MatrixDoc_ArgumentOptionality

Documentation for the Grammar Matrix Customization Argument Optionality Library

• [ This documentation is under construction. When it is more complete, this section should describe the effects of the various options provided in this library in terms of the behavior of the grammar. It is also a good place for tips on how to get the most from the library. ]

Introduction

This document explains how to fill out the Argument Optionality page of the Grammar Matrix Customization questionnaire and presents background information on the argument optionality library of the Grammar Matrix Customization System (Bender et al., 2002; Bender and Flickinger, 2005; Bender et al., 2010). General instructions on using the questionnaire can be found here.

Citing the Argument Optionality Library

The standard references for the Argument Optionality library and its implementations are Saleem 2010 and Saleem and Bender 2010. The full references and .bib entries can be found here.

Options

The Argument Optionality page allows you to specify whether an argument (subject or object) can be dropped in your language. This page is divided into two sections: (1). Subject dropping and (2). Object dropping.

1. Subject dropping

In this section please define TENSE values and their subtypes (if applicable) for your language.

• Subject dropping can occur

  • with any verb

  • only with certain verbs

NOTE: When completing the lexicon page, for each verb type which does not allow subject dropping, select the feature OPT - and marked on the subject.

• When a subject is dropped, a subject marker on the verb is

  • required

  • optional

  • not permitted

• When a subject is overt (not dropped), a subject marker on the verb is

  • required

  • optional

  • not permitted

NOTE: When completing the lexicon page, for each morpheme that is optional or required when a subject is dropped and not permitted when an overt subject is present, select overt-arg not permitted and marked on the subject.

?? For each morpheme that is not permitted when a subject is dropped and required or optional when an overt subject is present, select drp-arg not permitted and marked on the subject.

?? For each morpheme that is optional when a subject is dropped and required when an overt subject is present, select dropped-arg permitted and marked on the subject.

?? For each morpheme that is required when a subject is dropped and optional when an overt subject is present, select overt-arg permitted and marked on the subject.

• Subject dropping occurs in

  • all contexts

  • some contexts

• Contexts

  • Add a Context

Analyses

The analyses implemented in the Argument Optionality library are described in Saleem 2010 and Saleem and Bender 2010.

Upcoming Work

• [ This documentation is under construction. When it is more complete, this section should describe any modifications to or enhancements of this library that are either in progress or planned. ]

References

Saleem, Safiyyah. 2010. Argument Optionality: A New Library for the Grammar Matrix Customization System. Masters thesis, University of Washington.

• bibtex:

  @mastersthesis{Saleem:10,
  author = {Safiyyah Saleem},
  year = {2010},
  title = {Argument Optionality: A New Library for the Grammar Matrix Customization System},
  school = {University of Washington}
  }

Safiyyah Saleem and Emily M. Bender. 2010. Argument Optionality in the LinGO Grammar Matrix. Coling 2010: Posters. pp.1068-1076.

• bibtex:

  @misc{Saleem and Bender,
  author = {Safiyyah Saleem and Emily Bender},
  year = {2010},
  title = {Argument Optionality in the LinGO Grammar Matrix},
  conference = {Coling}
  }