A Computational Introduction to Linguistics
Describing Language in Plain Prolog
9781575866598
9781575866604
Distributed for Center for the Study of Language and Information
A Computational Introduction to Linguistics
Describing Language in Plain Prolog
In this book, Almerindo E. Ojeda offers a unique perspective on linguistics by discussing developing computer programs that will assign particular sounds to particular meanings and, conversely, particular meanings to particular sounds. Since these assignments are to operate efficiently over unbounded domains of sound and sense, they can begin to model the two fundamental modalities of human language—speaking and hearing. The computational approach adopted in this book is motivated by our struggle with one of the key problems of contemporary linguistics—figuring out how it is that language emerges from the brain.
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Table of Contents
- 1 Language, Grammar, PROLOG
- 1 A Broad Definition of Language
- 2 Narrowing the Definition of Language
- 3 Time for an Example
- 4 The Goals of a Grammar
- 5 Narrowing the Definition of Grammar Further
- 6 Time for Another Example
- 7 Grammars as Deductive Systems
- 8 Why PROLOG?
- 9 Facing Infinity and Indeterminacy
- 10 Other Preliminaries
- 11 Suggestions for Further Reading
- 12 Exercises
- 2. Phonology: The Nature of Linguistic Sound
- 1 Introduction
- 2 The Phones of Language
- 3 Representing Phones in PROLOG
- 4 Phone Properties
- 5 Natural Classes of Phones
- 6 The Syllable
- 7 The Sounds of English
- 8 Suggestions for Further Reading
- 9 Exercises
- 3. Semantics: The Nature of Linguistic Meaning
- 1 What is Meaning?
- 2 Implementing the Procedural Theory of Meaning
- 3 Proper Names
- 4 Unary Predicates
- 5 Binary Predicates: Preliminaries
- 6 Binary Predicates: Kinterms
- 7 Binary Predicates: Deictics
- 8 Ternary Predicates
- 9 Sentences: Declaratives
- 10 Sentences: Interrogatives
- 11 Historical Note
- 12 Conclusion
- 13 Suggestions for Further Reading
- 14 Exercises
- 4. Morphology I: The Combinatorics of Words
- 1 Whence Words Come
- 2 Time for a Concrete Example
- 3 Prefixation
- 4 Prefixation
- 5 Infixation
- 6 Circumfixation
- 7 Interfixation
- 8 Reduplication
- 9 Metathesis
- 10 Truncation
- 11 Mutation
- 12 Suppletion
- 13 Recategorization
- 14 Conclusion
- 15 Suggestions for Further Reading
- 16 Exercises
- 5. Morphology II: The Instantiation of Words
- 1 Missing Phonological Regularities
- 2 Assimilation: First Pass
- 3 Assimilation: Second Pass
- 4 Dissimilation
- 5 Syllabification
- 6 Conclusion
- 7 Historical Note
- 8 Exercises
- 6. Syntax I: The Nominal Clause
- 1 What Syntax is About
- 2 Modification
- 3 Quantification
- 4 Quantification in PROLOG
- 5 The Definite Article
- 6 Proper Names
- 7 Suggestions for Further Reading
- 8 Exercises
- 7. Syntax II: The Verbal Clause
- 1 Verbs and Such
- 2 Argument Structure: Valence
- 3 Argument Structure: Binding
- 4 The Computational Complexity of Argument Structure
- 5 Historical Note
- 6 Exercises
- 8. Syntax III: The Prepositional Clause
- 1 Government
- 2 Prepositional Phrases: Verbal Constructions
- 3 Prepositional Phrases: Nominal Constructions
- 4 More on Oblique Nominal Clauses
- 5 Oblique Nominal Clauses vs. Prepositional Phrases
- 6 Exercises
- 9. Syntax IV: Other Topics
- 1 The Adverbial Clause
- 2 The English Auxiliary
- 3 Inversion
- 4 The Passive Voice
- 5 Control Structures
- 6 Subordination
- 7 Coordination
- 8 Historical Note: Generative Grammar
- 9 Suggestions for Further Reading: Definite Clause Grammar
- 10 Exercises
- 10. Conclusion: The Computational Complexity of Language
- 1 The Computational Complexity of a Grammar
- 2 How Complex Are Our Grammars?
- 3 How Complex is Language?
- 4 Shortcomings of PROLOG Programming
- 5 Facing Left-Recursion
- 6 Some of the Perils Ahead
- A. Getting Started with PROLOG on a Windows Platform
- 1 How to Install a PROLOG Interpreter
- 2 How to Install all the Programs Discussed in this Book
- 3 How to Consult an Installed PROLOG Program
- 4 How to Create a New PROLOG Program
- 5 How to Revise an Installed PROLOG Program
- 6 How to Display Phonetic Characters Properly
- B. Getting Started with PROLOG on a Mac Platform
- 1 How to Install a PROLOG Interpreter
- 2 How to Install all the Programs Discussed in this Book
- 3 How to Consult an Installed PROLOG Program
- 4 How to Create a New PROLOG Program
- 5 How to Revise an Installed PROLOG Program
- C. Tutorials and Other Online Resources for PROLOG
- D. The Efficiency of a Simple Grammar: Spanish.swipl
- E. Appendix E
- F. Fundamental Properties of English Phones
- G. Calculating the Complexity of a Grammar
- H. Program Listings
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