Complement Selection Rajat Kumar Mohanty Center for Indian Language Technology IIT Bombay

Outline  C(ategorial) Selection  S(emantic) Selection  L(exical) Selection  Complement Selection and UNL Relations

Categorial Selection (C-selection)  Certain heads impose particular demands on the category of the XP they combine with.  The verb know can take NPs, indicatives S’s, and interrogative S’s. John knows [ NP the time]. John knows [ S that the world is full of noises]. John knows [ S what the time is].

Categorial Selection  The verb ask can take NPs and interrogative S’s, but not indicative S’s. John asked me [ NP the time]. *John asked me [ S that the world was full of noises]. John asked me [ S what the time was].

Categorial Selection  The verb wonder can only take interrogative S’s, not NPs or indicative S’s. *Paul wonders [ NP the time]. *Paul wonders [ S that the world is full of noises]. Paul wonders [ S what the time is].

Semantic Selection (S-selection)  S-selection seems particularly helpful in cases where an argument of a particular sort is needed, but its category is not fixed.  The verb put selects for a location: Bill put the book on the table. Bill put the book under the table. Bill put the book there. *Bill put the book.

Lexical Selection (L-selection)  Sometimes particular heads select for particular lexical items, not just particular categories.  verbs depend, rely – on  The community depends on the shipping industry for its survival. hope – for  We are hoping for good weather on Sunday. toy – with  I did briefly toy with the idea of living in States.

Lexical Selection  nouns love - for, of  a mother’s love for her children  love of your country desire - for, *of  a strong desire for power  adjectives similar – to, in  My teaching style is similar to that of most other teachers.  The two houses are similar in size. different - from consistent – with proud, ashamed - of

Lexical Selection  L-selection is also found with clausal complements. She liked the concert. She liked hearing the concert. She liked to hear the concert She enjoyed the concert. She enjoyed hearing the concert. *She enjoyed to hear the concert

Lexical Selection He succeeded in convincing her. *He succeeded to convince her. *He managed in convincing her. He managed to convince her.

Discussion  Does the complement-adjunct distinction make any difference in deciding the UNL relation?  A student [of high moral principles]  Arguments [with John] are often pointless  Arguments [with few premises] are often pointless  a student [of Physics] [with long hair]  Does the complement selection makes any difference in deciding the UNL relation?  Bill put the book on the table  Bill put the book under the table  Bill put the book there

Discussion  John knows [ NP the time].  John knows [ S that the world is full of noises].  John knows [ S what the time is].  his disillusionment with life  It is difficult for John.  your reply to my letter  She only replied with a smile.  The terrorists replied to the government’s statement with more violence.

Sources and Suggested Readings  Introduction to Government and Binding Theory, 2nd edn., Liliane Haegeman, Blackwell,  Syntactic Structures Revisited, Howard Lasnik, MIT Press,  Bhatt, R Introduction to Syntax.  Principles and Parameters, Peter Culicover, Oxford, 1997.

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