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Meaning Text

 

Linguistic Theories
Meaning-Text Linguistics

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Introduction {short description of image} Facets of the MTT {short description of image} Online Texts {short description of image} Links {short description of image} References
Introduction:
The following text is taken from:
Beck, David, (1997). Rheme, Theme, and communicative structure in Lushootseed and Bella Coola. In Leo Wanner (ed.), Recent Trends in Meaning-Text Theory, 93 - 135. Amsterdam: Benjamins

The Meaning-Text Theory (MTT), first put forward in Moscow by Zholkovskij & Mel'chuk (1965), operates on the principle that language consists in a mapping from the content or meaning (semantics) of an utterance to its form or text (phonetics). Intermediate between these poles are additional levels of representation, as illustrated in (1):

(1) Representations at the Semantic, Syntactic, and Morphological levels

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(adapted from Mel'chuk 1988: 49)

Sequential mapping of representations of the various levels passes from the unordered network of the Semantic Representation (SemR) through the tree-structures of the Syntactic Representation (SyntR) to the linear chain of morphemes of the Morphological Representation (MorphR) and, ultimately, the temporally-ordered string of phones of the Phonetic Representation (PhonR). Each of the syntactic, morphological, and phonetic levels has two sub-levels, the deep (D) and surface (S) representations. This gives us a total of seven levels of representation, shown in the left column of the table in (2).

(2) Representations and components

 {short description of image} {short description of image} Correspondence between levels is made by a set of rules or components that translate representations at level n into representations at n+1; the surface syntactic component, for example, maps between a SSyntR--an unordered dependency tree whose nodes are lexical items--and a DMorphR, an ordered chain of lexemes marked for inflexional values
{short description of image} Rules are written as "Rn > Rn+1 | C", where "Rn" is a structural feature of a given level (n), "Rn+1" is the corresponding feature at the next level, and "C" sets out the conditions that dictate the rule's application
{short description of image} Rules are intended to apply in either direction, from n to n+1 (meaning > text) and n+1 to n (text > meaning)
{short description of image} Rules are not transformations, but interpretive devices establishing equivalencies between the symbolic conventions of one level and those of another

Representations at all levels are multi-faceted. The two SyntRs, for example, consist of Syntactic Struc tures (SyntS), Anaphoric Structures (Synt-AnaphS), Prosodic Structures (Synt-ProsS), and Communicative Structures (Synt-CommS); the SemR consists of a Semantic Structure (SemS) and a Communicative Structure (SemCommS--or CommS for short).

Introduction {short description of image} Facets of the MTT {short description of image} Online Texts {short description of image} Links {short description of image} References

Facets of the MTT:

{short description of image}Explanatory-Combinatorial Lexicology:
At the heart of the Meaning-Text Theory is the development of formal lexicons according to the principles of explanatory-combinatorial lexicology. The Explanatory-Combinatorial Dictionary of Contemporary French (ECDCF) is the result of a research aiming at a semantically-geared, formal description of the French lexicon. Is has been developped according to the principles of the explanatory-combinatorial lexicology (Mel'cuk, Clas et Polguère 1995) , set forth within the framework of the Meaning-Text theory.

{short description of image}Visit the ECDCF webpage from the Observatory of Meaning-Text Linguistics
{short description of image}Learn about the methodology behind the ECDCF (en français).
Dostie, G. , I. A. Mel'cuk & A. Polguère (1999) Méthodologie d'élaboration des articles du Dictionnaire explicatif et combinatoire du français contemporain. In: Mel'cuk, I. A., N. Arbatchewsky-Jumarie, L. Iordanskaja, S. Mantha & A. Polguère: Dictionnaire explicatif et combinatoire du français contemporain: recherches lexico-sémantiques IV, Montréal: Presses de l'Université de Montréal, 11-28. [PDF (142 K)]
.

{short description of image}Dependency Syntax:
Syntactic levels of representation in the Meaning-Text Theory follow the principles of Dependency Syntax. Dependency theory was first developped by the French linguist Lucien Tesnière (1959). The first substantial English language description in the dependency grammar framework was developed in Russia during the early 1970s by Igor Mel'cuk and Nikolai Pertsov (Mel'cuk and Pertsov1987). The common formal property of dependency representations compared to other syntactic representations is this the lack of phrasal nodes, i.e., there are no phrase-structure categories.

{short description of image}Learn more about Dependency-Based Approaches to Syntax, (from Prague)
{short description of image}A brief history of dependency descriptions from the Univesity of Helsinky.
  {short description of image}Read Papers of the Workshop on the Processing of Dependency-based Grammars
sp(COLING-ACL'98)
  {short description of image} Buy Dependency Syntax : Theory and Practice from Amazon.com

Introduction {short description of image} Facets of the MTT {short description of image} Online Texts {short description of image} Links {short description of image} References

Online Texts:

{short description of image}Introductions to the Meaning-Text Theory (PDF, en français)
Polguère, A. (1998) La théorie Sens-Texte. Dialangue, Vol. 8-9, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, pp. 9-30.
Mel'cuk, I. A. (1997) Vers une linguistique Sens-Texte. Leçon inaugurale (Vendredi 10 janvier 1997), Collège de France, Chaire internationale, 43 p.

{short description of image}Lexicology/Lexicography (PDF, en français)
Dostie, G., I.A. Mel'cuk & A. Polguère (1999) Méthodologie d'élaboration des articles du Dictionnaire explicatif et combinatoire du français contemporain. In: Mel'cuk, I. A., N. Arbatchewsky-Jumarie, L. Iordanskaja, S. Mantha & A. Polguère: Dictionnaire explicatif et combinatoire du français contemporain: recherches lexico-sémantiques IV, Montréal: Presses de l'Université de Montréal, 11-28. [PDF (142 K)]

{short description of image}Semantics
Beck, D. (1997). Rheme, Theme, and communicative structure in Lushootseed and Bella Coola. In Leo Wanner (ed.), Recent Trends in Meaning-Text Theory, 93 - 135. Amsterdam: Benjamins

{short description of image}Dependency Syntax
Kahane, S. & A. Polguère (eds.) (1998) Processing of Dependency-based Grammars: Proceedings of the Workshop, COLING-ACL'98, 15 August 1998, University of Montreal. [Files in postscript format]

{short description of image}Computational Linguistics
Polguère, A. (2000) A "Natural" Lexicalization Model for Language Generation. Proceedings of the Fourth Symposium on Natural Language Processing 2000 (SNLP'2000), Chiangmai, Thailand, 10-12 May 2000, 37-50. [PDF (76K)]

Introduction {short description of image} Facets of the MTT {short description of image} Online Texts {short description of image} Links {short description of image} References

Links:

{short description of image}{short description of image}Observatory of Meaning-Text Linguistics

{short description of image}The Explanatory-Combinatorial Dictionary of Contemporary French (ECDCF)

{short description of image}Alain Polguère's homepage at the Université de Montréal

{short description of image}David Beck's homepage

{short description of image}The CALLex Project (Computer-Aided Learning of Lexical Functions)

{short description of image}List of Lexical Functions from the Decide Project in Liège
Introduction {short description of image} Facets of the MTT {short description of image} Online Texts {short description of image} Links {short description of image} References

New! Buy Books on Meaning-Text Linguistics.
{short description of image}
{short description of image} Recent Trends in Meaning-Text Theory
by Leo Wanner (Editor)

{short description of image} NEW! Communicative Organization in Natural Language
by Igor A. Mel'cuk 		{short description of image} Dependency Syntax : Theory and Practice
by Igor' A. Melchuk
Hardcover
Paperback
Buy from Amazon Buy from Amazon Buy from Amazon

References:
{short description of image}
New! Buy Books on Meaning-Text Linguistics. {short description of image}
  {short description of image}
{short description of image}Meaning-Text Theory
Mel'cuk, I. A (1970). Towards a functioning model of language. In M. Bierwisch & K. E. Heidolph (Eds.), Progress in linguistics, 198 - 207. The Hague: Mouton.
Mel'cuk, I. A (1981). Meaning-Text Models: A recent trend in Soviet linguistics. Annual Review of Anthropology10, 27 - 62.
Mel'cuk, I. A. (1997) Vers une linguistique Sens-Texte. Leçon inaugurale (Vendredi 10 janvier 1997), Collège de France, Chaire internationale, 43 p.
Polguère, A. (1998) La théorie Sens-Texte. Dialangue, Vol. 8-9, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, pp. 9-30.

{short description of image}Lexicology/Lexicography
Dostie, G., I.A. Mel'cuk & A. Polguère (1999) Méthodologie d'élaboration des articles du Dictionnaire explicatif et combinatoire du français contemporain. In: Mel'cuk, I. A., N. Arbatchewsky-Jumarie, L. Iordanskaja, S. Mantha & A. Polguère: Dictionnaire explicatif et combinatoire du français contemporain: recherches lexico-sémantiques IV, Montréal: Presses de l'Université de Montréal, 11-28. [PDF (142 K)]
Mel'cuk, I. A , A. Clas & A. Polguère (1995) Introduction à la lexicologie explicative et combinatoire ['Introduction to Explanatory Combinatorial Lexicography'], Paris/Louvain-la-Neuve: Duculot, 256 pages.

{short description of image}Semantics
Beck, D. (1997). Rheme, Theme, and communicative structure in Lushootseed and Bella Coola. In Leo Wanner (ed.), Recent Trends in Meaning-Text Theory, 93 - 135. Amsterdam: Benjamins
Mel'cuk, I. A (1989). Semantic primitives from the viewpoint of Meaning-Text linguistic theory. Quaderni de SemanticaX, 65 - 102.
Mel'cuk, I. A (1997). Communicative organization in natural language. Ms., University of Montreal.
Polguère, A. (1997) Meaning-Text Semantic Networks as a Formal Language. In L. Wanner (ed.): Recent Trends in Meaning-Text Theory, Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins, 1-24.

{short description of image}Dependency Syntax
Kahane, S. & A. Polguère (eds.) (1998) Processing of Dependency-based Grammars: Proceedings of the Workshop, COLING-ACL'98, 15 August 1998, University of Montreal. [Files in postscript format]
Mel'cuk, I. A , & Pertsov, N. V. (1987). Surface syntax of English: A formal model within the Meaning-Text framework. Amsterdam: Benjamins.
Mel'cuk, I. A (1988). Dependency syntax: Theory and practice.Albany, NY: SUNY Press.

{short description of image}Computational Linguistics
Iordanskaja, L. & A. Polguère (1988) Semantic Processing for Text Generation. Proceedings of the 1st International Computer Science Conference, Hong Kong, 310-318.
Iordanskaja, L. , Kittredge, R. I. & A. Polguère (1991) Lexical Selection and Paraphrase in a Meaning-Text Generation Model. In C. Paris, W. Swartout & W. Mann (eds.): Natural Language Generation in Artificial Intelligence and Computational Linguistics, Dordrecht: Kluwer, 293-312.
Mel'cuk, I. A & A. Polguère (1991) Aspects of the Implementation of the Meaning-Text Model for English Text Generation. In S. Hockey & N. Ide (series eds.) & I. Lancashire (guest ed.): Research in Humanities Computing I, Oxford UK: Oxford University Press, 204-215.
Polguère, A. (1990) Structuration et mise en jeu procédurale d'un modèle linguistique déclaratif dans un cadre de génération de texte ['Structuring and procedural activation of a declarative linguistic model in natural language generation']. Ph.D. dissertation, Department of linguistics and translation, University of Montreal.
Polguère, A.. (2000) A "Natural" Lexicalization Model for Language Generation. Proceedings of the Fourth Symposium on Natural Language Processing 2000 (SNLP'2000), Chiangmai, Thailand, 10-12 May 2000, 37-50. [PDF (76K)]

{short description of image}General
Tesnière, L.. Éléments de syntaxe structurale. Éditions Klincksieck, Paris, 1959.

Introduction {short description of image} Facets of the MTT {short description of image} Online Texts {short description of image} Links {short description of image} References
           
Find out a little more about who I am. Check out my resume online and read abstracts from some of my publications.
Devoted to various linguistic theories, with a focus on word-based morphology and computational linguistics.
 Everything you ever wanted to know about "La Belle Province".
Help save children with a simple click. Learn to speak languages from foreign galaxies Various links to some really cool websites.
Links to other sites. Ressources for linguists, etc.
Contact me. Send your comments about the site or ask me a question.