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Modifiers
This chapter covers various types of modifiers: adverbs, prepositions,
adjectives, and noun modifiers in noun-noun compounds.19.1 These categories
optionally modify other lexical items and phrases by adjoining onto them. In
their modifier function these items are adjuncts; they are not part of the
subcategorization frame of the items they modify. Examples of some of these
modifiers are shown in ((284))-((286)).
(283)0(283
- (284)
- [ADV certainly ADV], the October 13 sell-off didn't settle any stomachs . (WSJ)
(284)0(284
- (285)
- Mr. Bakes [ADV previously ADV] had a turn at running Continental . (WSJ)
(285)0(285
- (286)
- most [ADJ foreign ADJ] [N government N] [N bond N] [prices] rose [PP during the week PP].
The trees used for the various modifiers are quite similar in form.
The modifier anchors the tree and the root and foot nodes of the tree
are of the category that the particular anchor modifies. Some
modifiers, e.g. prepositions, select for their own arguments and those
are also included in the tree. The foot node may be to the right or
the left of the anchoring modifier (and its arguments) depending on
whether that modifier occurs before or after the category it
modifies. For example, almost all adjectives appear to the left of the
nouns they modify, while prepositions appear to the right when
modifying nouns.
Next: Adjectives
Up: Other Constructions
Previous: Adverbs, Noun Phrases, and
XTAG Project
1998-09-14