Subcategorization frame

Revision as of 11:49, 26 August 2009

In the UNL framework, Subcategorization Frames are the number and types of syntactic arguments that co-occurs with the lemma in a sentence.

When to use subcategorization frames

Subcategorization frames are mandatory for words that take one or more syntactic argument, including:

• monovalent verbs ('sleep', 'rain')
• monovalent adverbs ('well', 'very')
• monovalent nouns ('arrival', 'construction')
• divalent verbs ('kill', 'kiss', 'depend')
• divalent adjectives ('loyal', 'interested')
• divalent prepositions and adverbs ('after', 'in', 'near', 'instead')
• trivalent verbs ('give', 'turn')
• trivalent prepositions ('between')
• etc.

When not to use subcategorization frames

Subcategorization frames may not be used in case of words that take zero argument:

• avalent nouns ('table', 'computer')
• avalent adverbs ('here', 'now')

Arguments and adjuncts

In the UNL framework, the subcategorization frame should be as small as possible, and should include only core arguments, in opposition to adjuncts.

Syntax of generation rules

Subcategorization frames should be presented as a list of syntactic roles separated by semicolons. Each syntactic role must have the following format:

<SYNTACTIC ROLE> ":=" "(" <SYNTACTIC FEATURES> ")" ";"

where

<SYNTACTIC ROLE> = one of the three pre-defined syntactic roles (see below)

<SYNTACTIC FEATURES> = the list of features required by the lemma

“ “ = constant

Syntactic Roles

There are only three different types of syntactic roles:

Syntactic Features

The syntactic features must be presented in the following format:

<SYNTACTIC CATEGORY> ["," <SYNTACTIC CASE MARKING>] ["," <SYNTACTIC AGREEMENT> ]* ["," <SYNTACTIC GOVERNMENT> ]

Where <SYNTACTIC CATEGORY> indicates the syntactic category of the arguments (c-selection). It is mandatory and can assume of the following values:

• • NP = Noun phrase
  • VP = Verbal phrase
  • JP = Adjective phrase
  • AP = Adverbial phrase
  • PP = Prepositional phrase
  • SP = Sentence

<SYNTACTIC CASE MARKING> indicates the syntactic case marking. It is mandatory for arguments and optional to adjuncts. It can assume the following values:

• • NOM = Nominative
  • ACC = Accusative
  • DAT = Dative
  • ABL = Ablative
  • INS = Instrumental
  • LOC = Locative

<SYNTACTIC AGREEMENT> indicates the agreement. It is mandatory if there is any agreement between the word and its arguments.

• • >NUM = Assigns number
  • <NUM = Receives number
  • >GEN = Assigns gender
  • <GEN = Receives gender
  • >PER = Assigns person
  • <PER = Receives person

<GOVERNMENT> indicates the adposition (preposition or postposition) required by the word, if any.

• • << = preposition
  • >> = postposition

Other symbols

[Square brackets] may be used to indicate optional elements: a[b]c = ac, abc

{braces} may be used to indicate alternative elements: a{b,c}d = abd, acd

Examples

Verbs

• INTRANSITIVE ("sleep")
  • SPEC:=(NP,NOM,>NUM,>PER);
    • The subject (SPEC) is a noun phrase (NP) that receives the nominative case (NOM) and that assigns the number (>NUM) and the person (>PER) agreement to the head
• COPULA ("be")
  • SPEC:=(NP,NOM,>NUM,>PER); COMP:=({NP,JP}, NOM);
    • The subject (SPEC) is a noun phrase (NP) that receives the nominative case (NOM) and that assigns the number (>NUM) and the person (>PER) agreement to the head, and the complement is either a noun phrase (NP) or an adjective phrase (JP), that receives the nominative case (NOM) as well.
• DIRECT TRANSITIVE ("kill")
  • SPEC:=(NP,NOM,>NUM,>PER); COMP:=(NP,ACC);
    • The subject (SPEC) is a noun phrase (NP) that receives the nominative case (NOM) and that assigns the number (>NUM) and the person (>PER) agreement to the head, and the complement is a noun phrase (NP) that receives the accusative case (NOM).
• INDIRECT TRANSITIVE ("depend")
  • SPEC:=(NP,NOM,>NUM,>PER); COMP:=(PP,ACC,<"on");
    • The subject (SPEC) is a noun phrase (NP) that receives the nominative case (NOM) and that assigns the number (>NUM) and the person (>PER) agreement to the head, and the complement is a prepositional phrase, that receives the accusative case (ACC) and that is preceded by "on".
• DITRANSITIVE ("give")
  • SPEC:=(NP,NOM,>NUM,>PER); COMP:=(NP,ACC); COMP:=(PP,DAT,<"to");
    • The subject (SPEC) is a noun phrase (NP) that receives the nominative case (NOM) and that assigns the number (>NUM) and the person (>PER) agreement to the head, and there are two complements: a noun phrase (NP), that receives the accusative case (ACC), and a prepositional phrase, that receives the dative case (DAT) and is preceded by "to".

Adjectives

• LOYAL (TO)
  • SPEC:=(NP); COMP:=(PP,<"to");
    • The external argument is a noun phrase (NP) and the complement is a prepositional phrase (PP) that is preceded by "to".
• INTERESTED (IN)
  • SPEC:=(NP); COMP:=(PP,<"in");
    • The external argument is a noun phrase (NP) and the complement is a prepositional phrase (PP) that is preceded by "in".

Prepositions

• NEAR(TO)
  • SPEC:=({NP,VP}); COMP:=(PP,<"to");
    • The external argument is either a noun phrase (NP) or a verbal phrase (VP) and the complement is a prepositional phrase (PP) that is preceded by "in".
• IN
  • SPEC:=({NP,VP}); COMP:=(NP);
    • The external argument is either a noun phrase (NP) or a verbal phrase (VP) and the complement is a noun phrase (NP).