[developers] var-extras-conversion-table and semi.vpm

[Berthold Crysmann]

Dear all, 

there appears to be some overlap in current (R)MRS output
standardisation efforts: on the one hand, there is the
var-extra-conversion-table used in MRS to RMRS conversion, and there is
the more recent MRS sem-i variable mapping. Current defaults in
lkb/src/mrs/mrsglobals.lisp refer to the feature geometry of the ERG
with VPM disabled. Recent versions of the MSG-full ERG have semi.vpm
enabled by default. I would like to do the same for GG, having a less
grammar-dependent interface for applications with both MRS *and* RMRS
output.  


Moreover, I have not been able to change the mapping at grammar load
time, at least not in cheap/ECL. (I cannot tell whether it is possible
at all with the current code and ECL: if not, we'd end up with
grammar-specific versions of cheap:-(

So my question boils down to this: is there any good reason from a user,
not developer, point of view to do VPM for RMRS only? If not, we might
want to drop the RMRS-specific mapping? Alternatively, we might want to
keep the current code, allowing for MRS/RMRS divergence, but update the
default mapping in mrsglobals.lisp to reflect the introduction of
MRS-based VPM. Any suggestions?

For better interoperability, I suggest the following change to the
default setting in mrsglobals.lisp, ensuring compatibility with both the
ERG and GG. The setting is tailored to the current MRS variable property
mapping. 

Looking forward to your comments,

Berthold


PS: Would it be possible to rename rmrs/convert.lisp to
rmrs/rmrs-convert.lisp as a workaround for ECL?


----8<---------

(defparameter *var-extra-conversion-table* 
    '(
      ((gend m) . (gender m))
      ((gend m-or-f) . (gender m-or-f))
      ((gend f) . (gender f))
      ((gend n) . (gender n))
      
      ((pers 1) . (pers 1))
      ((pers 2) . (pers 2))
      ((pers 3) . (pers 3))

      ((num sg) . (num sg))
      ((num pl) . (num pl))

      ((perf +) . (perf +))
      ((perf -) . (perf -))
      ((prog +) . (prog +))
      ((prog -) . (prog -))
      
      ((tense past) . (tense past))
      ((tense pres) . (tense pres))
      ((tense fut) . (tense fut))
      ((tense cond) . (tense cond))
      ((tense tensed) . (tense tensed))
      ((tense untensed) . (tense untensed))
      
      
      ((mood indicative) . (mood indicative))
      ((mood subjunctive) . (mood subjunctive))

      
      )
  "used to define the conversion of extra values between MRS and RMRS
   - default compatible with semi.vpm in ERG/GG")

----8<---------





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