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On Fri, Aug 31, 2012 at 3:27 PM, Mike S. <maikxlx@gmail.com> wrote: > > PROPOSAL > > The first step seems to be this: make "b" the first (optional) argument > separator, and define it to separate an agent from a patient. In other > words, if "b" appears, then the first argument is an agent and the second is > a patient. Some examples: > > spfe "E is broken" => spfabe "A breaks E" > nrkleki "E enters I" => nrklabeki "A puts E into I" > plnaki "A uses I" => plnabeki "A does something to E using I" (Side issue: shouldn't "A breaks E" be based on "E breaks" rather than on "E is broken", or else "E puts E into I" be based on "E is in I" rather than on "E enters I"? Either always base it on the state or always on the change of state?) > That should be mostly clear, but there is an important difference between > "plnaki" and the other two formulas that needs to be noted. The first two > predicates are defined as primitively patientive and non-agentive, so when > -b- is applied, an agent is added to the structure in the first place, and > the others are moved one place forward. In "plnaki", the predicate > structure is defined as primitively non-patientive and agentive, so when -b- > is applied, the agent stays in the first place, a patient is added in the > second, and the others are moved one place forward. In a system like this we should probably strive to define predicates as patientive as much as possible. > The production rules would be: > > - simple-formula := CCC* V(‘V)* ( b V(‘V)*)* ( k V(‘V)*)* Or equivalently: simple-formula := CCC* ( V(‘V)* b)* V(‘V)* ( k V(‘V)*)* which I think highlights the position of the "obligatory" argument more clearly. One advantage of bV() over -Vb- that you didn't mention is that it can operate on any formula rather than just add one place to a simple-formula. So you could have: ba na mvde "A makes E not move." which can't be easily done with -Vb-, you would need to use a different stem or introduce a second predicate: nrmvdabe "A immovilizes E." li fi na mvde gsnaki "A causes the state of affairs in which E doesn't move" Or: ba ju trpe bjre "A makes E scared and run" for which you would have to repeat -ab-: ju trpabe bjrabe mu'o mi'e xorxes