Short rule descriptions

These rule descriptions are hastily done. Please post questions to GoPost. The rules are listed in the order they appear in the ERG source files. I recommend using the "find" feature of your browser to navigate this page.

Phrase structure rules

subjh

Combines subject with subject-seeking head (usually VP), in main clause.

subjh_nmc

Combines subject with subject-seeking head (usually VP), in subordinate clause.

subjh-q

Combines subject with subject-seeking head, in wh-in-situ questions ("Kim told you what?")

hcomp

Combines a head (of any part of speech) with an appropriate complement.

hoptcomp

Discharges a complement requirement of a head that is marked as "optional" (unary rule). (Example: VP -> V in "Kim eats".)

noptcomp

Discharges a comlement requirement of a noun that is marked as "optional" (unary rule).

hmarkev

head-marker rule for events (part of analysis of coordination)

hmarknom

head-marker rule for NPs (part of analysis of coordination)

hmarkn

head-marker rule for N-bars (part of analysis of coordination)

hmarkatom

head-marker rule for 'both', 'neither' etc. (part of analysis of coordination)

extracomp

Bottom of a long distance dependency, where the missing element is a complement ("extracted complement").

extrasubj_f

Bottom of a long distance dependency, where the missing element is a subject in a finite clause ("extracted subject/finite").

extrasubj_i

Bottom of a long distance dependency, where the missing element is a subject in a non-finite clause ("extracted subject/infinitival").

hspec

Combines a specifier with a specifier-seeking nominal head.

hspechc

Combines a number or degree specifier with an adjective or adverb (10-foot long, mid-to-upper nineties)

adjh_s

Combines a sentential head with a scopal adjunct to its left ("adjunct-head, scopal").

adjh_s_xp

Combines a non-sentential head with a scopal adjunct to its left.

hadj_s

Combines a head with a scopal adjunct to its right ("head-adjunct, scopal")

adjn_i

Combines a noun with an intersective modifier to its left.

adjn_ni

Combines a noun with an intersective modifier to its left. Contrast to adjn_i has to do with punctuation.

adjh_i

Combines a head with an intersective modifier to its left.

adjh_i_ques

Combines a head with an intersective modifier to its left.

nadj_rc

Combines a noun with a relative clause.

nadj_rr_t

Combines a noun with a temporal reduced relative clause.

nadj_rr_nt

Combines a noun with a non-temporal reduced relative clause.

hadj_i_uns

Combines a head with an intersective and gap-free modifier. (Distinction relavant for generation.)

hadj_i_s

Combines a head with an intersective, gap-containing modifier. (Distinction relavant for generation.)

extradj_i_vp

Unary rule for creating the bottom of a long distance dependency where the `extracted' element is an intersective VP modifier.

extradj_i_s

Unary rule for creating the bottom of a long distance dependency where the `extracted' element is an intersective S modifier.

extradj_t

Unary rule for creating the bottom of a long distance dependency where the `extracted' element is an adverbial NP.

fin_non_wh_rel

Rule building finite non-wh relative clauses.

inf_non_wh_rel

Rule building non-finite non-wh relative clauses.

inf_non_wh_s_rel

Rule building non-finite non-wh subject relative clauses.

instr_non_wh_rel

Rule buildling infinitival instrumental relative clauses ("a Fedex number [to return my package]").

red_rel_vp

Rule building reduced relative clauses ("a bluebird [singing on the fence]")

subconj_prdp

"Kim arrived [devouring chocolate]."

subconj_prdp_ell

Another kind of participial subordinate phrase.

subconj_ap

"[Happy with the plan], Kim left."

subconj_vp

"[Devouring chocolate], Kim arrived."

bare_np

Unary rule licensing plural or mass NPs without quantifiers: "I like [chocolate]".

proper_np

Unary rule licensing proper NPs without quantifiers. "[Kim] likes to swim" (cf. "The Kim I know likes to swim.")

num_np

Unary rule for number words used as (proper) NPs.

n_nmod_np

"At [eye level]" (one kind of NP that can show up without a determiner inside specific PPs)

n_jmod_np

"at [close range]" (one kind of NP that can show up without a determiner inside specific PPs)

n_nomod_np

"of course", "within range" (one kind of NP that can show up without a determiner inside specific PPs)

bare_vger

"[Hiring Sandy] impressed Kim" -- verbal gerunds without a possessive determiner (cf "[Our [hiring Sandy]] impressed Kim").

noun_n_cmpnd

Rule for noun-noun compounds like "department manager".

np_n_cmpnd

Rule for NP-noun compounds like "[[seven o'clock] appointment]"

np_n_cmpnd_2

Another rule for NP-noun compounds.

np_name_cmpnd

Rule for names: Kim Smith (treated as a kind of compound).

np_city_state

Rule for city-state combinations: Seattle, Washington (treated as a kind of compound)

n_ttl_cmpnd

Rule for title + noun combinations, (Prof. Smith), again treated as a kind of compound.

appos

Rule for combining nouns with definite appositive modifiers: "Kim, the student sitting over there,..."

appos_i

Rule for combining nouns with indefinite appositive modifiers: "Kim, a friend of mine, ..."

npadv

Rule promoting temporal nouns to adverbial modifiers (unary rule).

num_noun

Unary rule for number names used as nouns: "Two hundred is enough".

num_seq

Rule for constructing longer phrases out of numbers like "ten thirty" as the pronunciation of the time 10:30.

fillhead_non_wh

Rule for topicalized (focus movement) sentences: "On Tuesday, they will leave.", "Bagels, I know Kim likes".

fillhead_wh_r

Finite matrix non-subject wh questions: "Who did Kim see?".

fillhead_wh_subj_r

Finite matrix subject wh questions: "Who hired Kim?"

fillhead_wh_nr_f

Finite embedded wh questions: "I know who hired Kim/I know who Kim hired".

fillhead_wh_nr_i

Non-finite embedded wh questions: "I know who to hire."

fillhead_rel

Combines filler (e.g., who) with head (e.g., "hired Kim") to build relative clause: "The person [who hired Kim] left/"

freerel_inf

Non-finite free relatives: "I need information on [how to read this]."

freerel_fin

Finite free relatives: "I like [where Kim went]."

v_coord_fin_top

Coordination rule for finite verbs (Note binary analysis of coordination requires two rules, one for the very top of the coordination and one for every lower branch.)

v_coord_fin_mid

Coordination rule for finite verbs.

v_coord_nonfin_top

Coordination rule for non-finite verbs.

v_coord_nonfin_mid

Coordination rule for non-finite verbs.

s_coord_top

Coordination rule for sentences.

s_coord_mid

Coordination rule for sentences.

p_coord_top

Coordination rule for prepositions.

p_coord_mid

Coordination rule for prepositions.

np_coord_top

Coordination rule for NPs

np_coord_mid

Coordination rule for NPs

n_coord_top

Coordination rule for Ns

n_coord_mid

Coordination rule for Ns

n_coord_asym_top

Coordination rule for Ns

n_coord_asym_top2

Coordination rule for Ns

adj_attr_coord_top

Coordination rule for attributive adjectives

adj_attr_coord_mid

Coordination rule for attributive adjectives

adj_pred_coord_top

Coordination rule for predicative adjectives

adj_pred_coord_mid

Coordination rule for predicative adjectives

imper

Unary rule promoting VPs to imperative Ss.

yesno

Unary rule for yes-no questions (daughter is an intervted clause, main effects of this rules are semantic.)

measure_np

Builds noun phrases expressing measurments which can then act as degree specifiers: "I need [one inch] long nails."

meas_np_symb

For measure NPs where the measure noun is a symbol which appears (in the written form) before the number: $100.

bare_meas_np

Unary rule for measure NPs with plural noun and no number: "[miles] high", "[years] ago"

partnum_nc

Numbers used as partitives: "one arrived"

partnum_of

Numbers used as partitives: "one of them arrived"

partnum_n_nc

Partitives like "some" in "some arrived"

partnum_n_of

Partitives like "some of" in "some of them arrived"

np_s

Rule promoting S to NP for sentential arguments: "[That Kim slept] bothers Sandy"

np_wh_s

Rule promoting S to NP for sentential arguments which include wh words: "He thought about who she hired."

partnp

Possessives used as partitives: "[the book's] is red".

numdet

Promotes number adjectives to determiners: "(exactly) [five] chairs arrived"

frag_np

Rule for sentence fragments of category NP: Who's here? [Kim]

frag_pp_i

Rule for sentence fragments of category PP (independent): Where were they jogging? [In the park]

frag_pp_s

Rule for sentence fragments of category PP (selected): Where are you going? [To the park]

frag_adj

Rule for sentence fragments of category adjective (phrase)

frag_adv

Rule for sentence fragments of category adverb (phrase)

frag_dadv

Rule for sentence fragments of category discourse adverb ("So", "Yes")

frag_vp

Rule for sentence fragments of category VP.

frag_nocop_s

Rule for copulaless sentences.

frag_l_mod_np

Rule for NP fragments with modifiers.

frag_l_mod_pp

Rule for PP fragments with modifiers.

frag_l_mod_adv

Rule for ADV fragments with modifiers.

frag_l_mod_frag

Rule for other fragments with modifiers.

frag_r_mod_np

Rule for NP fragments with modifiers.

frag_r_mod_i_pp

Rule for PP fragments with modifiers.

frag_r_mod_s_pp

Rule for PP fragments with modifiers.

frag_r_mod_ap

Rule for adjective fragments with modifiers.

punct_qt

Punctuation rule.

punct_par

Punctuation rule.

punct_hinit

Punctuation rule.

punct_hfinal

Punctuation rule.

runon_s

Rule for run on sentences: "I like pizza pizza is good"

nocop_vp

(Another) rule for copulaless sentences: "Rain possible." Constructs a VP out of a predicative phrase.

nocop_id_vp

(Another) rule for copulaless sentences, where the copula would be the identity copula.

nocop_s

Copulaless and subjectless sentences.

possnp

Handles possessive plural NPs which lack overt 's.

Lexical rules

plur_noun_infl_rule

Plural nouns

third_sg_fin_verb_infl_rule

Present tense third singular verbs

psp_verb_infl_rule

Past participles

past_verb_infl_rule

Past tense 3rd person singular verbs

prp_verb_infl_rule

Present participles

bse_verb_infl_rule

Base form verbs

non_third_sg_fin_verb_infl_rule

Present tense non 3rd person singular verbs

sing_noun_infl_rule

Singular nouns

mass_noun_infl_rule

Mass nouns

mass_count_infl_rule

Mass-count nouns

plur_numcomp_noun_infl_rule

Plural form without -s for nouns derived from numbers: "The three over there."

pos_adj_infl_rule

Non-comparative, non-superlative adjective.

passive_infl_rule

Passive verbs

cp_passive_infl_rule

Passive verbs

-ly_infl_rule

Adverbs derived from adjectives

locinvlr

Locative inversion ("In the garden [stands] a statue.")

taglr

Tag questions ("Sara left, [didn't she]?")

sailr

Subject auxiliary inversion ("[Did] Kim leave?")

advadd

Adverb addition ("Kim [did] not leave.") -- adds one of a small class of adverbs to the complements list.

vpellipsis_ref_lr

VP ellipsis ("I won't do it, but Kim [will].")

vpellipsis_expl_lr

VP ellipsis.

vgering

Verbal gerunds (derived from verbs).

intransng

Nominal gerunds (derived from verbs).

intr_pp_ng

Nominal gerunds (derived from verbs).

transng

Nominal gerunds (derived from verbs).

monthdet

In "October first", October is a determiner. This rule derives that determiner from the NP "October".

weekdaydet

In "Tuesday morning", Tuesday is a determiner. This rule derives that determiner from the NP "Tuesday".

dofm_yofc

"January first 1984" from "the first of january"

attr_adj

Derives transitive predicative adjectives from intransitive attributive adjectives.

attr_adj_verb_part

Makes adjectives out of intransitive verbal particles: "The admired hero".

attr_adj_verb_tr_part

Makes adjectives out of transitive verbal particles: "The starting point".

part_ppof_agr

Builds partitive determiner out of partitive noun.

part_ppof_noagr

Builds partitive determiner out of partitive noun.

part_nocomp

Builds partitive determiner out of partitive noun.

NP_part_lr

"Look up the answer"/"Look the answer up".

dative_lr

Dative shift: "Kim gave Sandy a book"/"Kim gave abook to Sandy".(Derives NP PP frame from NP NP frame.)

dativep_lr

Dative shift on passive forms: "A book was given to Sandy".

minute_lr

Converts number adjectives to nouns for "twenty (minutes) to nine"

enoughadd

"Kim is happy enough with Sandy (to ...)" Adds "enough" to complements list of adjective.