Context-sensitive Analyses Research Articles

Varieties of crossing dependencies: structure dependence and mild context sensitivity

AbstractFour different kinds of grammars that can define crossing dependencies in human language are compared here: (i) context sensitive rewrite grammars with rules that depend on context, (ii) matching grammars with constraints that filter the generative structure of the language, (iii) copying grammars which can copy structures of unbounded size, and (iv) generating grammars in which crossing dependencies are generated from a finite lexical basis. Context sensitive rewrite grammars are syntactically, semantically and computationally unattractive. Generating grammars have a collection of nice properties that ensure they define only “mildly context sensitive” languages, and Joshi has proposed that human languages have those properties too. But for certain distinctive kinds of crossing dependencies in human languages, copying or matching analyses predominate. Some results relevant to the viability of mildly context sensitive analyses and some open questions are reviewed.

Use studies of electronic networks: a review of empirical research approaches and challenges for their development

The author reviews the major approaches and central findings of empirical research use studies. Six major research approaches were identified by cross‐tabulating two criteria: the major context of network use (job‐related vs non‐work) and the social level of variables (individual vs group level). Examples of all types of studies are presented. The majority of studies can be classified among the surveys focusing on frequencies of service use. From these studies, analyses of job‐related use are most advanced both theoretically and methodologically while studies focused on non‐work contexts of use are less established in this sense. The qualitative research settings seem to gain more popularity, thus making the use studies more balanced methodologically. The strengths and weaknessess of the research approaches are assessed and conclusions are drawn concerning the development of more context sensitive analyses of network uses.