Open AccessComplex predicates: Structure, potential structure and underspecification
Author(s) -
Stephan Müller
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
linguistic issues in language technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1945-3590
pISSN - 1945-3604
DOI - 10.33011/lilt.v17i.1423
Subject(s) - underspecification , head driven phrase structure grammar , computer science , natural language processing , valence (chemistry) , verb , grammar , artificial intelligence , linguistics , hindi , generative grammar , physics , philosophy , quantum mechanics
This paper compares a recent TAG-based analysis of complex predicates in Hindi/Urdu with its HPSG analog. It points out that TAG combines actual structure while HPSG (and Categorial Grammar and other valence-based frameworks) specify valence of lexical items and hence potential structure. This makes it possible to have light verbs decide which arguments of embedded heads get realized, something that is not possible in TAG. TAG has to retreat to disjunctions instead. While this allows straight-forward analyses of active/passive alternations based on the light verb in valence-based frameworks, such an option does not exist for TAG and it has to be assumed that preverbs come with different sets of arguments.