Verb-particle constructions in a computational grammar of English

In this paper we investigate the phenomenon of verb-particle constructions, discussing their characteristics and the challenges that they present for a computational grammar. We concentrate our discussion on the treatment adopted in a wide-coverage HPSG grammar: the LinGO ERG. Given the constantly growing number of verb-particle combinations, possible ways of extending this treatment are investigated, taking into account the regular patterns found in some productive combinations of verbs and particles. We analyse possible ways of identifying regular patterns using different resources. One possible way to try to capture these is by means of lexical rules, and we discuss the dif£culties encountered when adopting such an approach. We also investigate how to restrict the productivity of lexical rules to deal with subregularities and exceptions to the patterns found. 18.1 Verb-Particle constructions in a nutshell In this paper we investigate verb-particle constructions in English and discuss some of the challenges that they pose for a broad-coverage computational grammar. By verb-particle constructions, we mean both idiosyncratic or semiidiosyncratic combinations, such as make up, in (1), where the meaning of the combination cannot be straightforwardly inferred from the meaning of the verb and the particle, and also more regular combinations, such as tear up, in (2). (1) He knew what he wanted and quickly made up his mind. (2) In a rage she tore up the letter Jack gave her. The Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on HPSG. Jong-Bok Kim and Stephen Wechsler (eds.). Copyright c © 2003, Stanford University.