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gf-core/lib/resource/exper/abstract/Noun.gf
2008-04-22 12:34:45 +00:00

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--1 Noun: Nouns, noun phrases, and determiners
abstract Noun = Cat ** {
--2 Noun phrases
-- The three main types of noun phrases are
-- - common nouns with determiners
-- - proper names
-- - pronouns
--
--
fun
DetCN : Det -> CN -> NP ; -- the man
UsePN : PN -> NP ; -- John
UsePron : Pron -> NP ; -- he
-- Pronouns are defined in the module [``Structural`` Structural.html].
-- A noun phrase already formed can be modified by a $Predet$erminer.
PredetNP : Predet -> NP -> NP; -- only the man
-- A noun phrase can also be postmodified by the past participle of a
-- verb, by an adverb, or by a relative clause
PPartNP : NP -> V2 -> NP ; -- the number squared
AdvNP : NP -> Adv -> NP ; -- Paris at midnight
RelNP : NP -> RS -> NP ; -- Paris, which is in Europe
--2 Determiners
-- The determiner has a fine-grained structure, in which a 'nucleus'
-- quantifier and two optional parts can be discerned.
-- The cardinal numeral is only available for plural determiners.
-- (This is modified from CLE by further dividing their $Num$ into
-- cardinal and ordinal.)
DetQuant : Quant -> Num -> Ord -> Det ; -- the five best men
-- Notice that $DetPl$ can still result in a singular determiner, because
-- "one" is a numeral: "this one man".
-- Quantifiers can form noun phrases directly.
DetNP : Quant -> Num -> Ord -> NP ; -- these five
-- 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
-- [``Extra`` ../abstract/Extra.gf].
PossPron : Pron -> Quant ; -- my (house)
-- All parts of the determiner can be empty, except $Quant$, which is
-- the "kernel" of a determiner. It is, however, the $Num$ that determines
-- the inherent numbers.
NumSg : Num ;
NumPl : Num ;
NoOrd : Ord ;
-- $Num$ consists of either digits or numeral words.
NumDigits : Digits -> Num ; -- 51
NumNumeral : Numeral -> Num ; -- fifty-one
-- The construction of numerals is defined in [Numeral Numeral.html].
-- $Num$ can be modified by certain adverbs.
AdNum : AdN -> Num -> Num ; -- almost 51
-- $Ord$ consists of either digits or numeral words.
OrdDigits : Digits -> Ord ; -- 51st
OrdNumeral : Numeral -> Ord ; -- fifty-first
-- Superlative forms of adjectives behave syntactically in the same way as
-- ordinals.
OrdSuperl : A -> Ord ; -- largest
-- Ordinals and cardinals can be used as noun phrases alone.
OrdSuperlNP : Num -> A -> NP ; -- the five best
OrdNumeralNP : Numeral -> NP ; -- the fiftieth
NumNumeralNP : Numeral -> NP ; -- fifty
-- Definite and indefinite noun phrases are sometimes realized as
-- neatly distinct words (Spanish "un, unos ; el, los") but also without
-- any particular word (Finnish; Swedish definites).
DefNP : Num -> Ord -> CN -> NP ; -- the (house), the (houses)
IndefNP : Num -> Ord -> CN -> NP ; -- a (house), (houses)
-- 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.
MassNP : CN -> NP ; -- (beer)
-- Other determiners are defined in [Structural Structural.html].
--2 Common nouns
-- Simple nouns can be used as nouns outright.
UseN : N -> CN ; -- house
-- Relational nouns take one or two arguments.
ComplN2 : N2 -> NP -> CN ; -- son of the king
ComplN3 : N3 -> NP -> N2 ; -- flight from Moscow (to Paris)
-- Relational nouns can also be used without their arguments.
-- The semantics is typically derivative of the relational meaning.
UseN2 : N2 -> CN ; -- son
UseN3 : N3 -> CN ; -- flight
-- 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).
AdjCN : AP -> CN -> CN ; -- big house
RelCN : CN -> RS -> CN ; -- house that John owns
AdvCN : CN -> Adv -> CN ; -- house on the hill
-- 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].
SentCN : CN -> SC -> CN ; -- fact that John smokes, question if he does
--2 Apposition
-- This is certainly overgenerating.
ApposCN : CN -> NP -> CN ; -- number x, numbers x and y
} ;