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<Paper uid="J79-1038">
  <Title>American Journal of Computational Linguistics Microfiche 38 V~nn PARADIGMS FOR SENTENCE RECOGNITION</Title>
  <Section position="1" start_page="0" end_page="4" type="metho">
    <SectionTitle>
V~nn PARADIGMS FOR
SENTENCE RECOGNITION
MARIANNE CELCE-MURCIA
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES 90024
</SectionTitle>
    <Paragraph position="0"> Co~yr: yht 1976 by the ,-&gt;ssocja tion for Computational ~inguistics Summary of &amp;quot;Verb Paradigms for Sentence Rccognit.lonff by  This paper dascribcs a linguisticnlly-based recognition grammar modcl, which was dcvdlopcd as part of a Co~up~~tl.tc~-r\iJcd Ins tructinn Project, to the tasks cf recognizing and anolyzin~ n variety of basic sentence types in English. Ways of estending the model to the analysis of comples sentences are also suggested. The procedures and the model described herein are original; however, tjhey owe much tb insights found in the work of tws linguis ts , Grub,er and Fillmore.</Paragraph>
    <Paragraph position="1"> The general problem of grammar recognition is that of going from a surface string of words rn a deep rcprcscntation that permits semantic interprcta8ion. PIorc specifically , our grammar recognition procedure depends on thc identlfica tion of the ~recise function or semantic role that each noun phrase actant occurring in a given sentence exhibits with respect tcp the verb of that sentence.</Paragraph>
    <Paragraph position="2"> By assigning verbs--or, to be more precise, verb, senses-to one or more paradigms ( , perceptually and functionally defined surf ace conPS igurations) , it becomes possible to determine algorithmically for every sentence the functional relation (e. g . , theme, causal actant, goal, source, locus) that each noun phrase in the sentence bears to the verb, thereby assisting greatly Ln arriving at a representation of the mearring of each sentence. A nuhber of verb paradigms such ae intrans Ltive, transitive and ergative Rre defined. Verbs belonging to the intransitive paradigm such a8 die, fall, go, etc. always have subjects that function ae t%emes. Verbs belonging to the transitive paradigm such ae kill, - - read, -S eat etc. have subjects that function as causal actants -. - and objects that function as themes. The ergative paradigm, which is more complex, cons Fs ts of change-of -state verbs such as open, melt, increase, etc. If an ergative paradigm verb has both a subject and- an object, the subject is a causal actant and the object is a theme; however; if such a verb takes only a subject, then the subject functions as a theme. The paradigm membership of each verb sense in the data base is determined and is recorded as a lexical feature of that verb.</Paragraph>
    <Paragraph position="3"> The number o+ verb paradigms would ,proliferate almost indefinitely were it not for several devices, built into the grammar. One of these devices is the reversal of transformations such as passive and interrogative so that subject and object functional relations remain the same as in active, declarative sentences Another such device is the recovery of noun phrase dssations such as the one occurring in a sentence likel&amp;quot;John ate. &amp;quot; In this case, an indefinite object is reco~structed and the traneitive paradigm feature of the verb eat remains intact. A  third device of thie nature is use of a notion called incorpor; ation. For exardple, a sentence srtch as &amp;quot;It is raining.&amp;quot; will be analyzed as having incorporated the theme subject rain' into  the verb with the result that a abstract structure resembling &amp;quot;Rain is falling&amp;quot; gets rec80nstructcd and processed as an intransitive verb paradigm item.</Paragraph>
    <Paragraph position="4"> To overview the entire procedure, we start by parping the sprface structure of any given sentence. The major constituents a,nd parts ofi speech are identified. Nokt, we determine the type nf sentence involved ( , declarative, interrogative, imperative) and transform the wrd order where necessary. Following that the form QE the verb (ie voice and tense) is identified and again the word order is transformed if need be. A surface role (i*. e. , subject, object) is then assigned to each noun phrase not preceded by a preposition. At this time the lexical entry of the verb is consulted for features of movement, deletion, incorgoratlon, etc. so that any necessary final adjustments can be made. The paradigm me~ibership of the verb is then identified thereby permitting a predetermined heutis tic to assign a relation (Le., theme, causal actant, locative, etc.) Eo every noun phrase in the sentence. Finally, by applying the above information as well as other lexical. and grammatical information the surface structure is transformed ihto an appropriate abstract structure that permi ts setuantic interpretation</Paragraph>
  </Section>
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