E. Bick 2009

Semantic prototype tags for nouns

The GrammarSoft/VISL parsers assign angle-bracketed semantical tags for most nouns and verbs and some adjectives. The semantic tags used for nouns are prototype classes, like <Hprof> for 'professional', which again translate into a subset of atomic features taken from a list of 16 values. The semantic tags are bilingually motivated (eo help disambiguate translation alternatives) and polysemic words will thus have several tags. The semantical subsystem is in an experimental stage, and not subject to a full disambiguation at the present time, though it can - together with the valency subsystem - yield a fair degree of polysemy resolution even now.

There are 150-200 tags in all, most of which can be lumped in 22 major umbrella classes:

Subtype specifications are attached to hyperonyms in lower case. Such subdivisions are inspired by “disambiguational usefulness”, but often follow a few broad principles:

The semantic prototype list below is in alphabetical order, with uppercase tags first, and provides English definitions as well as one or two examples for each language. An asterisk (*) means that a category is experimental, either as such or for a particular language. Danish examples were chosen to represent Scandinavian languages , while the Romance language family is represented by Portuguese.

Animal prototypes:

Tag

/ Definition

<A>

animal (umbrella tag)

dyr

fêmea, parasito

Tier

<AA>

group of animals

flok

cardume, enxame

Herde

<Adom>

domestic animal (likely to have female forms)

hest, kvie

cachorro, leão

Katze, Pferd, Stute

<Aich>

water-animal

fisk, søhest

tubarão, delfim

Hecht, Wal

<Amyth>

mythological animal

drage

basilisco

Einhorn

<Azo>

land-animal

skildpadde

raposa

Dachs, Eidechse

<Aorn>

bird

ørn, solsort

águia, bem-te-vi

Elster, Spatz

<Aent>

insect

myg

borboleta

Schmetterling

<Acell>

(<AB>)

cell-animal (bacteria, blood cells)

ægcelle

linfócito

Virus



Plant prototypes:

Tag

/ Definition

<B>

plant (umbrella tag)

vækst

planta

Pflanze

<BB>

group of plants, plantation

skov, mark

mata, nabal

Wald, Weinberg

<Btree>

tree

bøg, birk

palmeira

Kiefer

<Bflo>

flower

rose

taraxaco

Lilie

<Bbush>

bush, shrub

gyvel

rododendro

Sanddorn

<Bveg>*

vegetable

asparges

espargo

Lauch


cp. also <fruit> (fruit, berries, nuts: maçã, morango, avelã, melancia)

Human prototypes:

Tag

/ Definition

<H>

human (umbrella tag)

menneske

ser humano

Mensch

<HH>

= <org>

group of humans (companies, (teams, companies)

klub

editora

Gemeinde

<Hattr>

attributive human umbrella tag

-

-ista, -ante

-

<Hbio>

biological human (race, age ...)

olding

mestiço, adulto

Baby

<Hfam>

human with family or other private relation

kæreste

pai, noiva

Schwester

<Hideo>

ideological human, follower

socialist

dadaista

Jünger, Humanist

<Hmyth>

mythological human (gods, fairy tail humans)

nisse

curupira, duende

Fee

<Hnat>

nationality human, inhabitant

italiener

lisboeta, ruso

Brasilianer

<Hprof>

professional human, sportsman

snedker

marinheiro

Fußballer

<Hsick>

sick human

Astmatiker

diabético

Neurotiker

<Htit>

title noun

frøken

rei

Doktor



Place and spatial prototypes:

Tag

/ Definition

<L>

place (umbrella tag)

sted

lugar

Stelle

<La>

= <Lzo>

animal place

bikube,

rotterede

-

Nest, Taubenschlag

<Labs>

abstract place

højdepunkt

auge

Fundgrube

<Lbar>

barrier noun

grænse

limite

Deich

<Lciv>

civitas, town, country, county

(with administration)

landsby

país

Hauptstadt

<Lcover>

cover, lid

dyne

tampa, colcha

Deckel

<Ldoor>*

door (~ <Lhole>)

portal

porta

Scheunentor

<Lh>

functional human place

lufthavn

anfiteatro

Wohnzimmer

<Lopening>

opening, hole

sprække

abertura

Loch

<Lpath>

path (road, street, ...)

motrovej

pista

Pfad

<Lsoc>*

social place, no administration, cp. <Lciv> (~ <Lh>)

forstad*

-

Nachbarschaft

<Lstar>

star object (planets, comets)

måne

cometa

Quasar

<Lsurf>

surface

gulv

face, verniz

Zimmerdecke

<Ltip>

tip place, edge (cp. <Labs>)

forspring

pico

Spitze

<Ltop>

geographical, natural place

højslette

pântano

Hügel

<Ltrap>

trap place

fælde

armazelo

Reuse

<Lwater>

water place (river, lake, sea)

golf

fonte

Bach



cp. also <build> (building), <inst> (institution), <pict> (picture), <sit> (situation)
cp. also position prototypes: <pos-an> (anatomical position), <pos-soc> (social position)



Vehicle prototypes:

Tag

/ Definition

<V>

vehicle (umbrella tag), ground

cykel

carro

Traktor

<VV>

group of vehicles

konvoj

armada

Flugzeugstaffel

<Vwater>

water vehicle (ship)

kajak

navio

U-Boot

<Vair>

air vehicle (plane)

jumbojet

hidroplano

Rakete



Abstract prototypes:

Tag

/ Definition

<ac>

abstract countable (umbrella tag)

funktion

alternativa

Chance

<ac-cat>

category word

metafor

latinismo

Atomnummer

<ac-sign>

sign, symbol

komma

parêntese

Klammeraffe

<am>

abstract mass/non-countable (contains many cases that could be subspecified, e.g. as <f-....>)

gulvvarme

habilidade

Energie

<ax>*

abstract/concept, neither countable nor mass, cp. <f>, <sit> etc.

fælleseje

endogamia

Herrschaft


cf. also <f...> (features), <dir> (direction), <geom...> (shapes), <meta> ("transparent" noun)
cf. also concept prototypes: <conv> (convention), <domain>, <ism> (idelology), <genre>, <ling> (language), <disease>, <state...>, <therapy>
cf. also quantity prototypes: <unit>, <amount>, <cur> (currency), <mon> (money amount)

Action prototypes:

Tag

/ Definition

<act>

action (umbrella tag)

(+CONTROL,PERFECTIVE)

salg

abdicação

Einbau

<act-beat>*

beating-action (~ <act-d>)

-

pancada, surra

-

<act-d>

do-action

hævnaktion

teste

Versuch

<act-s>

speech/communicative act

forespørgsel

proposta

Befehl

<act-trick>*

trick, cheat, fraud, ruse

(~ <act-d>)

-

jeito, fraude

Reklametrick

<activity>

activity (+CONTROL,

IMPERFECTIVE)

spisning

correria

Handhabung


cp. also <fight>, <dance>, <sport>, <game>, <therapy>

Anatomical prototypes:

Tag

/ Definition

<an>

anatomical term (general)

isse

dorso

Kreislauf

<anmov>

movable anatomy (arm, leg)

hånd

biceps

Finger

<anorg>

organ (heart, liver)

galdeblære

hipófise

Gehirn

<anost>

bone

lårben

vértebra

Humerus

<anzo>

animal anatomy

hale

carapaça

Labmagen

<anorn>

bird anatomy

hanekam

pluma

Schnabel

<anich>

fish anatomy

halefinne

bránquias

Flosse

<anent>

insect anatomy

følehorn

olho composto

Bienenstachel

<anbo>

plant anatomy

grannål

folha

Blüte


cp. also <f-an> (human anatomical feature)



Tag

/ Definition

<amount>

quantity noun

klat, læs

bocada, sem-fim

Handvoll

<build>

building, cp. <inst> and <Lh>

tårn

casa

Zitadelle



Thing prototypes:

Tag

/ Definition

<cc>

concrete countable object (normally movable things, unlike e.g. <part-build>)

ting

balão

Objekt

<cc-h>

artifact (incl. <cc-play>*)

pibe

bomba

Fußball

<cc-beauty>*

ornamental object

pyntebuket, juvel

guirlanda

Perle

<cc-board>*

flat long boject (board, plank)

bræt

tabla

Planke

<cc-cord>

= <cord>

cord, string, rope, tape

kabel

fio, arame

<cord>

Schnur

<cc-fire>

fire object (bonfire, spark)

gnist

fogo

Flamme

<cc-handle>

handle

hank

ansa, garra

Griff

<cc-light>

= <tool-light>

light artifact

lommelygte

lampião, farol

Scheinwerfer

<cc-particle>

(atomic) particle

elektron

cátion

Photon

<cc-play>*

play object (part of <cc-h>)

legoklods

iôiô

Puppe

<cc-r>

read object

pas

bilhete

Führerschein

<cc-rag>

cloth object (towel, carpet, rag, napkin), cp. <mat-cloth>

klud, viskestykke

cortina, lençol

Serviette

<cc-stone>

(<cc-round>)

stones and stone-sized round objects

tigerøje

pedra, tijolo

Diamant

<cc-stick>

tisck object (long and thin)

stok

vara

Gerte


cp. also <con> (container), <cord> (cord), <furn> (funiture), <pict> (picture), <tube>, <clo...> (clothing), <tool...>'

Substance prototypes:

Tag

/ Definition

<cm>

concrete mass, substance, non-countable, cf. <mat>

trækul

terra, magma

Mark

<cm-h>

human-made substance

beton

cemento

Glaswolle

<cm-chem>

chemical substance, also biological

hormon

anilina

Bilirubin

<cm-gas>

gas substance [few]

klor

argônio

Luft

<cm-liq>

liquid substance

benzin

gasolina

Wasser

<cm-rem>

(<rem>)

remedy (medical or hygiene)

paracetamol

antibiótico

Aspirin



cp. also <mat...> (materials)

Clothing prototypes:

Tag

/ Definition

<cloA>*

animal clothing

skyklap

sela

Satteldecke

<cloH>

human clothing

kjole

bermudas

Anorak

<cloH-beauty>

beauty clothing, jewelry

haldkæde

diadema

Ohrring

<cloH-hat>

hat

mitra

sombrero

Krone

<cloH-shoe>

shoe

træsko

bota, patim

Pantoffel



Collective prototypes:

Tag

/ Definition

<coll-cc>

thing collective, pile

stak

baralho

Haufen

<coll-B>*

plant part collective

løv

folhagem

Wurzelgeflect

<coll-sem>

semantic collective, collection

arkiv

repertório

Antologie

<coll-tool>

tool collective, set

service, grej

instrumentário

Schlüsselbund



cp. also <HH> (group), <AA> (herd), <BB> (plantation), <VV> (convoy)



Tag

/ Definition

<col>

coulor (implies <f>)

purpur

verde-mar

Ultramarin

<con>

container, implies <num+> and <cc-h>

flaske

chícara

Koffer

<conv>

convention (social rule/law)

regel

lei

Kodex

<cur>

currency noun (countable, implies <unit>, cv. <mon>)

dollar

real, dirham

Euro

<dance>

dance (both <acctivity>, <genre> and <sem-l>)

vals

forró, flamenco

Foxtrott

<dir>

direction noun

øst

contrasenso

Steuerbord

<domain>

domain (subject matter, profession, cf. <genre>)

kemi

anatomia

Medizin

<drink>

drink

mælk

guaraná, moca

Weißwein



Time and event prototypes:

Tag

/ Definition

<dur>

duration noun (implies <unit>) cf. <per>, <temp>

time

mês

Augenblick

<event>

event (-CONTROL, PERFECtIVE)

eksplosion

milagre

Einsturz



for <event>, cp. also <occ> (organized event), <process>, <act...> and <activity>

Feature prototypes:

Tag

/ Definition

<f>

feature, property

klæbeevne

problematicidade

Proportionalität

<f-an>

(<f-phys-h>)

anatomical “local” feature

(incl. countables)

smilehuller

olheiras

Sommersprossen

<f-c>

general countable feature

-

vestígio

Merkmal

<f-h>

(<f-phys-h>)

human physical feature, not countable

ynde

lindura

Sonnenbräune

<f-psych>

human psychological feature (often <am>)

vrede

passionalidade

Ehrlichkeit

<f-q>

quantifiable feature

viskøsitet

calor

Länge

<f-phys>

physical feature

konkavitet

-

Trockenheit

<f-right>

social feature, right, duty

copyright

privilégio

Wahlrecht

<f-surf>

surface feature

plet

-

Wulst



cp. also state prototypes: <state>, <state-h> (human state)

Food prototypes:

Tag

/ Definition

<food>

natural/simplex food

kød

aveia

Reis

<food-c>

countable food

kødben

ovo*

Knoblauchzehe

<food-h>

human-prepared/complex culinary food

leverpostej

lasanha

Borschtsch

<food-c-h>

culinary countable food

karbonade

pastel, enchido

Keks



cp. also <drink>, <fruit>, <spice>*

Tag

/ Definition

<fight>

fight, conflict (also <sit> and <activity> , +TEMP)

slagsmål*

briga

Streit

<fruit>

fruit, berry, nut (but often classified as <food-c>)

mandel

cebola, amora

Kirsche

<furn>

furniture

seng

cadeira

Schreibtisch



cp. also <part-build> (fixed house installations)

Concept prototypes:

Tag

/ Definition

<game>

game

poker

bilhar

Blindekuh

<genre>

genre (especially art),

cf. <domain>

modernisme

tropicalismo

Jugendstil


cp. also <conv> (convention), <dance>, <domain>, <ism> (idelology), <ling> (language), <disease>, <sport>, <state...>, <therapy>

Tag

/ Definition

<geom>

geometry noun, shape

pentagon

elipse

Quader

<geom-line>

line [few]

sinuskurve

linha

Perzentile

<inst>

human-behaving functional building (“institution”)

fusion of <Lh> + <HH>

biograf

auto-escola

Börse

<ism>

ideology, value system

anarkisme

apartheid

Islam

<ling>

language

tysk

catalão

Latein

<mach>

machine (complex, acts), cp. <tool>

støvsuger

limpa-pratos

Computer

<mat>

material, cp. <cm...>

bronze

argila

Plastik

<mat-cloth>

clot material, textile

silke

kevlar, couro

Baumwolle

<meta>

meta noun

slags

tipo

Art

<mon>

amount of money, cf. <cur>

SU, afkast

bolsa, custo

Maut

<mon-c>

countable <mon>

CO2-afgift

-

Gewinn

<month>

month noun/name

august

julho

Dezember

<occ>

occasion, complex human/social event,

cp. unorganized <event>

VM, julefrokost

jantar, desfile

Prüfung, Modeschau

<per>

period of time (during+)

praktik

guerra

Osterferien



Part prototypes:

Tag

/ Definition

<part>

distinctive or functional part

sektion

ingrediente

Teil, Abschnitt

<part-build>

structural part of building

gavl

balustrada

Treppenabsatz

<part-V>

structural part of vehicle

kofanger

estai*

Steuer

<part-clo>*

clothing part

frakkeskød

-

Kragen

<part-sem>*

part of semantic product

førsteakt*

-

Kapitel

<part-tool>*

tool part, cf. <cc-handle>

lydhoved*

-

Gewehrlauf

<piece>

indistinctive (little) piece

krumme

pedaço

Scherbe



<part> can, in principle, be freely combined with most physical prototypes. Experimentally, we have thus for some languages used <part-mach>, <part-an> etc.
cp. also other structurals, such as <cc-handle>, <Ltip>

Perception prototypes:

Tag

/ Definition

<percep-e>*

emotion (e.g. love)

cp. <f-psych>, <state-h>

frygt*

-

Ambivalenz,

Heimweh

<percep-f>

what you feel (senses or sentiment), e.g. pain

kløe, sult, tørst

desagrado, arrepio

Kälteschauer, Magenschmerz

<percep-l>

sound (what you hear)

brag

berro, barrulho

Pfeifen, Rasseln

<percep-o>

olfactory impression (what you smell)

tjærelugt

bafo, fragrância

Veilchenduft

<percep-t>

what you taste

ølsmag

-

Geschmack*

<percep-w>

visual impression (what you see)

fakkelskær

arco-iris

Abenddämmerung



For most languages, <percep-e> is so far not distinguished as a separate category, and will appear as <f-psych>, or rarrely as <state-h> or <am>



Tag

/ Definition

<pict>

picture (combination of <cc>, <sem-w> and <L>

portræt

caricatura

Szintogramm

<pos-an>

anatomical/body position

sideleje

cesaprumo*

Hocke

<pos-soc>

social position, job

stilling

condado, presidência

Patenschaft

<process>

process (-COONTROL, IMPERFECTIVE), cp. <event>, <act>, <activity>

strømning, konvektion

balcanização

Stagnation



Semantic product prototypes:

Tag

/ Definition

<sem>

semiotic artifact, work of art (umbrella tag)

værk

opus

Alltagskunst

<sem-c>

cognition product (concept, plan, system)

formodning

esquema, plano

Vorurteil

<sem-l>

“listen-work” (music)

often implying <genre>

implied by <dance>

sang

prelúdio

bossa-nova

Sonate

<sem-nons>

nonsense, rubbish

sludder

galimatias

Quatsch

<sem-r>

read-work, e.g. novel

roman

biografia

Dissertation

<sem-s>

speak-work, speech product

vittighed

palestra

Antrittsrede

<sem-w>

watch-work (visual)

skuespil

telenovela

Kurzfilm


cp. <act-s> (speach act), <talk> (a speech situation)
cf. also concept prototypes: <conv> (convention), <domain>, <ism> (idelology), <game>, <genre>, <ling> (language), <disease>, <state...>, <therapy>



Tag

/ Definition

<sick>

disease (concept, not state)

ledegigt

AIDS, sida

Diabetes

<sick-c>

countable disease-object

vorte

abscesso

Wunde, Pickel



cp. <state-h> (human state)


State-of-affairs prototypes:

Tag

/ Definition

<sit>

psychological situation or physical state of affairs

anarki

reclusão, illegalidade

Rentnerdasein

<state>

state (of something), else <sit>

ro, atomfrihed

abundância

Gleichgewicht

<state-h>

human state

feber

euforia

Somnolenz

<system>*

system, <sit> + <sem>

adelsvælde, delebilisme

-

-



cp. <f-...>, especially <f-psych> and <f-phys-h>, which cover innate features

Tag

/ Definition

<sport>

sport, implies <domain> and <activity>, cp. <game>

tennis

futebol, capoeira

Golf

<talk>

talk, discussion, quarrel, implies <act-s>, <sit> and <activity>

samtale,

skænderi

entrevista, lero-lero, bate-papo

Gespräch, Diskussion

<temp>

temporal object, point in time, cp. <per>, <dur>

test: until/since +

midnat

amanhecer

Vorabend, Sylvester

<therapy>

therapy (also <domain> and <activity>)

massage

balneoterapia

Akupunktur



Tool prototypes:



Tag

/ Definition

<tool>

tool (umbrella tag),

implies <cc-h>

blyant

abana-moscas

Hammer

<tool-cut>

cutting tool, e.g. knife

sværd

canivete

Beil, Machete

<tool-shoot>

= <tool-gun>

shooting tool, gun

pistol

metralhadora

Armbrust

<tool-mus>

musical instrument

violin

clavicórdio

Klavier, Flöte

<tool-sail>

sailing tool, sail

spinnaker

vela latina

Focksegel



cp. also <mach> (machine), <cc-light> (same as <tool-light>)

suggested: <tool-l> (listening tool), <tool-s> (speech tool), <tool-w> (watch tool) , <tool-fight> (fighting-tool)



Tag

/ Definition

<tube>

tube object

pipeline

cânula

Schlauch

<unit>

unit noun, implies <num+>

implied by <cur>, <dur>

centimeter

caloria

Lux, kg



Weather prototypes:

Tag

/ Definition

<wea>

weather (states)

glatis

bruma

Nebel, Smog

<wea-c>

countable weather phenomenon

skybrud

tsunami, nuvem

Wolke

<wea-rain>

rain and other precipitation

hagl

neve

Nieselregen

<wea-wind>

wind, storm

kuling

brisa, furacão

Strum



compiled January 2009

comments: eckhard.bick@mail.dk