# French Lexical Paradigms

Last update: 2006-06-22 21:02:44 CEST

- Parameters
- Nouns
  - Compound nouns
  - Relational nouns
  - Relational common noun phrases
  - Proper names and noun phrases
- Adjectives
  - Two-place adjectives
  - Comparison adjectives
- Adverbs
- Verbs
  - Two-place verbs
  - Three-place verbs
  - Other complement patterns

Produced by gfdoc - a rudimentary GF document generator. (c) Aarne Ranta (aarne@cs.chalmers.se) 2002 under GNU GPL.

Aarne Ranta 2001 - 2006

This is an API for the user of the resource grammar for adding lexical items. It gives functions for forming expressions of open categories: nouns, adjectives, verbs.

Closed categories (determiners, pronouns, conjunctions) are accessed through the resource syntax API, `Structural.gf`.

The main difference with `MorphoFre.gf` is that the types referred to are compiled resource grammar types. We have moreover had the design principle of always having existing forms, rather than stems, as string arguments of the paradigms.

The structure of functions for each word class `C` is the following: first we give a handful of patterns that aim to cover all regular cases. Then we give a worst-case function `mkC`, which serves as an escape to construct the most irregular words of type `C`. However, this function should only seldom be needed: we have a separate module `IrregFre`, which covers all irregularly inflected verbs.

        resource ParadigmsFre =
          open
            (Predef=Predef),
            Prelude,
            CommonRomance,
            ResFre,
            MorphoFre,
            CatFre in {

          flags optimize=all ;

## Parameters

To abstract over gender names, we define the following identifiers.

        oper
          Gender : Type ;

          masculine : Gender ;
          feminine  : Gender ;

To abstract over number names, we define the following.

          Number : Type ;

          singular : Number ;
          plural   : Number ;

Prepositions used in many-argument functions are either strings (including the 'accusative' empty string) or strings that amalgamate with the following word (the 'genitive' de and the 'dative' à).

          accusative : Prep ;
          genitive   : Prep ;
          dative     : Prep ;

          mkPrep : Str -> Prep ;

## Nouns

Worst case: give both two forms and the gender.

          mkN  : (oeil,yeux : Str) -> Gender -> N ;

The regular function takes the singular form, and computes the plural and the gender by a heuristic. The plural heuristic currently covers the cases pas-pas, prix-prix, nez-nez, bijou-bijoux, cheveu-cheveux, plateau-plateaux, cheval-chevaux. The gender heuristic is less reliable: it treats as feminine all nouns ending with e and ion, all others as masculine. If in doubt, use the `cc` command to test!

          regN : Str -> N ;

Adding gender information widens the scope of the foregoing function.

          regGenN : Str -> Gender -> N ;

### Compound nouns

Some nouns are ones where the first part is inflected as a noun but the second part is not inflected. e.g. numéro de téléphone. They could be formed in syntax, but we give a shortcut here since they are frequent in lexica.

          compN : N -> Str -> N ;

### Relational nouns

Relational nouns (fille de x) need a case and a preposition.

          mkN2 : N -> Prep -> N2 ;

The most common cases are the genitive de and the dative à, with the empty preposition.

          deN2 : N -> N2 ;
          aN2  : N -> N2 ;

Three-place relational nouns (la connection de x à y) need two prepositions.

          mkN3 : N -> Prep -> Prep -> N3 ;

### Relational common noun phrases

In some cases, you may want to make a complex `CN` into a relational noun (e.g. la vieille église de). However, `N2` and `N3` are purely lexical categories. But you can use the `AdvCN` and `PrepNP` constructions to build phrases like this.

### Proper names and noun phrases

Proper names need a string and a gender.

          mkPN  : Str -> Gender -> PN ; -- Jean

          regPN : Str -> PN ;           -- feminine if "-e", masculine otherwise

To form a noun phrase that can also be plural, you can use the worst-case function.

          mkNP : Str -> Gender -> Number -> NP ;

## Adjectives

Non-comparison one-place adjectives need four forms in the worst case (masc and fem singular, masc plural, adverbial).

          mkA : (banal,banale,banaux,banalement : Str) -> A ;

For regular adjectives, all other forms are derived from the masculine singular. The heuristic takes into account certain deviant endings: banal- -banaux, chinois- -chinois, heureux-heureuse-heureux, italien-italienne, jeune-jeune, amer-amère, carré- - -carrément, joli- - -joliment.

          regA : Str -> A ;

These functions create postfix adjectives. To switch them to prefix ones (i.e. ones placed before the noun in modification, as in petite maison), the following function is provided.

          prefA : A -> A ;

### Two-place adjectives

Two-place adjectives need a preposition for their second argument.

          mkA2 : A -> Prep -> A2 ;

### Comparison adjectives

Comparison adjectives are in the worst case put up from two adjectives: the positive (bon), and the comparative (meilleure).

          mkADeg : A -> A -> A ;

If comparison is formed by plus, as usual in French, the following pattern is used:

          compADeg : A -> A ;

For prefixed adjectives, the following function is provided.

          prefA : A -> A ;

## Adverbs

Adverbs are not inflected. Most lexical ones have position after the verb.

          mkAdv : Str -> Adv ;

Some appear next to the verb (e.g. toujours).

          mkAdV : Str -> AdV ;

Adverbs modifying adjectives and sentences can also be formed.

          mkAdA : Str -> AdA ;

## Verbs

Irregular verbs are given in the module `VerbsFre`. If a verb should be missing in that list, the module `BeschFre` gives all the patterns of the Bescherelle book.

Regular verbs are ones with the infinitive er or ir, the latter with plural present indicative forms as finissons. The regular verb function is the first conjugation recognizes these endings, as well as the variations among aimer, céder, placer, peser, jeter, placer, manger, assiéger, payer.

          regV : Str -> V ;

Sometimes, however, it is not predictable which variant of the er conjugation is to be selected. Then it is better to use the function that gives the third person singular present indicative and future ((il) jette, jettera) as second argument.

          reg3V : (jeter,jette,jettera : Str) -> V ;

The function `regV` gives all verbs the compound auxiliary avoir. To change it to être, use the following function. Reflexive implies être.

          etreV : V -> V ;
          reflV : V -> V ;

### Two-place verbs

Two-place verbs need a preposition, except the special case with direct object. (transitive verbs).

          mkV2  : V -> Prep -> V2 ;

          dirV2 : V -> V2 ;

You can reuse a `V2` verb in `V`.

          v2V : V2 -> V ;

### Three-place verbs

Three-place (ditransitive) verbs need two prepositions, of which the first one or both can be absent.

          mkV3     : V -> Prep -> Prep -> V3 ;  -- parler, à, de
          dirV3    : V -> Prep -> V3 ;          -- donner,_,à
          dirdirV3 : V -> V3 ;                  -- donner,_,_

### Other complement patterns

Verbs and adjectives can take complements such as sentences, questions, verb phrases, and adjectives.

          mkV0  : V -> V0 ;
          mkVS  : V -> VS ;
          mkV2S : V -> Prep -> V2S ;
          mkVV  : V -> VV ;  -- plain infinitive: "je veux parler"
          deVV  : V -> VV ;  -- "j'essaie de parler"
          aVV   : V -> VV ;  -- "j'arrive à parler"
          mkV2V : V -> Prep -> Prep -> V2V ;
          mkVA  : V -> VA ;
          mkV2A : V -> Prep -> Prep -> V2A ;
          mkVQ  : V -> VQ ;
          mkV2Q : V -> Prep -> V2Q ;

          mkAS  : A -> AS ;
          mkA2S : A -> Prep -> A2S ;
          mkAV  : A -> Prep -> AV ;
          mkA2V : A -> Prep -> Prep -> A2V ;

Notice: categories `V2S, V2V, V2Q` are in v 1.0 treated just as synonyms of `V2`, and the second argument is given as an adverb. Likewise `AS, A2S, AV, A2V` are just `A`. `V0` is just `V`.

          V0, V2S, V2V, V2Q : Type ;
          AS, A2S, AV, A2V : Type ;