[developers] generation bug in Agree - "are not permitted to look you."

[Stephan Oepen]

hi spencer, glenn, and all,

> 2. During PRED lookup we could require that the number and names of
> arguments in candidate LEs matches exactly with those in the input MRS EPs.

i believe this strategy would be incompatible with optional
semantic arguments.  for example, the ERG treats quite
a few verbs as optionally transitive, e.g.

  (1) He exaggerated.
  (2) He exaggerated the problem.

both use the same predicate _exaggerate_v_1.  i would
think one should be able to generate (1) from either of
the following inputs

  _exaggerate_v_1[ARG0 e, ARG1 x]
  _exaggerate_v_1[ARG0 e, ARG1 x, ARG2 u]

> 3. We could generate and assign skolems for argument positions not
> constrained by the input MRS (e.g. ARG2 on "look").

this strategy would mean that argument positions cannot
be underspecified in generator inputs.  i think one might
well want to be able to generate from something like:

  _dog_n_1[ARG0 x1]
  _cat_n_1[ARG0 x2]
  _chase_v_1[ARG0 e]

> Anyway, thanks to anyone who has made it through this incredibly long-winded
> email. If you have ideas about what the correct way to fix this bug,
> suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

i believe there is no running away from a post-generation
semantic compatibility test, e.g. MRS subsumption, so as
to deal with various types of underspecification in inputs
to the generator.

best wishes, oe

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+++ Universitetet i Oslo (IFI); Boks 1080 Blindern; 0316 Oslo; (+47) 2284 0125
+++    --- oe at ifi.uio.no; stephan at oepen.net; http://www.emmtee.net/oe/ ---
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