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Order independent and persistent typed default unification

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Abstract

We define an order independent version of default unification on typed feature structures. The operation is one where default information in a feature structure typed with a more specific type, will override default information in a feature structure typed with a more general type, where specificity is defined by the subtyping relation in the type hierarchy. The operation is also able to handle feature structures where reentrancies are default. We provide a formal semantics, prove order independence and demonstrate the utility of this version of default unification in several linguistic applications. First, we show how it can be used to define multiple orthogonal default inheritance in the lexicon in a fully declarative fashion. Secondly, we show how default lexical specifications (introduced via default lexical inheritance) can be made to usefully ‘persist beyond the lexicon’ and interact with syntagmatic rules. Finally, we outline how persistent default unification might underpin default feature propagation principles and a more restrictive and constraint-based approach to lexical rules.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Edinburgh Centre for Cognitive Science and Human Communication Research Centre 2, Buccleuch Place, E118 9LW, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

    Alex Lascarides

  2. Institute for Research in Cognitive Science University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania

    Ted Briscoe

  3. Computer Laboratory University of Cambridge, New Museums Site Pembroke Street, CB2 3QG, Cambridge, United Kingdom

    Ted Briscoe

  4. Department of Philosophy, University of Texas, 78712, Austin, TX, USA

    Nicholas Asher

  5. Computer Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge

    Ann Copestake

  6. Centre for the Study of Language and Information, Stanford University, 94305, Stanford, CA, USA

    Ann Copestake

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  1. Alex Lascarides
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  2. Ted Briscoe
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  3. Nicholas Asher
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  4. Ann Copestake
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Lascarides, A., Briscoe, T., Asher, N. et al. Order independent and persistent typed default unification. Linguist Philos 19, 1–90 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00593039

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