Linear Context-free Grammars Research Articles

Non-closure under complementation for unambiguous linear grammars

The paper demonstrates the non-closure of the family of unambiguous linear languages (that is, those defined by unambiguous linear context-free grammars) under complementation. To be precise, a particular unambiguous linear grammar is presented, and it is proved that the complement of this language is not defined by any context-free grammar. This also constitutes an alternative proof for the result of Hibbard and Ullian (“The independence of inherent ambiguity from complementedness among context-free languages”, JACM, 1966) on the non-closure of the unambiguous languages under complementation.

On the degrees of non-regularity and non-context-freeness

We study the derivational complexity of context-free and context-sensitive grammars by counting the maximal number of non-regular and non-context-free rules used in a derivation, respectively. The degree of non-regularity/non-context-freeness of a language is the minimum degree of non-regularity/non-context-freeness of context-free/context-sensitive grammars generating it. A language has finite degree of non-regularity iff it is regular. We give a condition for deciding whether the degree of non-regularity of a given unambiguous context-free grammar is finite. The problem becomes undecidable for arbitrary linear context-free grammars. The degree of non-regularity of unambiguous context-free grammars generating non-regular languages as well as that of grammars generating deterministic context-free languages that are not regular is of order Ω(n). Context-free non-regular languages of sublinear degree of non-regularity are presented. A language has finite degree of non-context-freeness iff it is context-free. Context-sensitive grammars with a quadratic degree of non-context-freeness are more powerful than those of a linear degree.

Static Watson-Crick Context-Free Grammars

Sticker systems and Watson-Crick automata are two modellings of DNA molecules in DNA computing. A sticker system is a computational model which is coded with single and double-stranded DNA molecules; while Watson-Crick automata is the automata counterpart of sticker system which represents the biological properties of DNA. Both of these models use the feature of Watson-Crick complementarity in DNA computing. Previously, the grammar counterpart of the Watson-Crick automata have been introduced, known as Watson-Crick grammars which are classified into three classes: Watson-Crick regular grammars, Watson-Crick linear grammars and Watson-Crick context-free grammars. In this research, a new variant of Watson-Crick grammar called a static Watson-Crick context-free grammar, which is a grammar counterpart of sticker systems that generates the double-stranded strings and uses rule as in context-free grammar, is introduced. The static Watson-Crick context-free grammar differs from a dynamic Watson-Crick context-free grammar in generating double-stranded strings, as well as for regular and linear grammars. The main result of the paper is to determine the generative powers of static Watson-Crick context-free grammars. Besides, the relationship of the families of languages generated by Chomsky grammars, sticker systems and Watson-Crick grammars are presented in terms of their hierarchy.

Weighted iterated linear control

We combine three extensions of context-free grammars: (a) associating its nonterminals with storage configurations, (b) equipping its rules with weights, and (c) controlling its derivations. For a commutative semiring K, we introduce the class of weighted languages generated by K-weighted linear context-free grammars with storage S and with derivations controlled by (S, K)-recognizable weighted languages. The control on the derivations can be iterated in a natural way. We characterize the n-th iteration of the control in terms of the n-th iteration of the one-turn pushdown operator on the storage S of the control weighted language. Moreover, for each proper semiring we prove that iterating the control yields an infinite, strict hierarchy of classes of weighted languages.

Constructing small tree grammars and small circuits for formulas

It is shown that every tree of size n over a fixed set of σ different ranked symbols can be produced by a so called straight-line linear context-free tree grammar of size O(nlogσ⁡n), which can be used as a compressed representation of the input tree. Two algorithms for computing such tree grammar are presented: One working in logarithmic space and the other working in linear time. As a consequence, it is shown that every arithmetical formula of size n, in which only m≤n different variables occur, can be transformed (in linear time as well as in logspace) into an arithmetical circuit of size O(n⋅log⁡mlog⁡n) and depth O(log⁡n). This refines a classical result of Brent from 1974, according to which an arithmetical formula of size n can be transformed into a logarithmic depth circuit of size O(n).

Approximation of smallest linear tree grammar

A simple linear-time algorithm for constructing a linear context-free tree grammar of size O(rg+rglog⁡(n/rg)) for a given input tree T of size n is presented, where g is the size of a minimal linear context-free tree grammar for T, and r is the maximal rank of symbols in T (which is a constant in many applications). This is the first example of a grammar-based tree compression algorithm with a good, i.e. logarithmic in terms of the size of the input tree, approximation ratio. The analysis of the algorithm uses an extension of the recompression technique from strings to trees.

Linear grammars with one-sided contexts and their automaton representation

The paper considers a family of formal grammars that extends linear context-free grammars with an operator for referring to the left context of a substring being defined, as well as with a conjunction operation (as in linear conjunctive grammars). These grammars are proved to be computationally equivalent to an extension of one-way real-time cellular automata with an extra data channel. The main result is the undecidability of the emptiness problem for grammars restricted to a one-symbol alphabet, which is proved by simulating a Turing machine by a cellular automaton with feedback. The same construction proves the Σ0 2 -completeness of the finiteness problem for these grammars and automata.

Parameter reduction and automata evaluation for grammar-compressed trees

Trees can be conveniently compressed with linear straight-line context-free tree grammars. Such grammars generalize straight-line context-free string grammars which are widely used in the development of algorithms that execute directly on compressed structures (without prior decompression). It is shown that every linear straight-line context-free tree grammar can be transformed in polynomial time into a monadic (and linear) one. A tree grammar is monadic if each nonterminal uses at most one context parameter. Based on this result, polynomial time algorithms are presented for testing whether a given (i) nondeterministic tree automaton or (ii) nondeterministic tree automaton with sibling-constraints or (iii) nondeterministic tree walking automaton, accepts a tree represented by a linear straight-line context-free tree grammar. It is also shown that if tree grammars are nondeterministic or non-linear, then reducing their numbers of parameters cannot be done without an exponential blow-up in grammar size.

Quasi-rocking real-time pushdown automata

A pushdown automaton (PDA) is quasi-rocking if it preserves the stack height for no more than a bounded number of consecutive moves. Every PDA can be transformed into an equivalent one that is quasi-rocking and real-time and every finite-turn (one-turn) PDA can be transformed into an equivalent one that is quasi-rocking or real-time. The quasi-rocking [quasi-rocking in the increasing mode, and quasi-rocking in the decreasing mode] real-time restriction in finite-turn (one-turn) PDAs coincides with the double Greibach [reverse Greibach, and Greibach] form in nonterminal-bounded (linear) context-free grammars. This provides complete grammatical characterizations of quasi-rocking and/or real-time (finite-turn and one-turn) PDAs and, together with known relations and other relations proved in the present paper, yields an extended hierarchy of PDA languages. Basic decision properties for PDAs can be stated in stronger forms by using the quasi-rocking and real-time restrictions and their undecidability/decidability status rests on the way PDAs quasi-rock.

The Equivalence of Tree Adjoining Grammars and Monadic Linear Context-free Tree Grammars

The equivalence of leaf languages of tree adjoining grammars and monadic linear context-free grammars was shown about a decade ago. This paper presents a proof of the strong equivalence of these grammar formalisms. Non-strict tree adjoining grammars and monadic linear context-free grammars define the same class of tree languages. We also present a logical characterisation of this tree language class showing that a tree language is a member of this class iff it is the two-dimensional yield of an MSO-definable three-dimensional tree language.

Grammatical Verification for Mathematical Formula Recognition Based on Context-Free Tree Grammar

This paper proposes the use of a formal grammar for the verification of mathematical formulae for a practical mathematical OCR system. Like a C compiler detecting syntax errors in a source file, we want to have a verification mechanism to find errors in the output of mathematical OCR. A linear monadic context-free tree grammar (LM-CFTG) is employed as a formal framework to define “well-formed” mathematical formulae. A cubic time parsing algorithm for LM-CFTGs is presented. For the purpose of practical evaluation, a verification system for mathematical OCR is developed, and the effectiveness of the system is demonstrated by using the ground-truthed mathematical document database InftyCDB-1 and a misrecognition database newly constructed for this study.

A Labeled Transition Model A-LTS for History-Based Aspect Weaving and Its Expressive Power

This paper proposes an event-based transition system called A-LTS. An A-LTS is a simple system consisting of two agents, a basic program and a monitor. The monitor observes the behavior of the basic program and if the behavior matches some pre-defined pattern, then the monitor interrupts the execution of the basic program and possibly triggers the execution of another specific program. An A-LTS models a common feature found in recent software technologies such as Aspect-Oriented Programming (AOP), history-based access control and active database. We investigate the expressive power of A-LTS and show that it is strictly stronger than finite state machines and strictly weaker than pushdown automata (PDA). This implies that the model checking problem for A-LTS is decidable. It is also shown that the expressive power of A-LTS, linear context-free grammar and deterministic PDA are mutually incomparable. We also discuss the relationship between A-LTS and pointcut/advice in AOP.

ON THE DESCRIPTIONAL COMPLEXITY OF METALINEAR CD GRAMMAR SYSTEMS

Metalinear CD grammar systems are context-free CD grammar systems where each component consists of metalinear productions. The maximal number of nonterminals in all starting productions is referred to as the width of a CD grammar system. It is shown that between the class of CD grammar systems of width m + 1 and of width m there are savings concerning the size of the grammar system not bounded by any recursive function. This is called a non-recursive trade-off. Furthermore, it is proven that there are non-recursive trade-offs between the class of metalinear CD grammar systems of width m and the class of (2m - 1)-linear context-free grammars. In addition, some decidability results are presented.

A COMPLEX MEASURE FOR LINEAR GRAMMARS

The signed real measure of regular languages, introduced and validated in recent literature, has been the driving force for quantitative analysis and synthesis of discrete-event supervisory (DES) control systems dealing with finite state automata (equivalently, regular languages). However, this approach relies on memoryless state-based tools for supervisory control synthesis and may become inadequate if the transitions in the plant dynamics cannot be captured by finitely many states. From this perspective, the measure of regular languages needs to be extended to that of non-regular languages, such as Petri nets or other higher level languages in the Chomsky hierarchy. Measures for non-regular languages has not apparently been reported in open literature and is an open area of research. This paper introduces a complex measure of linear context free grammars (LCFG) that belong to the class of non-regular languages. The proposed complex measure becomes equivalent to the signed real measure, reported in recent literature, if the LCFG is degenerated to a regular grammar.

On the Expressive Power of Abstract Categorial Grammars: Representing Context-Free Formalisms

We show how to encode context-free string grammars, linear context-free tree grammars, and linear context-free rewriting systems as Abstract Categorial Grammars. These three encodings share the same constructs, the only difference being the interpretation of the composition of the production rules. It is interpreted as a first-order operation in the case of context-free string grammars, as a second-order operation in the case of linear context-free tree grammars, and as a third-order operation in the case of linear context-free rewriting systems. This suggest the possibility of defining an Abstract Categorial Hierarchy.

On the equivalence of linear conjunctive grammars and trellis automata

This paper establishes computational equivalence of two seemingly unrelated concepts: linear conjunctive grammars and trellis automata. Trellis automata, also studied under the name of one-way real-time cellular automata, have been known since early 1980s as a purely abstract model of parallel computers, while linear conjunctive grammars, introduced a few years ago, are linear context-free grammars extended with an explicit intersection operation. Their equivalence implies the equivalence of several other formal systems, including a certain restricted class of Turing machines and a certain type of language equations, thus giving further evidence for the importance of the language family they all generate.

On the complexity of the string generation problem

We consider the problem of generating strings that belong to certain languages and satisfy some additional restrictions. Languages are defined by formal grammars and automata. The following formulation of this problem as a decision one is proposed: for a language represented by a formal grammar or an automaton and a pair of strings, determine whether there exists a string in this language that lies lexicographically between these strings. It is proved that this problem is NLOGSPACE-complete for deterministic and nondeterministic finite automata and for linear context-free grammars; P-complete for context-free grammars of the general form; NP-complete for alternating finite automata, for conjunctive grammars and for linear conjunctive grammars; PSPACE-complete for context-sensitive grammars and linear bounded automata.

On the closure properties of linear conjunctive languages

Linear conjunctive grammars are conjunctive grammars in which the body of each conjunct contains no more than a single nonterminal symbol. They can at the same time be thought of as a special case of conjunctive grammars and as a generalization of linear context-free grammars that provides an explicit intersection operation.Although the set of languages generated by these grammars is known to include many important noncontext-free languages, linear conjunctive languages are still all square-time, and several practical algorithms have been devised to handle them, which makes this class of grammars quite suitable for use in applications.In this paper we investigate the closure properties of the language family generated by linear conjunctive grammars; the main result is its closure under complement, which implies that it is closed under all set-theoretic operations. We also consider several cases in which the concatenation of two linear conjunctive languages is certain to be linear conjunctive. In addition, it is demonstrated that linear conjunctive languages are closed under quotient with finite languages, not closed under quotient with regular languages, and not closed under ε-free homomorphism.

On the complexity of the string generation problem

We consider the problem of generating strings that belong to certain languages and satisfy some additional restrictions. Languages are defined by formal grammars and automata. The following formulation of this problem as a decision one is proposed: for a language represented by a formal grammar or an automaton and a pair of strings, determine whether there exists a string in this language that lies lexicographically between these strings. It is proved that this problem is NLOGSPACE-complete for deterministic and nondeterministic finite automata and for linear context-free grammars; P-complete for context-free grammars of the general form; NP-complete for alternating finite automata, for conjunctive grammars and for linear conjunctive grammars; PSPACE-complete for context-sensitive grammars and linear bounded automata.

Preset two-head automata and morphological analysis of natural language∗

Modeling the morphological structure of natural languages in terms of a nondeterministic finite-state automaton is shown to be inadequate in its handling of some common natural language phenomena. We show that a two-tape nondeterministic automaton is capable of handling these phenomena. The modeling is improved by the specification of a new type of automaton, the preset two-head automaton, which we argue is equivalent in expressive power to a linear context-free grammar. We discuss the operation of a parser which implements the improved model.