Short rule descriptions
Please post questions to Canvas.
The rules are listed in the order they appear in the ERG source files.
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.