2. Incremental parsing and ambiguous sentences - each incoming materials are attached immediately - a single analysis is pursed - given the uncertainty, how do we decide which structure to choose? Minimal attachment strategy Late closure strategy

3. The Temporary ambiguity

4. Theteacher Temporary ambiguity

5. Theteachersent Temporary ambiguity

6. Theteachersentthe Temporary ambiguity

7. Theteachersenttheflowers Temporary ambiguity

8. Theteachersentthewas pleasedflowers Temporary ambiguity

9. S NP DetN The teachersent All right, I have a verb. That’s easy. Let’s attach that under the main VP. Temporary ambiguity

10. S NP DetN VP The teachersent V Good. Then, I have to wait for some nouns after the verb. Come on, show me an NP now. Temporary ambiguity

11. S NP DetN VP NP DetN The teacherthe flowerssent V A-ha. You know, I’m good. So now what, maybe the recipient of the flowers? That would be a PP (yeah, to NP). Temporary ambiguity

12. S NP DetN VP NP DetN The teacherthe flowerssent V was pleased What????? That’s not possible. I already have a VP. How can I have another VP here? Somebody help me! Temporary ambiguity

13. S NP DetN The teachersent Don’t panic. Let’s go back. Maybe I did something wrong right here. Temporary ambiguity

14. S NPVP NPS DetNCompS NPVP NP DetN The teacher i who i eiei wasthe flowerswas pleasedsent Because I remember that there is another possibility. Suppose I have this structure. Then, Temporary ambiguity

15. S NPVP NPS DetNCompS NPVP NP DetN The teacher i the flowerswas pleasedsent who was I know that who was can be dropped without causing any meaning difference. Let’s see what happens. Temporary ambiguity

16. S NPVP NP DetN VP NP DetN The teacherthe flowerswas pleasedsent Now, it looks good. But wait, who would have thought of this structure in the first place? I wouldn’t! Temporary ambiguity

17. Theteachergiventhewas pleasedflowers Unambiguous sentence

18. S NPVP NPS DetNCompS NPVP NP DetN The teacher i who i eiei wasthe flowerswas pleasedgiven From the outset, it is clear that this is the only possible structure. Unambiguous sentence

19. S NPVP NPS DetNCompS NPVP NP DetN The teacher i the flowerswas pleasedgiven who was Again, who was can be dropped without causing any meaning difference. Unambiguous sentence

20. S NPVP NP DetN VP NP DetN The teacherthe flowerswas pleasedgiven The difference is that “given” is not ambiguous. Unambiguous sentence

21. S NPVP DetNVNP NDet The cop saw the spy So far so good! Global ambiguity

22. S NPVP DetNVNP NDet The cop saw the spy PP NPP with the binoculars Global ambiguity Two possible attachment sites -> how do I decide?

23. S NPVP DetNVNP NDet The cop saw the spy PP NPP with the binoculars Global ambiguity VP attachment  Minimal attachment strategy

24. S NPVP DetN V NP NDet The cop saw the spy NPPP NPP with the binoculars Global ambiguity NP attachment  more syntactic nodes

25. last night AdvP Global ambiguity Again two possible attachment sites  which one do I like better? S NPVP DetNVS N The reporter said the plane NP crashed VP V

26. Global ambiguity Late closure strategy  attach the incoming materials under the node currently being built S NPVP DetNVS N The reporter said the plane NPVP crashed V last night AdvP

27. last night AdvP Global ambiguity The attachment to the higher VP is not preferred S NPVP DetNVS N The reporter said the plane NP crashed VP V

28. While

29. Mary

30. WhileMarywas mending

31. WhileMarywas mendingthe sock

32. WhileMarywas mendingthe sockfell

33. WhileMarywas mendingthe sockfelloff

34. WhileMarywas mendingthe sockfelloffher lap.

35. Kensatsukan-ga prosecutor-nom Japanes e

36. Kensatsukan-ga prosecutor-nom kousakuin-o operative-acc Japanes e

37. Kensatsukan-ga prosecutor-nom kousakuin-o operative-acc goumonshita tortured Japanes e

38. Kensatsukan-ga prosecutor-nom kousakuin-o operative-acc goumonshita tortured jaajarisuto-o journalist-acc Japanes e

39. Kensatsukan-ga prosecutor-nom kousakuin-o operative-acc goumonshita tortured jaajarisuto-o journalist-acc Kisoshita indicted The prosecutor indicted the journalist who tortured the operative. Japanes e

40. S NPVP NPV operative tortured Yeah, this should be it. prosecutor Japanes e

41. S NPVP RC operative tortured Although this is possible, it looks much more complicated… prosecutor S N NPVP NPV eiei Japanes e

42. S NPVP NPV operative torturedprosecutor Japanes e journalist Oops, my previous analysis should be revised to …

43. S NPVP RC V operative tortured this one, the more complicated one. Otherwise, “journalist” has no place to attach itself to. prosecutor S N NPVP NPV eiei journalist i indicted Japanes e