Lexical Functional Grammar Research Articles

Minimal phrase structure: a new formalized theory of phrase structure

X' theory was a major milestone in the history of the development of generative grammar.1 It enabled important insights to be made into the phrase structure of human language, but it had a number of weaknesses, and has been essentially replaced in Chomskyan generativism by Bare Phrase Structure (BPS), which assumes fewer theoretical primitives than X0 theory, and also avoids several of the latter’s weaknesses. However, Bare Phrase Structure has not been widely adopted outside the Minimalist Program (MP), rather, X0 theory remains widespread. In this paper, we develop a new, fully formalized approach to phrase structure which incorporates insights and advances from BPS, but does not require the Minimalist-specific assumptions that come with BPS. We formulate our proposal within Lexical-Functional Grammar (LFG), providing an empirically and theoretically superior model for phrase structure compared with standard versions of X0 theory current in LFG.

ANALYZING INDONESIAN ONLINE NEWSPAPER HEADLINES USING LEXICAL FUNCTIONAL GRAMMAR

Newspaper headlines have different characteristics to daily or ordinary sentences. They are constructed in such a way to make the readers interested to read the whole news articles. As a result, the syntax for headlines is different. The omission of some parts of the sentences in the headlines are one of the strategies held by the writers to construct effiecient and effective headlines due to the limited space given. Therefore, this qualitative study aims to highlight the syntactical structures of headlines, and also to explain the functions of the words found in the headlines using Lexical Functional Grammar (LFG). In the analysis, LFG has two structures; c-structure and f-structure. C-structure is represented by X-bar in the form of tree diagram, while f-structure is represented by a matrix and followed by a lexical entry. The findings show that there are several characteristics of several famous Indonesian online newspaper headlines which can be a generic structure of a headline. The use of X-COMP, X-ADJ, and OBLθ tends often to occur in the Indonesian headlines. By implementing these functions, it can be a strategy for the writers in generating catchy and efficient headlines.

Implicit Arguments in English and Rutooro

The present study is a contrastive analysis of the syntactic behavior of verbs that are ontologically specified for objects but these objects may be left out without rendering sentences ungrammatical. The study unveils asymmetries between English and Rutooro (a Bantu language spoken in Uganda) in the (non-)omissibility of postverbal arguments, stemming from lexico-semantic and morphological factors as well as syntactic and discoursal factors. In light of the asymmetries arising from syntactic and discoursal factors, the study adopts a typology of indefinite implicit arguments that categorizes them into two: general indefinite implicit arguments and discourse-bound indefinite implicit arguments. Denotational nuances between synonyms as well as morphological specifications are also crucial linguistic ingredients that trigger variability in the syntactic behavior of synonymous verbs intralinguistically and cross-linguistically. In order to formalize the syntactic behavior of the verbs involved, the study employs the analytical tools provided by Lexical Functional Grammar (LFG). While Asudeh/Giorgolio (2012) use a combination of LFG and Glue Semantics in order to account for the occurrence of implicit arguments, this study proposes an alternative approach, by using only the LFG functional specifications in the lexical entries of the verbs under consideration without having recourse to an auxiliary framework. Using Bresnan (1978) as a point of departure and informed by proposals advanced by Nordlinger/Sadler (2007), the study posits a non-ambiguous bistructural analysis, with the postverbal argument instantiating the specification ± higher structure – a feature that caters for the (non-)omissibility of the postverbal argument.

Lexical-Functional Grammar: An Overview

Lexical-Functional Grammar (LFG) is a model for the analysis of language in which different types of linguistic information are represented in separate dimensions, each with its own formalism. These dimensions are linked by mapping principles. In this article, I describe the architecture of the model and illustrate some dimensions of information and the mapping between them in more detail. I also provide an outline of the analysis of long-distance dependencies and control to illustrate the advantages of this type of model. I briefly mention some further areas where LFG has proven to be a useful tool for analysis and provide references for the reader to follow up.

Computational Psycholinguistics

Computational Psycholinguistics

A Contrast Study of the Topic Structure and Leftdislocation Structure from the Perspective of Lexical-Functional Grammar Model

A Contrast Study of the Topic Structure and Leftdislocation Structure from the Perspective of Lexical-Functional Grammar Model

Konstruksi Kalimat Transitif dalam Berita Daring Merdeka.COM Edisi Januari 2019: Kajian Lexical Functional Grammar

This study examines the syntactic nature of the transitive sentence construction in the January 2019 edition of Merdeka.com online news. The sentence construction in this study is influenced by the affixation process. The affixation process changes the structure into several different arguments from before. While obscene arguments often occur to hide objects or actors as objects. Argument based Lexical Functional Grammar analysis based on structure takes into account the complex nature of unusual structures. Provision of data using the listen method and in analyzing data using the distribution distribution method. The data is sourced from the use of sentences in Merdeka.Com online news in writing. The results of this study verbs undergo an affixation process on the predicate function to determine their arguments. Some words do not undergo the process of affixation to form more than two arguments. The same subject in the parent sentence and clause form the X-Comp in the formal word.
 Keywords: Transitive Sentences, Lexical Functional Grammar, Online News, Verbs

The Analysis of Verbless Sentences

This paper aims to discuss the analysis of verbless sentences in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) within the Lexical Functional Grammar (LFG) framework. It discusses the previous analyses in transformational grammar and shows some problems in these analyses, arguing that LFG is more flexible and able to analyze this kind of sentences with fewer problems. This paper argues that verbless sentences in MSA should be divided into two types: the first is when the second part of a verbless sentence is an adjective, and in this type, we argue that the adjective should be analyzed as a predicate within the single-tier analysis. The second type is verbless sentences that contain a nonadjectival complement, and this type is analyzed as containing a null copula within the double-tier analysis.

Depictives: An LFG Approach

The main aim of this paper is to discuss two issues in analyzing depictive constructions. The first issue is related to Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), where there is an overlap between depictives and adverbs. This paper distinguishes between depictives in MSA, where the word in accusative case is adjective and adverbs, where the word in accusative case is a verbal noun. The second issue that is discussed in this paper is the syntactic analysis of depictives. In this regard, we contribute a new analysis within the Lexical Functional Grammar (LFG) framework, in which depictives are analyzed as single adjuncts that modify participants in the main predicate in the same way as adjectives, when they function as modifiers, do.

Mixed projections and syntactic categories

I explore the bases of a ‘distributionalist’ approach to syntactic categories, that is, an approach that makes distinctions on the basis of purely syntactic (as opposed to, say, semantic) criteria. I focus on the phenomenon of ‘mixed projections’, where a syntactic phrase appears to display properties of more than one syntactic category, as analysed within the framework of Lexical-Functional Grammar. I argue that of the three syntactic criteria called upon in the definition of syntactic categories within this approach, only one, the internal syntactic structure of a phrase, is a sufficient criterion for syntactic categorization. This leads to a more restricted definition of category mixing and implies a more restricted approach to categorization in general.

Construction-Based Compositional Grammar

The paper presents a system for construction classification representing multiple levels of specification, such as grammatical functions, grammatically reflected actants, and lexical semantics, aligned with a compositional system of sign combination mediating between a construction perspective and a valence perspective. The system uses a feature structure formalism based on Head-Driven Phrase Structure Grammar (HPSG) but with essential elements from Lexical Functional Grammar (LFG; cf. Bresnan in Lexical functional syntax. Blackwell, Oxford, 2001), and has as implementation background large scale HPSG grammars. While on the one extreme being able to encode word level selection in multi-word patterns, the system on the other provides a compact format for construction specification, allowing for cross-language comparison both in construction and valence frame inventories. Pivotal in these capacities as well as in sign formalization in general are the grammatical functions. The paper motivates the usefulness of the various functionalities and illustrates the way in which they work together in a formally uniform system.

From Lexical Functional Grammar to enhanced Universal Dependencies

The paper describes the conversion of an LFG treebank of Polish into enhanced Universal Dependencies, and—more generally—identifies the kinds of information lost in translation from LFG to UD.The paper also presents the resulting UD treebank of Polish and compares it to the previous UD treebank of Polish.

An LFG Analysis of Gapping Constructions in Taif Arabic

We identify and propose an analysis in LFG of Gapping construction in Taif “Hijazi” Arabic (TA). Gapping occurs in a coordination structure where the initial conjunct is syntactically complete and the non-initial conjunct is incomplete. To my knowledge, there is no previous description or analysis of gapping in TA. There have been two competing analyses in the literature on gapping, which view gapping as a result of a trace of movement and non-constituent coordination. In this paper, we show that none of these approaches succeeds to account for Gapping in TA, and hence, they fail to capture the facts of gapping in this Arabic dialect. Instead, we adopts a function-spreading approach within Lexical-Functional Grammar (LFG), and show how it is able to account for the facts of gapping in TA, using mechanisms proposed independently for other construction types.

The Comparison of Headline in Online Media Platform (Republika and Media Indonesia) a Lexical Functional Grammar Study

The aim of this research is to compare the headline of two online media platform in Indonesia; the Republika and Media Indonesia. This research use qualitative descriptive analysis method. The data is analyzed using the Lexical Functional Grammar as an approach. The purpose of using Lexical Functional Grammar is to take a deep look on how the headline news is constructed, as Lexical Functional Grammar is also completed with Constituent Structure, Functional Structure, and Lexical Entry. This research found that there is a difference in the headline construction of Republika and Media Indonesia. Republika tends to use argument ellipsis or additional adjunct and complement. The use of adjunct and complement is to replace the use if the argument elapsed in the headline. Meanwhile, Media Indonesia tends to use complete and standard sentence as their headlines. Even when the headline uses adjunct, actually, without the adjunct the headline in Media Indonesia is already acceptable as Media Indonesia’s headline use complete argument and predicate as the base of their headline.

Sets, heads and spreading in LFG

Lexical Functional Grammar (LFG) uses abstract syntactic representation (f-structures) that tend to provide less hierarchical structure for certain constructions than those employed in other formal frameworks. This produces some good results, such as a very straightforward account of feature-sharing between phrases and their heads, but also certain difficulties, especially in cases where the semantic interpretation seems to be determined by the hierarchical c-structure rather than the flatter f-structure. These are unproblematic for all other major generative frameworks, but have been troublesome for standard versions of LFG.Here I will consider two such cases: scoping adjectival modification in noun phrases; and Romance `complex' (or `restructuring') predicates. Problems with the semantic interpretation of these constructions were first discussed by Andrews (1983) and Alsina (1997), respectively, and by others subsequently. Both constructions exhibit the problem of apparent concentricity, and a fully satisfactory and accepted LFG solution has not yet been found. My proposal is to use the hybrid objects and distribution convention of Dalrymple and Kaplan (2000), but with singleton rather than multi-member sets, along with a facility to stipulatively suppress distribution in individual constructions. This provides an analysis which explains scope-determination and helps with certain other problems, with far less change to the theory than in previous attempts such as Andrews and Manning (1993, 1999).

Integrating LFG’s binding theory with PCDRT

We provide a formal model for the interaction of syntax and pragmatics in the interpretation of anaphoric binding constraints on personal and reflexive pronouns. We assume a dynamic semantics, where e-type expressions introduce discourse referents, and contexts are assignments of individuals to discourse referents. We adopt the Partial Compositional Discourse Representation Theory (PCDRT) of Haug(2014b),which models anaphoric resolution in terms of a pragmatically-established relation between discourse referents. We integrate PCDRT into the constraint-based grammatical framework of Lexical-Functional Grammar (LFG), and show how it is possible to state syntactic constraints on the pragmatic resolution of singular and plural anaphora within this framework.

Verb phrase external arguments in Mande

Mande languages are well-known for their rigid SOVX word order: verb phrases cannot accommodate postpositional phrases, and all oblique arguments must appear after the main verb. This study explores, based on data from Wan (Southeastern Mande), new evidence for syntactic constituency that is essential for developing a formal account of this typologically unusual pattern. First, I show that previously unexplored tonal evidence rules out argument raising accounts. Tone is sensitive in Wan to prosodic phrasing, which is in turn closely related to syntactic constituency; the way postpositional arguments are prosodically integrated into the clause points to their unusually high, clause-level attachment. Second, I argue against a base-generation analysis, which would require a serious modification of the Projection Principle and locality of selection. Third, an analysis based on obligatory extraposition is discussed as the remaining option in transformational frameworks. While accounting for both semantic and tonal evidence, the extraposition account has to rely on a highly unusual kind of filter to rule out all structures where a PP argument appears clause-internally. Accounts postulating such idiosyncratic filters can hardly be considered satisfying, as they merely model constraints on surface structure, without deriving them from underlying structural properties. The obligatory argument extraposition of Mande languages receives a more elegant explanation in constraint-based, surface-oriented theories, which do not need to introduce special devices to handle the basic word order of Mande languages. I illustrate this with a sketch of an account coached in the framework of Lexical-Functional Grammar.

SERIAL VERB CONSTRUCTIONS IN SASAK LANGUAGE OF MENO-MENE DIALECT: A TYPOLOGY AND LFG APPROACH

ABSTRACTThis paper aims to analyze the semantic types, the characteristics, and the constituent structure and functional structure of Sasak serial verb constructions. The theory of Typology and Lexical Functional Grammar (LFG) were used to analyze the data. The data in this research were taken from the uttarances of speakers of meno-mene dialect of Sasak. This study is designed as a descriptive qualitative research. The data were collected through observation, interview, and reflective-introspective methods with recording and elicitation techniques. The results show that Sasak serial verb constructions have ten semantic types, which are motion, direction, instrument, comitative, manner, aspect and mood, benefactive, causative, cause-effect, and synonym. Based on the phonological, morphological and syntactical characteristics, Sasak serial verb constructions have the following characteristics: (1) They fall under one intonation contour, 2) They form mono-clause as a single predicate, 3) They have verb markers that occur only on one verb or each verb obtains the same marker, 4) They share aspect, mood, negation, and 5) They share the same arguments. The analysis of constituent structure and functional structure shows that Sasak serial verb constructions have V-V stucture, and X-COMP or X-ADJ structure.Penelitian ini bertujuan menganalisis tipe-tipe semantik, ciri-ciri, dan struktur konstituen dan struktur fungsional pada konstruksi verba serial Bahasa Sasak. Teori yang digunakan untuk menganalisis data adalah teori tipologi dan tata bahasa leksikal fungsional. Penelitian ini dirancang sebagai penelitian deskriptif kualitatif. Pengumpulan data pada penelitian ini menggunakan metode observasi, wawancara dan introspektif-reflektif dengan teknik rekam dan pancing. Hasil analisis menunjukkan konstruksi verba serial bahasa Sasak memiliki sepuluh tipe semantik untuk menunjukkan gerakan, arah, instrumen, komitatif, kecaraan, aspek dan modal, benefaktif, kausatif, sebab-akibat, dan sinonim. Berdasarkan ciri-ciri fonologis, morfologis dan sintaksis, verba serial Bahasa Sasak memiliki ciri: 1) konstruksi verba serial Bahasa Sasak dilafalkan dalam satu intonasi, 2) konstruksi verba serial Bahasa Sasak ialah monoklausa dan berperilaku sebagai predikat tunggal, 3) pemarkah verba serial Bahasa Sasak pada salah satu atau tiap-tiap verba dengan pemarkah yang sama, 4) verba serial Bahasa Sasak berbagi aspek, modal dan negasi, dan 5) verba serial Bahasa Sasak berbagi argumen dalam konstruksinya. Analisis terhadap struktur konstituen dan struktur fungsional menunjukkan verba serial bahasa Sasak memiliki stuktur V-V dan struktur X-KOMP atau X-ADJ.Keywords: serial verb constructions, Sasak, typology, Lexical Functional Grammar

A Linguistic Analysis of Friday Sermons of three Mosques in Yola Adamawa State Nigeria

This paper carried out a linguistic analysis of Friday sermons preached in three mosques in Yola, Adamawa state. It examined the lexico-syntactic structures of the language of these sermons. Purposive sampling technique was used to select six sermons from three different mosques covering the period of January to March 2015. The paper adopted the Lexical Functional Grammar (LFG) Theory of Bresnan and Kaplan (1970) to analyse the syntactic structures. This is a based grammar in theoretical linguistics. It posits two separate levels of syntactic structure, a phrase structure grammar representation of word order and constituency, and a representation of grammatical functions such as subject and object, similar to dependency grammar. It mainly focuses on syntax, including its relation with morphology and semantics. The paper found out that the sermons were structured in the conventional pattern of presenting Islamic sermons: the overall diction was simple. The sentences were varied. Simple, compound and complex sentences were all present in the sermons. Functionally, affirmative declarative sentences dominated the sermons. The paper concluded that the lexico-syntactic structure of the sermons aided the semantic import. Thus it recommended that religious preachers should endeavour to adopt simple words and sentences that would enable the adherents imbibe the positive tenets of their religious worships and practises.

Developing a Computational Syntax of Sindhi Language in Lexical Functional Grammar Framework

Sindhi language lacks computational linguistics resources for deep syntactic analysis. This paper presents a work on computational morphology and grammar development of Sindhi Language. An LFG (Lexical Functional Grammar) based model for Sindhi grammar is developed where morphological constructions are modeled in Xerox Lexicon Compiler (LEXC), and syntactic constructions are modeled in LFG by using Xerox Linguistic Environment (XLE). While developing morphology and syntax of Sindhi, different part of speech classes, phrase structures, tense, aspect, mood and agreement are considered wherever applicable. The developed computational grammar is tested against two different test suites. First test suite contains 617 handcrafted sentences in 10 different test files containing sentences with different syntactic features. Second test suite contains real time corpus of two text books of Sindhi class one with 258 sentences. Results show 98.05% and 96.5% parsing percentage of test suite 1 and test suite 2 respectively.