embodied compositional semantics ellen dodge [email protected]
TRANSCRIPT
Questions
• What is the nature of compositionality in the Neural Theory of Language?
• How can it be best represented using Embodied Construction Grammar?
Examples
• He bit the apple
• He was bitten (by a toddler)
• He bit into the apple
• His white teeth bit into the apple.
• He shattered the window
• The window was shattered
• The window shattered
Outline
• Compositionality• Neural Theory of Language and ECG
– Assumptions– Overview
• Examples:– Representation of constructions and meaning– Simulation
• Concluding Remarks
Compositionality
• Put the parts together to create the meaning of the whole.
Compositionality
• Put the parts together to create the meaning of the whole.
• Questions:– what is the nature of the parts?– How and why do they combine with one another?– What meaning is associated with this composition?
Short answers
• Parts = constructions, schemas
• Combination = binding, unification
• Meaning of the whole = simulation of unified parts
Constructions
Construction Grammar• Constructions are form-meaning pairings • A given utterance instantiates many different constructions
Embodied Construction Grammar• Construction meaning is represented using schemas• Meaning is embodied
Key assumptions of NTL
• Language understanding is simulation
• Simulation involves activation of neural structures
Comments
• Language understanding
• Understanding process is dynamic
• “Redundancy” is okay
Conceptual structure
• Embodied
• Schematic
• (Potentially) language-independent
• Highly interconnected
Simulation parameters
• Constructions unify to create semantic specification that supports a simulation
• Two types of simulation parameters for event descriptions:– Event content– Event construal
Putting the parts together
• Bindings
• Unification
“Pre-existing” structure
Cxn
schema
schema schema
schema
Cxn
Cxn
schema
Unification
Cxn
schema
schema schema
schema
Cxn
Cxn
schema
Summary
• Parts = constructions, schemas
• Combination = binding, unification
• Meaning of the whole = simulation of the combined parts
First example
• He bit the apple.
schema MotorControl subcase of Process roles Actor ↔ Protagonist
Effector Effort
Routine constraints Actor ← animate
Schemas
schema ForceApplication subcase of MotorControl evokes ForceTransfer as FT roles
Actor ↔ FT.Supplier ↔ Protagonist Acted Upon↔ FT.Recipient Effector
Routine Effort ↔ FT.Force.amount
schema ForceTransfer evokes Conact as C roles
Supplier ↔ C.entity1 Recipient ↔ C.entity2 Force
schema MotorControl subcase of Process roles Actor ↔ Protagonist
Effector Effort
Routine constraints Actor ← animate
schema Contact subcase of SpatialRelation roles Entity1: entity Entity2: entity
Schema networks
MotorControl
Motion
SPG
EffectorMotion
EffectorMotionPath
ForceTransfer
ForceApplication
ContactSpatiallyDirectedAction
CauseEffect
Contact
Agentive Impact
SelfMotion
SelfMotionPath
MotionPath
Construction BITE1 subcase of Verb form: bite meaning: ForceApplication constraints: Effector ← teeth Routine ← bite // close mouth
Verb Constructions
schema ForceApplication subcase of MotorControl evokes ForceTransfer as FT roles Actor ↔ FT.Supplier ↔ Protagonist Acted Upon ↔ FT.Recipient Effector Routine Effort ↔ FT.Force.amount
Verb Constructions
schema ForceApplication subcase of MotorControl
schema Agentive Impact subcase of ForceApplication
cxn BITE meaning: ForceApplication
schema MotorControl
cxn GRASP meaning: ForceApplicationcxn PUSH meaning: ForceApplicationcxn SLAP meaning: AgentiveImpactcxn KICK meaning: AgentiveImpactcxn HIT meaning: AgentiveImpact
Argument Structure Construction
construction ActiveTransitiveAction2 subcase of VP constituents: V : verb NP: NP form constraints: VF before NPF
meaning: CauseEffect evokes; EventDescriptor as ED; ForceApplication as FA constraints: {Selfm ↔ ED.EventType}
{Vm ↔ ED.ProfiledProcess}
Causer ↔ ED.ProfiledParticipant
FA ↔ Vm
Causer ↔ FA.Actor Affected ↔ FA.ActedUpon Affected ↔ NPm
Argument Structure Construction
construction ActiveTransitiveAction2 subcase of VP constituents: V : verb NP: NP form constraints: VF before NPF
meaning: CauseEffect evokes; EventDescriptor as ED; ForceApplication as FA constraints: {Selfm ↔ ED.EventType}
{Vm ↔ ED.ProfiledProcess}
Causer ↔ ED.ProfiledParticipant
FA ↔ Vm
Causer ↔ FA.Actor Affected ↔ FA.ActedUpon Affected ↔ NPm
CauseEffect schema
schema CauseEffect subcase of ForceApplication; Process roles
Causer ↔ Actor Affected ↔ ActedUpon ↔ Process.Protagonist Instrument ↔ Effector
MotorControl
Motion
SPG
EffectorMotion
EffectorMotionPath
ForceTransfer
ForceApplication
ContactSpatiallyDirectedAction
CauseEffect
Contact
SelfMotion
SelfMotionPath
MotionPath
Agentive Impact
Process
Schema Network
Argument Structure Construction
construction ActiveTransitiveAction2 subcase of VP constituents: V : verb NP: NP form constraints: VF before NPF
meaning: CauseEffect evokes: EventDescriptor as ED; ForceApplication as FA constraints: {Selfm ↔ ED.EventType}
{Vm ↔ ED.ProfiledProcess}
Causer ↔ ED.ProfiledParticipant
FA ↔ Vm
Causer ↔ FA.Actor Affected ↔ FA.ActedUpon Affected ↔ NPm
MotorControl
Motion
SPG
EffectorMotion
EffectorMotionPath
ForceTransfer
ForceApplication
ContactSpatiallyDirectedAction
CauseEffect
Contact
SelfMotion
SelfMotionPath
MotionPath
Agentive Impact
Process
Schema Network
Important points
Compositionality does not require that each component contain different information.
Shared semantic structure is not viewed as an undesirable redundancy
Argument Structure Construction
construction ActiveTransitiveAction2 subcase of VP constituents: V : verb NP: NP form constraints: VF before NPF
meaning: CauseEffect evokes; EventDescriptor as ED; ForceApplication as FA constraints: {Selfm ↔ ED.EventType}
{Vm ↔ ED.ProfiledProcess}
Causer ↔ ED.ProfiledParticipant FA ↔ Vm
Causer ↔ FA.Actor Affected ↔ FA.ActedUpon Affected ↔ NPm
schema EventDescriptor
roles
EventType: Process
ProfiledProcess: Process
ProfiledParticipant: Entity
ProfiledState(s): State
SpatialSetting
TemporalSetting
Event Descriptor schema
Argument Structure Construction
Construction ActiveTransitiveAction2 subcase of VP constituents: V : verb NP: NP form constraints: VF before NPF
meaning: CauseEffect evokes; EventDescriptor as ED; ForceApplication as FA constraints: {Selfm ↔ ED.EventType}
{Vm ↔ ED.ProfiledProcess}
Causer ↔ ED.ProfiledParticipant FA ↔ Vm
Causer ↔ FA.Actor Affected ↔ FA.ActedUpon Affected ↔ NPm
construction NPVP1 constituents: Subj: NP VP : VPform Constraints Subj f before VPf
meaning: EventDescriptor ProfiledParticipant ↔ Subjm
Bindings with other cxnsconstruction ActiveTransitiveAction2 subcase of VP constituents: V ; NP form: VF before NPF
meaning: CauseEffect evokes; EventDescriptor as ED constraints: {Selfm ↔ ED.EventType}
{Vm ↔ ED.ProfiledProcess}
Causer ↔ ED.ProfiledParticipant
Affected ↔ NPm
Construction NPVP1 constituents: Subj: NP VP : VPform constraints Subj f before VPf
meaning: EventDescriptor ProfiledParticipant ↔ Subjm
Bindings with other cxnsconstruction ActiveTransitiveAction2 subcase of VP constituents: V ; NP form: VF before NPF
meaning: CauseEffect evokes; EventDescriptor as ED constraints: {Selfm ↔ ED.EventType}
{Vm ↔ ED.ProfiledProcess}
Causer ↔ ED.ProfiledParticipant
Affected ↔ NPm
schema EventDescriptor roles EventType ProfiledProcess ProfiledParticipant ProfiledState(s) SpatialSetting TemporalSetting
Bindings with other cxns
schema EventDescriptor roles EventType ProfiledProcess ProfiledParticipant ProfiledState(s) SpatialSetting TemporalSetting
construction NPVP1 constituents: Subj: NP VP : VPform Constraints Subj f before VPf
meaning: EventDescriptor ProfiledParticipant ↔ Subjm
construction ActiveTransitiveAction2 subcase of VP constituents: V ; NP form: VF before NPF
meaning: CauseEffect evokes; EventDescriptor as ED constraints: {Selfm ↔ ED.EventType}
{Vm ↔ ED.ProfiledProcess}
Causer ↔ ED.ProfiledParticipant
Affected ↔ NPm
Unification
CauseEffect causer affected
ForceApplication actor actedupon
EventDescriptor EventType ProfiledProcess ProfiledParticipant
BITE
TransitiveAction2
HE
NP1
NPVP1
THE APPLE
NP2ReferentDescriptor
ReferentDescriptor
Meaning Constructions
Unification
CauseEffect causer affected
ForceApplication actor actedupon
EventDescriptor EventType ProfiledProcess ProfiledParticipant
BITE
TransitiveAction2
HE
NP1
NPVP1
THE APPLE
NP2ReferentDescriptor
ReferentDescriptor resolved referent
Meaning Constructions
Unification
CauseEffect causer affected
ForceApplication actor actedupon
EventDescriptor eventtype ProfiledProcess ProfiledParticipant
BITE
TransitiveAction2 Verb
HE
NP1
NPVP1
THE APPLE
NP2ReferentDescriptor
ReferentDescriptor resolved referent
Meaning Constructions
Unification
CauseEffect causer affected
ForceApplication actor actedupon
EventDescriptor eventtype ProfiledProcess ProfiledParticipant
BITE
TransitiveAction2
HE
NP1
NPVP1 subj
THE APPLE
NP2ReferentDescriptor
ReferentDescriptor
Meaning Constructions
Unification
CauseEffect causer affected
ForceApplication actor actedupon
EventDescriptor eventtype ProfiledProcess ProfiledParticipant
BITE
TransitiveAction2 NP
HE
NP1
NPVP1
THE APPLE
NP2ReferentDescriptor
ReferentDescriptor
Meaning Constructions
Semantic SpecificationHe bit the apple
EventDescriptor eventtype ProfiledProcess ProfiledParticipant
CauseEffect causer affected
ForceApplication actor actedupon routine bite effector teeth
RD55category
Person
Apple
RD27category
Process
Simulation - He bit the apple
CauseEffect
ForceApplication
Protagonist = Causer ↔ Actor
Protagonist = Affected ↔ ActedUpon
Process
Simulation - He bit the apple
CauseEffect
ForceApplication
Protagonist = Causer ↔ Actor
Protagonist = Affected ↔ ActedUpon
Passive voice
He was bitten (by a toddler)
Argument Structure ConstructionHe was bitten (by a toddler)
construction PassiveTransitiveAction2 subcase of VP constituents: V : PassiveVerb (PP: agentivePP) form constraints: VF before PPF
meaning: CauseEffectAction evokes; EventDescriptor as ED; ForceApplication as FA constraints: {Selfm ↔ ED.EventType}
{Vm ↔ ED.ProfiledProcess}
Affected ↔ ED.ProfiledParticipant FA ↔ Vm
Causer ↔ FA.Actor Affected ↔ FA.ActedUpon Causer ↔ PP.NPm
Semantic SpecificationHe was bitten (by a toddler)
EventDescriptor eventtype ProfiledProcess ProfiledParticipant
CauseEffect causer affected
ForceApplication actor actedupon routine bite effector teeth
RD48category
Person
Person
RD27category
Effect = Process
Simulation - He was bitten (by a toddler)
CauseEffect
Action = BiteProtagonist = Causer ↔ Actor
Protagonist = Affected ↔ ActedUpon
Variations on a theme
• He shattered the window
• The window was shattered
• The window shattered
Construction SHATTER1 subcase of Verb form: shatter meaning: StateChange constraints: Initial :: Undergoer.state ← whole Final :: Undergoer.state ← shards
Verb Construction -- shatter
schema StateChange subcase of Process roles Undergoer ↔ Protagonist
Argument Structure ConstructionHe shattered the window
construction ActiveTransitiveAction3 subcase of VP constituents: V : verb NP: NP form constraints: VF before NPF
meaning: CauseEffect evokes: EventDescriptor as ED; StateChange as SC constraints: {Selfm ↔ ED.EventType}
{Vm ↔ ED.ProfiledProcess}
Causer ↔ ED.ProfiledParticipant
SC ↔ Vm
Affected ↔ SC.Undergoer Affected ↔ NPm
Semantic SpecificationHe shattered the window
EventDescriptor eventtype ProfiledProcess ProfiledParticipant
CauseEffect causer affected
StateChange Undergoer state “wholeness”
RD189category
Person
Window
RD27category
Process
Simulation - He shattered the window
CauseEffect
Action Protagonist = Causer
Protagonist = Affected ↔ Undergoer
Argument Structure ConstructionThe window was shattered
construction PassiveTransitiveAction3 subcase of VP constituents: V : PassiveVerb (PP: agentivePP) form constraints: VF before NPF
meaning: CauseEffect evokes: EventDescriptor as ED; StateChange as SC constraints: {Selfm ↔ ED.EventType}
{Vm ↔ ED.ProfiledProcess}
Affected ↔ ED.ProfiledParticipant
SC ↔ Vm
Affected ↔ SC.Undergoer Causer ↔ PP.NPm
Semantic SpecificationThe window was shattered
EventDescriptor eventtype ProfiledProcess ProfiledParticipant
CauseEffect causer affected
StateChange Undergoer state “wholeness”
RD175category
Window
Process
Simulation - The window was shattered
CauseEffect
Action Protagonist = Causer
Protagonist = Affected ↔ Undergoer
Argument Structure ConstructionThe window shattered
construction ActiveIntransitiveAction1 subcase of VP constituents: V : verb form meaning: Process evokes: EventDescriptor as ED; StateChange as SC constraints: {Selfm ↔ ED.EventType}
{Vm ↔ ED.ProfiledProcess}
Protagonist ↔ ED.ProfiledParticipant
SC ↔ Vm
Protagonist ↔ SC.Undergoer
Semantic SpecificationThe window shattered
EventDescriptor eventtype ProfiledProcess ProfiledParticipant
Process protagonist
StateChange Undergoer state “wholeness”
RD177categoryWindow
Process
Simulation - The window shattered
Process
Protagonist = Undergoer
Some more variations on a theme
• He bit the apple
• He bit into the apple
• His white teeth bit into the apple.
Argument Structure ConstructionHe bit into the apple
construction ActiveEffectorMotionPath2 subcase of VP constituents: V : verb PP: Spatial-PP form constraints:
VF before PPF
meaning: EffectorMotionPath evokes; EventDescriptor as ED; ForceApplication as FA constraints:
{Selfm ↔ ED.EventType}
{Vm ↔ ED.ProfiledProcess}
Actor ↔ ED.ProfiledParticipant FA ↔ Vm
Actor ↔ FA.ActorEffector ↔ FA.Effector // INITarget ↔ FA.ActedUpon SPG ↔ PPm
Target ↔ PPm .Prep.LM
Schema
schema EffectorMotionPath subcase of EffectorMotion subcase of SPG // or evokes SPG roles Actor ↔ MotorControl.protagonist
Effector ↔ SPG.Tr ↔ M.Mover ↔ Motion.protagonistTarget ↔ SPG.Lm
MotorControl
Motion
SPG
EffectorMotion
EffectorMotionPath
ForceTransfer
ForceApplication
ContactSpatiallyDirectedAction
CauseEffect
Contact
SelfMotion
SelfMotionPath
MotionPath
Agentive Impact
Process
Schema Network
Argument Structure Construction He bit into the apple
construction ActiveEffectorMotionPath2 subcase of VP constituents: V : verb PP: Spatial-PP form constraints:
VF before PPF
meaning: EffectorMotionPath evokes: EventDescriptor as ED; ForceApplication as FA constraints:
{Selfm ↔ ED.EventType}
{Vm ↔ ED.ProfiledProcess}
Actor ↔ ED.ProfiledParticipant FA ↔ Vm
Actor ↔ FA.ActorEffector ↔ FA.Effector // INITarget ↔ FA.ActedUpon SPG ↔ PPm
Target ↔ PPm .Prep.LM
EffectorMotionPath
Action
Source
Path Goal
Effector Motion
Protagonist = Actor
Protagonist = Effector
Argument Structure Construction He bit into the apple
construction ActiveEffectorMotionPath2 subcase of VP constituents: V : verb PP: Spatial-PP form constraints:
VF before PPF
meaning: EffectorMotionPath evokes; EventDescriptor as ED; ForceApplication as FA constraints:
{Selfm ↔ ED.EventType}
{Vm ↔ ED.ProfiledProcess}
Actor ↔ ED.ProfiledParticipant FA ↔ Vm
Actor ↔ FA.ActorEffector ↔ FA.Effector // INITarget ↔ FA.ActedUpon SPG ↔ PPm
Target ↔ PPm .Prep.LM
Simulation: He bit into the apple
Action
Source
Path Goal
Effector Motion
Protagonist = Actor
Protagonist = Effector
Argument Structure ConstructionHis white teeth bit into the apple
construction ActiveEffectorMotionPath3 subcase of VP constituents: V : verb PP: Spatial-PP form constraints:
VF before PPF
meaning: EffectorMotionPath evokes; EventDescriptor as ED; ForceApplication as FA constraints:
{Selfm ↔ ED.EventType}
{Vm ↔ ED.ProfiledProcess}
Effector ↔ ED.ProfiledParticipant FA ↔ Vm
Actor ↔ FA.Actor // INIEffector ↔ FA.EffectorTarget ↔ FA.ActedUpon SPG ↔ PPm
Target ↔ PPm .Prep.LM
Simulation: His white teeth bit into the apple
Action
Source
Path Goal
Effector Motion
Protagonist = Actor
Protagonist = Effector
Non-agentive biting
• He landed on his feet, hitting the narrow pavement outside the yard with such jarring impact that his teeth bit into the edge of his tongue. [BNC]
• The studs bit into Trent's hand. [BNC]
• His chest burned savagely as the ropes bit into his skin. [BNC]
MotorControl
Motion
SPG
EffectorMotion
EffectorMotionPath
ForceTransfer
ForceApplication
ContactSpatiallyDirectedAction
CauseEffect
Contact
SelfMotion
SelfMotionPath
MotionPath
Agentive Impact
Process
Schema Network
Simulation: His teeth bit his tongue
Source
Path Goal
MotionProtagonist = Mover
Summary
• Small set of constructions and schemas
• Composed in different ways
• Unification produces specification of parameters of simulation
• Sentence understanding is simulation
• Different meanings = different simulations