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James Tauber edited this page Dec 18, 2015 · 12 revisions

A catalog of types of ambiguity we face and how we'll deal with them.

This is incomplete and a work in progress. It's a proposal designed to start conversation. Not everything (or even much) is set in stone.

Basic Syncretism

I include here things that can be modelled as one property being underspecified either partially or completely (we might want to further divide that into two categories). Note that partial underspecification could be modelled as complete underspecification by splitting the property into multiple properties (e.g. splitting case into N,A vs G,D or gender into animate vs inanimate)

Examples are:

  • nominative vs accusative neuter [99+50+33+32]
  • the gender of genitive plurals
  • animate vs inanimate in two-termination adjectives
  • feminine vs non-feminine in non-nominative and non-accusative-plural three-termination adjectives

Extended Syncretism

I include here things that involve ambiguity between two properties (but still fixed pairs of possibilities)

  • 1st person singular vs 3rd person plural
  • 1st declension genitive singular vs accusative plural [30+3]

Non-Examples

  • middle vs passive (this shouldn't be modelled as ambiguity; we should just model the form not the semantics)

Cross-Overs

  • neuter adjectives functioning as adverbs
  • neuter adjectives functioning as nouns
  • verbs fossilised as particles

Indeclinable Part-of-Speech Classification

These go away with a morphological part-of-speech system

  • adverb vs preposition [23]
  • conjunction vs adverb [15]
  • adverb vs particle [4]
  • conjunction vs particle [4]
  • conjunction vs preposition [4]
  • interjection vs particle [3]
  • conjunction vs adverb vs particle [3]
  • conjunction vs adverb vs preposition [1]

Raw List from MorphGNT/SBLGNT

We should remove them from here as come to be described above

  27 ['A- ----ASM-', 'A- ----ASN-', 'A- ----NSN-']
  22 ['A- ----DSM-', 'A- ----DSN-']
  20 ['N- ----ASM-', 'N- ----NSM-']
  15 ['N- ----ASM-', 'N- ----GSM-', 'N- ----NSM-']
  15 ['A- ----GSM-', 'A- ----GSN-']
  13 ['A- ----NSF-', 'A- ----NSM-']
  12 ['N- ----NPM-', 'N- ----VPM-']
  12 ['A- ----NPM-', 'A- ----VPM-']
  12 ['A- ----GPM-', 'A- ----GPN-']
  12 ['A- ----DPM-', 'A- ----DPN-']
   8 ['A- ----ASM-', 'A- ----NSN-']
   8 ['A- ----ASM-', 'A- ----ASN-']
   7 ['N- ----NSF-', 'N- ----VSF-']
   6 ['N- ----APM-', 'N- ----NPM-']
   6 ['A- ----ASNC', 'A- ----NSNC']
   6 ['A- ----ASF-', 'A- ----ASM-']
   5 ['N- ----NSM-', 'N- ----VSM-']
   5 ['N- ----GSM-', 'N- ----NSM-']
   5 ['N- ----APF-', 'N- ----NPF-']
   4 ['N- ----NSF-', 'N- ----NSM-']
   4 ['N- ----ASF-', 'N- ----GSF-']
   4 ['A- ----NPF-', 'A- ----NPM-']
   4 ['A- ----GPF-', 'A- ----GPM-']
   4 ['A- ----GPF-', 'A- ----GPM-', 'A- ----GPN-']
   4 ['A- ----DPF-', 'A- ----DPM-']
   4 ['A- ----APM-', 'A- ----NPM-']
   4 ['A- ----APF-', 'A- ----APM-']
   3 ['N- ----GSM-', 'N- ----VSM-']
   3 ['N- ----ASM-', 'N- ----DSM-', 'N- ----GSM-', 'N- ----NSM-', 'N- ----VSM-']
   3 ['N- ----ASF-', 'N- ----ASM-']
   3 ['N- ----APN-', 'N- ----NPN-', 'N- ----VPN-']
   3 ['A- ----APN-', 'A- ----NSF-']
   2 ['N- ----NPF-', 'N- ----VPF-']
   2 ['N- ----GSF-', 'N- ----GSM-']
   2 ['N- ----DSM-', 'N- ----GSM-', 'N- ----NSM-']
   2 ['N- ----DSF-', 'N- ----DSM-']
   2 ['N- ----ASN-', 'N- ----NSN-', 'N- ----VSN-']
   2 ['N- ----ASN-', 'N- ----NSM-', 'N- ----NSN-']
   2 ['N- ----ASM-', 'N- ----GSM-']
   2 ['N- ----ASM-', 'N- ----DSM-', 'N- ----GSM-', 'N- ----NSM-']
   2 ['N- ----ASF-', 'N- ----DSF-', 'N- ----GSF-', 'N- ----NSF-', 'N- ----VSF-']
   2 ['N- ----APM-', 'N- ----NPM-', 'N- ----VPM-']
   2 ['A- ----NSFC', 'A- ----NSMC']
   2 ['A- ----NPN-', 'A- ----NSF-']
   2 ['A- ----NPM-', 'RP ----DS--']
   2 ['A- ----GSFC', 'A- ----GSMC']
   2 ['A- ----GSF-', 'A- ----GSM-']
   2 ['A- ----DSF-', 'A- ----DSM-']
   2 ['A- ----ASN-', 'D- --------']
   2 ['A- ----ASF-', 'N- ----ASF-']
   2 ['A- ----ASF-', 'A- ----NSN-']
   2 ['A- ----APNC', 'A- ----ASFC', 'A- ----ASMC']
   2 ['A- ----APN-', 'A- ----ASM-']
   2 ['A- ----APN-', 'A- ----ASM-', 'A- ----NPN-']

  37 ['V- 2PAD-P--', 'V- 2PAI-P--']
  18 ['V- 1AAI-S--', 'V- 3AAI-P--']
  18 ['V- -PAPDPM-', 'V- 3PAI-P--']
  14 ['V- 1AAS-S--', 'V- 1FAI-S--']
  13 ['V- 1PAI-S--', 'V- 1PAS-S--']
  10 ['V- 1IAI-S--', 'V- 3IAI-P--']
   7 ['V- -PAPGSM-', 'V- -PAPGSN-']
   7 ['V- -PAPASN-', 'V- -PAPNSN-']
   7 ['V- -PAPASM-', 'V- -PAPNPN-']
   7 ['N- ----DSF-', 'V- 3FAI-S--']
   5 ['V- 2PMD-P--', 'V- 2PMI-P--']
   4 ['V- 3PMI-S--', 'V- 3PPI-S--']
   4 ['V- 3PAI-S--', 'V- 3PAS-S--']
   3 ['V- -XPPASM-', 'V- -XPPASN-']
   3 ['V- -PMPASM-', 'V- -PMPNSN-']
   3 ['V- -PAPAPN-', 'V- -PAPASM-', 'V- -PAPNPN-']
   3 ['V- -AAPASM-', 'V- -AAPNPN-']
   3 ['V- -AAN----', 'V- 3AAO-S--']
   3 ['RR ----APN-', 'RR ----NPN-']
   3 ['RI ----ASN-', 'RI ----NSN-']
   3 ['RI ----APF-', 'RI ----APM-']
   3 ['RD ----APN-', 'RD ----NPN-']
   2 ['V- 3PAI-P--', 'V- 3PAS-P--']
   2 ['V- 2PPD-P--', 'V- 2PPI-P--']
   2 ['V- 2PAD-P--', 'V- 2PAI-P--', 'V- 2PAS-P--']
   2 ['V- 2FMI-S--', 'V- 3AAS-S--']
   2 ['V- 1PAI-P--', 'V- 1PAS-P--']
   2 ['V- -XPPASN-', 'V- -XPPNSN-']
   2 ['V- -XPPASM-', 'V- -XPPNSN-']
   2 ['V- -XAPASN-', 'V- -XAPNSN-']
   2 ['V- -PPPASM-', 'V- -PPPASN-']
   2 ['V- -PMPGSM-', 'V- -PMPGSN-']
   2 ['V- -PMPASM-', 'V- -PMPASN-']
   2 ['V- -PMN----', 'V- -PPN----']
   2 ['V- -PAPGPM-', 'V- -PAPGPN-']
   2 ['V- -PAPDSM-', 'V- -PAPDSN-']
   2 ['V- -PAPAPN-', 'V- -PAPASM-']
   2 ['V- -APPASN-', 'V- -APPNSN-']
   2 ['V- -AMPGSM-', 'V- -AMPGSN-']
   2 ['RI ----NSF-', 'RI ----NSM-']
   2 ['RI ----GSM-', 'RI ----GSN-']
   2 ['RI ----GPM-', 'RI ----GPN-']
   2 ['RI ----DSF-', 'RI ----DSM-', 'RI ----DSN-']
   2 ['RD ----GSM-', 'RD ----GSN-']
   2 ['RD ----GPF-', 'RD ----GPM-', 'RD ----GPN-']
   2 ['RD ----DSM-', 'RD ----DSN-']
   2 ['RD ----DPM-', 'RD ----DPN-']
   2 ['RD ----ASN-', 'RD ----NSN-']
   2 ['N- ----GPM-', 'V- -PAPNSM-']
   1 ['V- 3XMI-S--', 'V- 3XPI-S--']
   1 ['V- 3AAI-S--', 'V- 3IAI-S--']
   1 ['V- 2XAD-P--', 'V- 2XAI-P--']
   1 ['V- 2PMI-P--', 'V- 2PPI-P--']
   1 ['V- 2IAI-P--', 'V- 2PAS-P--']
   1 ['V- 2AMS-S--', 'V- 2FMI-S--']
   1 ['V- 2AAD-S--', 'X- --------']
   1 ['V- 2AAD-P--', 'V- 2AAS-P--']
   1 ['V- 2AAD-P--', 'V- 2AAI-P--']
   1 ['V- 1IAI-P--', 'V- 1PAI-P--']
   1 ['V- 1AAS-S--', 'V- 1FAI-S--', 'V- 1PAI-S--', 'V- 1PAS-S--']
   1 ['V- -XPPNPM-', 'V- -XPPVPM-']
   1 ['V- -XPPGPM-', 'V- -XPPGPN-']
   1 ['V- -XPPASM-', 'V- -XPPASN-', 'V- -XPPNSN-']
   1 ['V- -XPPAPN-', 'V- -XPPNPN-']
   1 ['V- -XAPGPM-', 'V- -XAPGPN-']
   1 ['V- -XAPAPN-', 'V- -XAPASM-']
   1 ['V- -PPPGSM-', 'V- -PPPGSN-']
   1 ['V- -PPPASM-', 'V- -PPPNSN-']
   1 ['V- -PPPAPN-', 'V- -PPPNPN-']
   1 ['V- -PMPNPM-', 'V- -PPPNPM-']
   1 ['V- -PMPDSM-', 'V- -PMPDSN-']
   1 ['V- -PMPDPM-', 'V- -PMPDPN-']
   1 ['V- -PMPASM-', 'V- -PPPASM-']
   1 ['V- -PMPASM-', 'V- -PMPASN-', 'V- -PMPNSN-']
   1 ['V- -PAPDPN-', 'V- 3PAI-P--']
   1 ['V- -PAPASN-', 'V- -PAPNSM-']
   1 ['V- -PAPAPN-', 'V- -PAPNPN-']
   1 ['V- -AMPGPF-', 'V- -AMPGPM-', 'V- -AMPGPN-']
   1 ['V- -AMPDPM-', 'V- -AMPDPN-']
   1 ['V- -AMPASM-', 'V- -AMPASN-']
   1 ['V- -AAPGSM-', 'V- -AAPGSN-']
   1 ['V- -AAN----', 'V- -PAN----']
   1 ['RR ----GPF-', 'RR ----GPM-', 'RR ----GPN-']
   1 ['RR ----DSM-', 'RR ----DSN-']
   1 ['RR ----DPM-', 'RR ----DPN-']
   1 ['RR ----ASN-', 'RR ----NSN-']
   1 ['RR ----ASM-', 'RR ----NSN-']
   1 ['RR ----ASM-', 'RR ----ASN-', 'RR ----NSN-']
   1 ['RP ----GSM-', 'RP ----GSN-']
   1 ['RP ----GPF-', 'RP ----GPM-', 'RP ----GPN-']
   1 ['RP ----DPM-', 'RP ----DPN-']
   1 ['RI ----NSM-', 'RR ----NSM-']
   1 ['RI ----NPF-', 'RI ----NPM-']
   1 ['RI ----GPF-', 'RI ----GPM-']
   1 ['RI ----DSM-', 'RI ----DSN-']
   1 ['RI ----ASM-', 'RI ----NSN-']
   1 ['RI ----ASM-', 'RI ----ASN-', 'RI ----NSN-']
   1 ['RI ----ASF-', 'RI ----ASM-']
   1 ['RI ----ASF-', 'RI ----ASM-', 'RI ----NPN-']
   1 ['RI ----APN-', 'RI ----ASF-', 'RI ----ASM-', 'RI ----NPN-']
   1 ['RI ----APF-', 'RI ----GSF-']
   1 ['RD ----ASM-', 'RD ----ASN-']
   1 ['RA ----NPM-', 'RR ----NPM-']
   1 ['RA ----GSM-', 'RA ----GSN-']
   1 ['RA ----GPF-', 'RA ----GPM-', 'RA ----GPN-']
   1 ['RA ----DSM-', 'RA ----DSN-']
   1 ['RA ----DPM-', 'RA ----DPN-']
   1 ['RA ----ASN-', 'RA ----NSN-']
   1 ['RA ----APN-', 'RA ----NPN-']
   1 ['N- ----NSM-', 'X- --------']
   1 ['N- ----NPF-', 'N- ----NPM-']
   1 ['N- ----GSM-', 'N- ----NSF-']
   1 ['N- ----GPF-', 'V- -PAPNSM-']
   1 ['N- ----DSN-', 'V- 2PAD-S--']
   1 ['N- ----DSN-', 'N- ----GSN-', 'N- ----NSN-']
   1 ['N- ----DSM-', 'N- ----GSM-']
   1 ['N- ----DSM-', 'N- ----GSM-', 'N- ----VSM-']
   1 ['N- ----DSF-', 'V- 3APS-S--']
   1 ['N- ----DSF-', 'V- 3AAS-S--']
   1 ['N- ----DSF-', 'N- ----GSF-']
   1 ['N- ----ASN-', 'N- ----GSN-']
   1 ['N- ----ASN-', 'N- ----DSN-', 'N- ----GSN-', 'N- ----NSN-']
   1 ['N- ----ASM-', 'N- ----VSM-']
   1 ['N- ----ASM-', 'N- ----DSM-']
   1 ['N- ----ASM-', 'N- ----DSM-', 'N- ----GSM-']
   1 ['N- ----ASF-', 'P- --------']
   1 ['N- ----ASF-', 'N- ----NSF-']
   1 ['N- ----ASF-', 'N- ----GSF-', 'N- ----VSF-']
   1 ['N- ----ASF-', 'N- ----GSF-', 'N- ----NSF-']
   1 ['N- ----ASF-', 'N- ----DSF-']
   1 ['N- ----ASF-', 'N- ----DSF-', 'N- ----VSF-']
   1 ['N- ----ASF-', 'N- ----DSF-', 'N- ----NSF-']
   1 ['N- ----ASF-', 'N- ----DSF-', 'N- ----NSF-', 'N- ----VSF-']
   1 ['N- ----ASF-', 'N- ----DSF-', 'N- ----GSF-']
   1 ['N- ----ASF-', 'N- ----ASN-']
   1 ['N- ----APN-', 'N- ----NPN-', 'N- ----NSF-']
   1 ['N- ----APF-', 'N- ----APM-']
   1 ['I- --------', 'V- 1PAS-S--', 'X- --------']
   1 ['D- --------', 'N- ----ASN-']
   1 ['D- --------', 'N- ----ASF-']
   1 ['C- --------', 'D- --------', 'RR ----GSM-', 'RR ----GSN-']
   1 ['A- ----NSM-', 'RP ----NSM-']
   1 ['A- ----NSM-', 'A- ----VSM-']
   1 ['A- ----NSM-', 'A- ----NSMC']
   1 ['A- ----NSF-', 'RP ----NSF-']
   1 ['A- ----NSF-', 'N- ----NSF-']
   1 ['A- ----NSF-', 'A- ----VSF-']
   1 ['A- ----NSF-', 'A- ----NSM-', 'A- ----VSM-']
   1 ['A- ----NSF-', 'A- ----NSM-', 'A- ----VSF-']
   1 ['A- ----NPMC', 'A- ----VPMC']
   1 ['A- ----NPM-', 'A- ----NPMC', 'A- ----VPM-']
   1 ['A- ----GSN-', 'RP ----GS--']
   1 ['A- ----GSN-', 'N- ----GSM-']
   1 ['A- ----GSN-', 'D- --------', 'RP ----GSM-', 'RP ----GSN-']
   1 ['A- ----GSF-', 'RP ----GSF-']
   1 ['A- ----GSF-', 'N- ----GSF-']
   1 ['A- ----GSF-', 'A- ----GSN-']
   1 ['A- ----GPN-', 'V- -PAPNSM-']
   1 ['A- ----GPN-', 'RP ----GPF-', 'RP ----GPM-', 'RP ----GPN-']
   1 ['A- ----GPMC', 'A- ----GPNC']
   1 ['A- ----GPM-', 'V- -PAPNSM-']
   1 ['A- ----GPFS', 'A- ----GPMS', 'A- ----GPNS']
   1 ['A- ----DSM-', 'A- ----DSN-', 'RP ----DSM-', 'RP ----DSN-']
   1 ['A- ----DSF-', 'RP ----DSF-']
   1 ['A- ----DSF-', 'N- ----DSF-']
   1 ['A- ----DPN-', 'RP ----DPM-', 'RP ----DPN-']
   1 ['A- ----DPM-', 'A- ----DPMC']
   1 ['A- ----DPF-', 'RP ----DPF-']
   1 ['A- ----DPF-', 'A- ----DPM-', 'A- ----DPN-']
   1 ['A- ----ASNC', 'V- -PAPASN-']
   1 ['A- ----ASNC', 'D- --------']
   1 ['A- ----ASN-', 'P- --------']
   1 ['A- ----ASN-', 'N- ----ASN-', 'N- ----NSN-']
   1 ['A- ----ASN-', 'A- ----NSN-', 'RP ----ASN-', 'RP ----NSN-']
   1 ['A- ----ASN-', 'A- ----NSN-', 'D- --------']
   1 ['A- ----ASMC', 'A- ----ASNC', 'A- ----NSNC', 'D- --------']
   1 ['A- ----ASM-', 'RP ----ASM-']
   1 ['A- ----ASM-', 'N- ----ASN-']
   1 ['A- ----ASM-', 'A- ----ASN-', 'D- --------']
   1 ['A- ----ASM-', 'A- ----ASN-', 'A- ----NSN-', 'D- --------']
   1 ['A- ----ASF-', 'RP ----ASF-']
   1 ['A- ----ASF-', 'A- ----ASN-', 'A- ----NSN-']
   1 ['A- ----ASF-', 'A- ----ASM-', 'A- ----NSN-']
   1 ['A- ----ASF-', 'A- ----ASM-', 'A- ----ASN-']
   1 ['A- ----ASF-', 'A- ----ASM-', 'A- ----ASN-', 'A- ----NSN-']
   1 ['A- ----APN-', 'RP ----APN-', 'RP ----NPN-']
   1 ['A- ----APN-', 'A- ----NPN-', 'A- ----NSF-']
   1 ['A- ----APN-', 'A- ----NPM-']
   1 ['A- ----APN-', 'A- ----DPM-', 'A- ----DPN-']
   1 ['A- ----APN-', 'A- ----DPM-', 'A- ----DPN-', 'A- ----NPM-']
   1 ['A- ----APN-', 'A- ----ASF-', 'A- ----NPN-']
   1 ['A- ----APM-', 'A- ----GPN-']
   1 ['A- ----APM-', 'A- ----DPM-', 'A- ----GPM-', 'A- ----NPM-']
   1 ['A- ----APM-', 'A- ----DPF-', 'A- ----NPF-', 'A- ----NPM-']
   1 ['A- ----APM-', 'A- ----APN-', 'A- ----GPN-']
   1 ['A- ----APM-', 'A- ----APN-', 'A- ----DPN-', 'A- ----GPM-']
   1 ['A- ----APFC', 'A- ----NPFC', 'A- ----NPMC']
   1 ['A- ----APFC', 'A- ----APMC']
   1 ['A- ----APF-', 'RP ----APF-']
   1 ['A- ----APF-', 'A- ----GPM-']
   1 ['A- ----APF-', 'A- ----APN-', 'A- ----GPF-', 'A- ----GPN-', 'A- ----NPF-']
   1 ['A- ----APF-', 'A- ----APM-', 'A- ----NPM-']
   1 ['A- ----APF-', 'A- ----APM-', 'A- ----NPF-', 'A- ----NPM-']
   1 ['A- ----APF-', 'A- ----APM-', 'A- ----GPF-', 'A- ----NPF-', 'A- ----NPM-']
   1 ['A- ----APF-', 'A- ----APM-', 'A- ----DPN-', 'A- ----GPF-', 'A- ----NPF-', 'A- ----NPM-']
   1 ['A- ----APF-', 'A- ----APM-', 'A- ----APN-', 'A- ----GPN-', 'A- ----NPM-']
   1 ['A- ----APF-', 'A- ----APM-', 'A- ----APN-', 'A- ----GPM-', 'A- ----NPF-', 'A- ----NPM-', 'A- ----NPN-']
   1 ['A- ----APF-', 'A- ----APM-', 'A- ----APN-', 'A- ----GPM-', 'A- ----GPN-', 'A- ----NPF-', 'A- ----NPM-', 'A- ----NPN-']
   1 ['A- ----APF-', 'A- ----APM-', 'A- ----APN-', 'A- ----DPN-', 'A- ----GPF-', 'A- ----GPM-', 'A- ----GPN-', 'A- ----NPF-']
   1 ['A- ----APF-', 'A- ----APM-', 'A- ----APN-', 'A- ----DPF-', 'A- ----GPF-', 'A- ----NPM-', 'A- ----NPN-']
   1 ['A- ----APF-', 'A- ----APM-', 'A- ----APN-', 'A- ----DPF-', 'A- ----GPF-', 'A- ----GPM-', 'A- ----NPF-', 'A- ----NPM-', 'A- ----NPN-']
   1 ['A- ----APF-', 'A- ----APM-', 'A- ----APN-', 'A- ----DPF-', 'A- ----DPM-', 'A- ----GPF-', 'A- ----GPM-', 'A- ----GPN-', 'A- ----NPF-', 'A- ----NPM-']
   1 ['A- ----APF-', 'A- ----APM-', 'A- ----APN-', 'A- ----DPF-', 'A- ----DPM-', 'A- ----GPF-', 'A- ----GPM-', 'A- ----GPN-', 'A- ----NPF-', 'A- ----NPM-', 'A- ----NPN-']
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