mirror of
https://github.com/GrammaticalFramework/gf-core.git
synced 2026-04-10 13:29:32 -06:00
157 lines
4.6 KiB
HTML
157 lines
4.6 KiB
HTML
<html>
|
|
<body>
|
|
<i> Produced by
|
|
gfdoc - a rudimentary GF document generator.
|
|
(c) Aarne Ranta (aarne@cs.chalmers.se) 2002 under GNU GPL.
|
|
</i>
|
|
<p>
|
|
<h1> Noun: Nouns, noun phrases, and determiners</h1>
|
|
|
|
<pre>
|
|
abstract Noun = Cat ** {
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<h2> Noun phrases</h2>
|
|
The three main types of noun phrases are
|
|
- common nouns with determiners
|
|
- proper names
|
|
- pronouns
|
|
<p>
|
|
<p>
|
|
<pre>
|
|
fun
|
|
DetCN : Det -> CN -> NP ; -- the man
|
|
UsePN : PN -> NP ; -- John
|
|
UsePron : Pron -> NP ; -- he
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
Pronouns are defined in the module [``Structural`` Structural.html].
|
|
A noun phrase already formed can be modified by a <tt>Predet</tt>erminer.
|
|
<pre>
|
|
PredetNP : Predet -> NP -> NP; -- only the man
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
A noun phrase can also be postmodified by the past participle of a
|
|
verb, by an adverb, or by a relative clause
|
|
<pre>
|
|
PPartNP : NP -> V2 -> NP ; -- the man seen
|
|
AdvNP : NP -> Adv -> NP ; -- Paris today
|
|
RelNP : NP -> RS -> NP ; -- Paris, which is here
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
Determiners can form noun phrases directly.
|
|
<pre>
|
|
DetNP : Det -> NP ; -- these five
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<h2> Determiners</h2>
|
|
The determiner has a fine-grained structure, in which a 'nucleus'
|
|
quantifier and an optional numeral can be discerned.
|
|
<pre>
|
|
DetQuant : Quant -> Num -> Det ; -- these five
|
|
DetQuantOrd : Quant -> Num -> Ord -> Det ; -- these five best
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
Whether the resulting determiner is singular or plural depends on the
|
|
cardinal.
|
|
All parts of the determiner can be empty, except <tt>Quant</tt>, which is
|
|
the <i>kernel</i> of a determiner. It is, however, the <tt>Num</tt> that determines
|
|
the inherent number.
|
|
<pre>
|
|
NumSg : Num ;
|
|
NumPl : Num ;
|
|
NumCard : Card -> Num ;
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<tt>Card</tt> consists of either digits or numeral words.
|
|
<pre>
|
|
data
|
|
NumDigits : Digits -> Card ; -- 51
|
|
NumNumeral : Numeral -> Card ; -- fifty-one
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
The construction of numerals is defined in [Numeral Numeral.html].
|
|
A <tt>Card</tt> can be modified by certain adverbs.
|
|
<pre>
|
|
fun
|
|
AdNum : AdN -> Card -> Card ; -- almost 51
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
An <tt>Ord</tt> consists of either digits or numeral words.
|
|
Also superlative forms of adjectives behave syntactically like ordinals.
|
|
<pre>
|
|
OrdDigits : Digits -> Ord ; -- 51st
|
|
OrdNumeral : Numeral -> Ord ; -- fifty-first
|
|
OrdSuperl : A -> Ord ; -- warmest
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
Definite and indefinite noun phrases are sometimes realized as
|
|
neatly distinct words (Spanish <i>un, unos ; el, los</i>) but also without
|
|
any particular word (Finnish; Swedish definites).
|
|
<pre>
|
|
IndefArt : Quant ;
|
|
DefArt : Quant ;
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
Nouns can be used without an article as mass nouns. The resource does
|
|
not distinguish mass nouns from other common nouns, which can result
|
|
in semantically odd expressions.
|
|
<pre>
|
|
MassNP : CN -> NP ; -- (beer)
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
Pronouns have possessive forms. Genitives of other kinds
|
|
of noun phrases are not given here, since they are not possible
|
|
in e.g. Romance languages. They can be found in <tt>Extra</tt> modules.
|
|
<pre>
|
|
PossPron : Pron -> Quant ; -- my (house)
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
Other determiners are defined in [Structural Structural.html].
|
|
<h2> Common nouns</h2>
|
|
Simple nouns can be used as nouns outright.
|
|
<pre>
|
|
UseN : N -> CN ; -- house
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
Relational nouns take one or two arguments.
|
|
<pre>
|
|
ComplN2 : N2 -> NP -> CN ; -- mother of the king
|
|
ComplN3 : N3 -> NP -> N2 ; -- distance from this city (to Paris)
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
Relational nouns can also be used without their arguments.
|
|
The semantics is typically derivative of the relational meaning.
|
|
<pre>
|
|
UseN2 : N2 -> CN ; -- mother
|
|
Use2N3 : N3 -> N2 ; -- distance (from this city)
|
|
Use3N3 : N3 -> N2 ; -- distance (to Paris)
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
Nouns can be modified by adjectives, relative clauses, and adverbs
|
|
(the last rule will give rise to many 'PP attachment' ambiguities
|
|
when used in connection with verb phrases).
|
|
<pre>
|
|
AdjCN : AP -> CN -> CN ; -- big house
|
|
RelCN : CN -> RS -> CN ; -- house that John bought
|
|
AdvCN : CN -> Adv -> CN ; -- house on the hill
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
Nouns can also be modified by embedded sentences and questions.
|
|
For some nouns this makes little sense, but we leave this for applications
|
|
to decide. Sentential complements are defined in [Verb Verb.html].
|
|
<pre>
|
|
SentCN : CN -> SC -> CN ; -- question where she sleeps
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
<h2> Apposition</h2>
|
|
This is certainly overgenerating.
|
|
<pre>
|
|
ApposCN : CN -> NP -> CN ; -- city Paris (, numbers x and y)
|
|
|
|
}
|
|
</pre>
|
|
|
|
</body>
|
|
</html>
|