius is discussed in order to determine syntactic and semantic consequences of editorial choices. The discussion involves semantic and syntactic properties of Latin past participles within a minimalist setting. A detailed investigation of the passage indicates that a textual variant not accepted by most editors is to be preferred

Modelling, Detection And Exploitation Of Lexical Functions For Analysis.

Lexical functions (LF) model relations between terms in the lexicon. These relations can be knowledge about the world (Napoleon was an emperor) or knowledge about the language (‘destiny’ is synonym of ‘fate’)

Grammatical Encoding for Speech Production

This Elements series presents theoretical and empirical studies in the interdisciplinary field of psycholinguistics. Topics include issues in the mental representation and processing of language in production and comprehension, and the relationship of psycholinguistics to other fields of research. Each Element is a high quality and up-to-date scholarly work in a compact, accessible format.Publisher PD

The syntax, semantics and derivation of bare nominalisations in English

Autorka opisuje semantyczno-składniowe właściwości odczasownikowych rzeczowników, powstałych w języku angielskim w wyniku derywacji bezafiksalnej, zwanej również konwersją lub derywacją z formantem zerowym, np. to jump -* a jump. Proponuje reguły semantyczne ograniczające możliwości tworzenia tzw. predykatów złożonych (tj. predykatów składających się z semantycznie „niepełnego” czasownika oraz nazwy czynności, np. give a jump, take a look lub have a try). W pracy omówiono zjawisko dziedziczenia przez nominalizacje bezafiksalne ról tematycznych przypisanych podstawom czasownikowym. Porównano zakres możliwych sensów nominalizacji aliksalnych oraz • nominalizacji bezafiksalnych w języku angielskim. Autorka przedstawiła propozycję reguły słowotwórczej — sformułowanej w modelu leksykalistycznym gramatyki generatywnej — opisującej tworzenie bezafiksalnych odczasownikowych nazw czynności w języku angielskim. Zasugerowała istnienie semantycznych reguł poszerzania, które derywują konkretne znaczenia nazw czynności

Semantic indeterminacy in object relative clauses

This article examined whether semantic indeterminacy plays a role in comprehension of complex structures such as object relative clauses. Study 1 used a gated sentence completion task to assess which alternative interpretations are dominant as the relative clause unfolds; Study 2 compared reading times in object relative clauses containing different animacy configurations to unambiguous passive controls; and Study 3 related completion data and reading data. The results showed that comprehension difficulty was modulated by animacy configuration and voice (active vs. passive). These differences were well correlated with the availability of alternative interpretations as the relative clause unfolds, as revealed by the completion data. In contrast to approaches arguing that comprehension difficulty stems from syntactic complexity, these results suggest that semantic indeterminacy is a major source of comprehension difficulty in object relative clauses. Results are consistent with constraint-based approaches to ambiguity resolution and bring new insights into previously identified sources of difficulty. (C) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved