Tagset

The set of features in a UNL-driven dictionary depends on the structure of the natural language and may vary a lot. However, in order to better standardize lexical resources inside the UNL framework, the UNDL Foundation recommends the adoption of the following tags for some specific and pervasive grammatical phenomena. Several of those linguistic constants have been already proposed to the Data Category Registry (ISO 12620), and represent widely accepted linguistic concepts. Our main intention here is just to provide a harmonized system to be shared by the UNL community so as to make dictionaries as easily understandable as possible.

General Guidelines

In order to define the tags to be used in the UNL Tagset, the following premises were adopted:

• Tags should be as few as possible
• Tags should be as short as possible
• Tags should be as mnemonic as possible

These assumptions led us to the following general guidelines:

• Tags should be made of a three-character upper-case string (except for negative values, which should be preceded by "N", such as NPFC = non-perfect);
• Tags should be labelled out of English words;
• Tags should be provided in a attribute-value structure, along with definitions and examples.

The resulting set of tags, which is still subject to additions and revisions, is presented below. For the time being, the definitions and examples have been extracted out of the Glossary of Linguistic Terms (Loos et alii), available at SIL International, and are expected to migrate to an online environment, still under construction, where accredited linguists will have the opportunity of improving this repertoire.

List of tags (in alphabetical order)

Tag	Name	Definition	Example
1PP	First person plural	Deictic reference that refers to both the speaker and referents grouped with the speaker.	we
1PS	First person singular	Deictic reference that refers to the speaker.	I
2PP	Second person plural	Deictic reference to more than one referent identified as addressee.	you
2PS	Second person singular	Deictic reference to a single referent identified as addressee.	you
3PP	Third person plural	Deictic reference to more than one referent not identified as the speaker or addressee.	they
3PS	Third person singular	Deictic reference to a single referent not identified as the speaker or addressee.	he
AA	Adjunct to an adverb	An optional constituent of an adverbial phrase.
AB	Adverbial Phrase (Intermediate Projection)
ABB	Abbreviation		Dr.
ABE	Abessive	A case that expresses the lack or absence of the referent of the noun it marks
ABL	Ablative	A case that indicates movement from something, and/or cause
ABS	Abstract	A noun that denotes something viewed as a nonmaterial referent
AC	Complement of an adverb	A phrasal or clausal category which is selected (subcategorized) by the head of a phrase.
ACAS	Assigns Case	Used to indicate case agreement
ACC	Accusative	A case that indicates the direct object of a verb	him (in I saw him)
ACR	Acronym		UNL
ACT	Acts or actions	Nouns denoting acts or actions
ACV	Active voice	When the subject is the agent or actor of the verb.
ADJ	Adjective	Modifiers of nouns.	beautiful
ADV	Adverb	Modifiers of verbs and other constituent classes.	beautifully
AGEN	Assigns Gender	Used to indicate gender agreement
ALL	Allative	A case that expresses motion to or toward the referent of the noun it marks.
ANL	Animal	Nouns denoting animals
ANM	Animate	Indicates an animate reference	he, she
ANUM	Assigns Number	Used to indicate number agreement
AP	Adverbial Phrase (Maximal Projection)
APER	Assigns Person	Used to indicate person agreement
ARF	Artifact	Nouns denoting man-made objects
ART	Article	Determiner that identifies a noun's definite or indefinite reference, and new or given status.	the
AS	Specifier of an adverb
ASL	Absolutive	Case of nouns in ergative-absolutive languages that would generally be the subjects of intransitive verbs or the objects of transitive verbs in the translational equivalents of nominative-accusative languages such as English.
ATST	Ambitransitive	A verb that can be used both as intransitive or as transitive without requiring a morphological change	read
ATT	Attribute	Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
AUX	Auxiliary verb	A verb which accompanies the lexical verb of a verb phrase, and expresses grammatical distinctions not carried by the lexical verb.	will
BEN	Benefactive	A case that expresses that the referent of the noun it marks receives the benefit of the situation expressed by the clause
BON	Body parts	Nouns denoting body parts
BOV	Body actions	Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care
CA	Adjunct to a conjunction	An optional constituent of a complementizer phrase.
CAU	Causative	A case which expresses that the referent of the noun it marks is the cause of the situation expressed by the clause.
CB	Conjunctional Phrase (Intermediate Projection)
CC	Complement of a conjunction	A phrasal or clausal category which is selected (subcategorized) by the head of a phrase.
CDN	Cardinal numeral	A numeral of the class whose members are considered basic in form, are used in counting, and in expressing how many objects are referred to.	two
CGN	Cognition nouns	Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents
CGV	Cognition verbs	Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting
CHA	Change	Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
CIR	Circumposition
CMN	Communication nouns	Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
CMP	Comparative	An adjective that compares the quality with that of another of its kind	better
CMT	Comitative	A case expressing accompaniment.
CMV	Communication verbs	Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
CON	Conditional mood	The form of the verb used in conditional sentences to refer to a hypothetical state of affairs, or an uncertain event that is contingent on another set of circumstances.
COO	Coordinating conjunction	A conjunction that links constituents without syntactically subordinating one to the other.	and
COP	Copula	An intransitive verb which links a subject to a noun phrase adjective, or other constituent which expresses the predicate.	be (to be)
CP	Conjunctional Phrase (Maximal Projection)
CPR	Reciprocal pronoun	A reciprocal pronoun is a pronoun that expresses a mutual feeling or action among the referents of a plural subject.	They hit [each other].
CPT	Competition	Verbs of fighting, athletic activities
CRE	Creation	Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing
CS	Specifier of a conjunction
CSP	Consumption	Verbs of eating and drinking
CTC	Contact	Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
CTN	Continuative		I am still eating.
CTT	Contraction		don't
DA	Adjunct of a determiner	An optional constituent of a determiner phrase.
DAT	Dative case	A case that indicates the indirect object of a verb	us (in He gave us the book)
DB	Determiner Phrase (Intermediate Projection)
DC	Complement of a determiner	A phrasal or clausal category which is selected (subcategorized) by the head of a phrase.
DEF	Definite	Specific and identifiable in a given context	the
DEL	Delative	A case which expresses motion downward from the referent of the noun it marks.
DEM	Demonstrative	A determiner that is used deictically to indicate a referent's spatial, temporal, or discourse location.	this
DP	Determiner Phrase (Maximal Projection)
DS	Specifier of a determiner
DTST	Ditransitive	A verb which takes a subject and two objects.	give
DUA	Dual	Number which refers to two members of the class identified by the noun.
ELA	Elative	A case expressing motion out of or away from the referent of the noun it marks.
EMO	Emotion	Verbs of feeling
EPR	Emphatic pronoun	An emphatic pronoun is a personal pronoun that is used to emphasize its referent.	[Moi], je suis Français.
EQU	Equative	A case that expresses likeness or identity to the referent of the noun it marks.
ERG	Ergative	The case of nouns in ergative-absolutive languages that would generally be the subjects of transitive verbs in the translation equivalents of nominative-accusative languages such as English.
ESS	Essive	A case that expresses the temporary state of the referent specified by a noun.
ET0	Past event tense	An absolute tense that refers to a time before the moment of utterance.	was (I was here)
ET1	Present event tense	Absolute tense that refers to the moment of utterance	am (I am here)
ET2	Future event tense	An absolute tense that refers to a time after the moment of utterance.	will be (I will be here)
FEE	Feelings	Nouns denoting feelings and emotions
FEM	Feminine	A grammatical gender that marks nouns that have human or animal female referents, and often marks nouns that have referents that do not carry distinctions of sex.	she
FOO	Food	Nouns denoting foods and drinks
FPR	Reflexive pronoun	A reflexive pronoun is a pronoun that has coreference with the subject.	He prides [himself] on his appearance.
FRA	Fraction numeral		two thirds
GER	Gerund		sleeping
GNT	Genitive	A case in which the referent of the marked noun is the possessor of the referent of another noun.	my
GRO	Group	Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects
HAB	Habitual	An imperfective aspect that expresses the occurrence of an event or state as characteristic of a period of time.	I used to walk.
IA	Adjunct of an inflection	An optional constituent of an inflectional phrase.
IB	Inflectional Phrase (Intermediate Projection)
IC	Complement of an inflection	A phrasal or clausal category which is selected (subcategorized) by the head of a phrase.
ICP	Inceptive		I started eating.
ILL	Illative	A case that expresses motion into or direction toward the referent of the noun it marks.
IMP	Imperative	A grammatical mood that expresses direct commands or requests. It is also used to signal a prohibition, permission or any other kind of exhortation.
IND	Indicative
INE	Inessive	A case that expresses a location within the referent of the noun it marks.
INF	Infinitive	The base form of a verb generally unmarked for inflectional categories.	be (to be)
INJ	Injunctive
INS	Instrumental	A case indicating that the referent of the noun it marks is the means of the accomplishment of the action expressed by the clause.
INX	Infix	Affix that is inserted within a root or stem.
IP	Inflectional Phrase (Maximal Projection)
IPR	Interrogative pronoun	A pro-form that is used in questions to stand for the item questioned.	who
IS	Specifier of an inflection
ITE	Iterative	Aspect that expresses the repetition of an event or state.	I ate it again and again.
ITJ	Interjection		hello
ITST	Indirect transitive	A verb which takes a subject and a single indirect object
JA	Adjunct of an adjective	An optional constituent of an adjective phrase.
JB	Adjective Phrase (Intermediate Projection)
JC	Complement of an adjective	A phrasal or clausal category which is selected (subcategorized) by the head of a phrase.
JP	Adjective Phrase (Maximal Projection)
JS	Specifier of an adjective
LAT	Lative	A case that expresses motion up to the location of, or as far as the referent of the noun it marks.
LCT	Location	Nouns denoting spatial position
LOC	Locative	A case that expresses location at the referent of the noun it marks.
MAF	Masculine and feminine	Variable gender	un après-midi = une après-midi
MCL	Masculine	Includes most words that refer to males.	he
MID	Middle voice	A voice that indicates that the subject is the actor and acts upon himself or herself reflexively, or for his or her own benefit.
MOF	Masculine or feminine	Common gender	le pianiste x la pianiste
MOT	Motion	Verbs of walking, flying, swimming
MOV	Modal verb		can
MTV	Motive	Nouns denoting goals
MTW	Multiword expression	Any string comprising more than a word	United States of America
MUL	Multiplicative numeral	A numeral that expresses how many fold or how many times.
NA	Adjunct of a noun	An optional constituent of a noun phrase.
NABS	Non-abstract (concrete)
NANM	Inanimate	Indicates an inanimate reference	it
NB	Nominal Phrase (Intermediate Projection)
NC	Complement of a noun	A phrasal or clausal category which is selected (subcategorized) by the head of a phrase.
NEU	Neuter	Includes mostly words that do not refer to males or females.	it
NEV	Natural events	Nouns denoting natural events
NOB	Natural objects	Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)
NOM	Nominative	Indicates the subject of a finite verb.	I (in I saw him)
NOU	Noun		beauty
NP	Nominal Phrase (Maximal Projection)
NPFC	Imperfective	An event in the process of unfolding (often a repeated or habitual event)	I was swimming.
NPR	Indefinite pronoun	An indefinite pronoun is a pronoun that belongs to a class whose members indicate indefinite reference.	anybody, one, somebody
NS	Specifier of a noun
NTST	Intransitive	A verb that does not take an object	fall
ONB	Ordinal numeral	A numeral belonging to a class whose members designate positions in a sequence.	second
OPT	Optative	A grammatical mood that indicates a wish or hope.
PA	Adjunct of a preposition	An optional constituent of a prepositional phrase.
PAR	Partitive	A case that expresses the partial nature of the referent of the noun it marks, as opposed to expressing the whole unit or class of which the referent is a part.
PAU	Paucal
PAV	Passive voice	When the subject is the patient, target or undergoer of the action.
PB	Prepositional Phrase (Intermediate Projection)
PC	Complement of a preposition	A phrasal or clausal category which is selected (subcategorized) by the head of a phrase.
PCP	Perception	Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling
PFC	Perfective	A single event conceived as a unit	I swam.
PFX	Prefix	Affix that is joined before a root or stem.	un
PGS	Progressive	Continuous aspect that expresses processes, not states.	I am eating.
PHE	Natural phenomena	Nouns denoting natural phenomena
PLA	Plant	Nouns denoting plants
PLR	Plural	Number that expresses reference to a quantity greater than that expressed by the largest specific number category in a language, such as "more than one" in English, and "more than two" in some other languages.	they
PLT	Prolative	A case that expresses motion along or by the referent of the noun it marks.
PON	Possession	Nouns denoting possession and transfer of possession
POV	Possession	Verbs of buying, selling, owning
PP	Prepositional Phrase (Maximal Projection)
PPL	Prepositional
PPN	Proper noun	Noun that is the name of a specific individual, place, or object.	Geneva
PPR	Personal pronoun	A personal pronoun is a pronoun that expresses a distinction of person deixis.	I, he, she, it, we
PPS	Postposition	Adposition that occurs after its complement.
PPT	Prospective		I am about to eat.
PRE	Preposition	Adposition that occurs before its complement.	against
PRO	Natural processes	Nouns denoting natural processes
PRS	Person	Nouns denoting people
PS	Specififer in Prepositional Phrase
PST	Positive
PTC	Particle	A word that does not belong to one of the main classes of words is invariable in form, and typically has grammatical or pragmatic meaning.	to
PTP	Participle	A lexical item, derived from a verb, that has some of the characteristics and functions of both verbs and adjectives.	done
QDR	Quadrual
QTT	Quantity	Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure
QUA	Quantifier	A determiner that expresses a referent's definite or indefinite number or amount.	every
RCAS	Receives Case	Used in case agreement.
REL	Relation	Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas
RGEN	Receives Gender	Used in gender agreement.
RNUM	Receives Number	Used in number agreement.
RPER	Receives Person	Used in person agreement.
RPR	Relative pronoun	A relative pronoun is a pronoun that marks a relative clause, functions grammatically within the relative clause, and is coreferential to the word modified by the relative clause.	The man [who] comes next
RT0	Past reference tense		had been (I had been here)
RT1	Present reference tense
RT2	Future reference tense	A relative tense tense that refers to a temporal reference point located in the future.	would had been (I would had been there)
SBS	Substance	Nouns denoting substances
SBW	Subword (bound morpheme)	Any string smaller than a word (a root, a stem, etc)	bab (baby)
SCJ	Subordinanting conjunction	A conjunction that links constructions by making one of them a constituent of another.	if
SFX	Suffix	Affix that is attached to the end of a root or stem.	s
SHA	Shape	Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes
SNG	Singular	Number that refers to one member of a designated class.	he
SOC	Social	Verbs of political and social activities and events
SP	Sentence Phrase (Maximal Projection)
SPE	Superessive	A case that expresses location on the referent of the noun it marks.
SPR	Posessive pronoun	A possessive pronoun is a pronoun that expresses ownership and relationships like ownership, such as kinship, and other forms of association.	my, mine
STA	State	Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
STT	Stative	Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
SUB	Subjunctive	A verb mood typically used in dependent clauses to express wishes, commands, emotion, possibility, judgment, opinion, necessity, or statements that are contrary to fact at present
SUP	Superlative	An adjective that compares the quality with many or all others of its kind	best
TER	Terminative		I finished eating.
TIM	Time	Nouns denoting time and temporal relations
TLT	Translative	A case indicating that the referent of the noun, or the quality of the adjective, that it marks is the result of a process of change.
TRI	Trial	A number that refers to three members of the designated class.
TST	Direct transitive	A verb which takes a subject and a single direct object	kiss
TTST	Tritransitive	A verb which takes a subject and three objects.	trade
VA	Adjunct of a verb	An optional constituent of a verbal phrase.
VAL0	Avalent	An avalent verb takes no arguments	rain
VAL1	Monovalent	A monovalent verb takes one argument	sleep
VAL2	Divalent	A verb which takes two arguments	eat
VAL3	Trivalent	A trivalent verb takes three arguments	give
VAL4	Tetravalent	A trivalent verb takes four arguments
VB	Verbal Phrase (Intermediate Projection)
VC	Complement of a verb	A phrasal or clausal category which is selected (subcategorized) by the head of a phrase.
VER	Verb		buy
VOC	Vocative	A case that marks a noun whose referent is being addressed.
VP	Verbal phrase
VS	Specifier of a verb
WEA	Weather	Verbs of raining, snowing, thawing, thundering
WRD	Regular word