Noun.html

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<h1> Noun: Nouns, noun phrases, and determiners</h1>

<pre>
  abstract Noun = Cat ** {
</pre>

<h2> Noun phrases</h2>
The three main types of noun phrases are
- common nouns with determiners
- proper names
- pronouns
<p>
<p>
<pre>
    fun
      DetCN   : Det -> CN -> NP ;   -- the man
      UsePN   : PN -> NP ;          -- John
      UsePron : Pron -> NP ;        -- he
</pre>

Pronouns are defined in the module [``Structural`` Structural.html].
A noun phrase already formed can be modified by a <tt>Predet</tt>erminer.
<pre>
      PredetNP : Predet -> NP -> NP; -- only the man 
</pre>

A noun phrase can also be postmodified by the past participle of a
verb, by an adverb, or by a relative clause
<pre>
      PPartNP : NP -> V2  -> NP ;    -- the man seen
      AdvNP   : NP -> Adv -> NP ;    -- Paris today
      RelNP   : NP -> RS  -> NP ;    -- Paris, which is here
</pre>

Determiners can form noun phrases directly.
<pre>
      DetNP   : Det -> NP ;  -- these five
</pre>

<h2> Determiners</h2>
The determiner has a fine-grained structure, in which a 'nucleus'
quantifier and an optional numeral can be discerned.
<pre>
      DetQuant    : Quant -> Num ->        Det ;  -- these five
      DetQuantOrd : Quant -> Num -> Ord -> Det ;  -- these five best
</pre>

Whether the resulting determiner is singular or plural depends on the
cardinal.
All parts of the determiner can be empty, except <tt>Quant</tt>, which is
the <i>kernel</i> of a determiner. It is, however, the <tt>Num</tt> that determines
the inherent number.
<pre>
      NumSg   : Num ;
      NumPl   : Num ;
      NumCard : Card -> Num ;
</pre>

<tt>Card</tt> consists of either digits or numeral words.
<pre>
    data
      NumDigits  : Digits  -> Card ;  -- 51
      NumNumeral : Numeral -> Card ;  -- fifty-one
</pre>

The construction of numerals is defined in [Numeral Numeral.html].
A <tt>Card</tt> can  be modified by certain adverbs.
<pre>
    fun
      AdNum : AdN -> Card -> Card ;   -- almost 51
</pre>

An <tt>Ord</tt> consists of either digits or numeral words.
Also superlative forms of adjectives behave syntactically like ordinals.
<pre>
      OrdDigits  : Digits  -> Ord ;  -- 51st
      OrdNumeral : Numeral -> Ord ;  -- fifty-first
      OrdSuperl  : A       -> Ord ;  -- warmest
</pre>

Definite and indefinite noun phrases are sometimes realized as
neatly distinct words (Spanish <i>un, unos ; el, los</i>) but also without
any particular word (Finnish; Swedish definites).
<pre>
      IndefArt   : Quant ;
      DefArt     : Quant ;
</pre>

Nouns can be used without an article as mass nouns. The resource does
not distinguish mass nouns from other common nouns, which can result
in semantically odd expressions.
<pre>
      MassNP     : CN -> NP ;            -- (beer)
</pre>

Pronouns have possessive forms. Genitives of other kinds
of noun phrases are not given here, since they are not possible
in e.g. Romance languages. They can be found in <tt>Extra</tt> modules.
<pre>
      PossPron : Pron -> Quant ;    -- my (house)
</pre>

Other determiners are defined in [Structural Structural.html].
<h2> Common nouns</h2>
Simple nouns can be used as nouns outright.
<pre>
      UseN : N -> CN ;              -- house
</pre>

Relational nouns take one or two arguments.
<pre>
      ComplN2 : N2 -> NP -> CN ;    -- mother of the king
      ComplN3 : N3 -> NP -> N2 ;    -- distance from this city (to Paris)
</pre>

Relational nouns can also be used without their arguments.
The semantics is typically derivative of the relational meaning.
<pre>
      UseN2   : N2 -> CN ;          -- mother
      Use2N3  : N3 -> N2 ;          -- distance (from this city)
      Use3N3  : N3 -> N2 ;          -- distance (to Paris)
</pre>

Nouns can be modified by adjectives, relative clauses, and adverbs
(the last rule will give rise to many 'PP attachment' ambiguities
when used in connection with verb phrases).
<pre>
      AdjCN   : AP -> CN  -> CN ;   -- big house
      RelCN   : CN -> RS  -> CN ;   -- house that John bought
      AdvCN   : CN -> Adv -> CN ;   -- house on the hill
</pre>

Nouns can also be modified by embedded sentences and questions.
For some nouns this makes little sense, but we leave this for applications
to decide. Sentential complements are defined in [Verb Verb.html].
<pre>
      SentCN  : CN -> SC  -> CN ;   -- question where she sleeps
</pre>

<h2> Apposition</h2>
This is certainly overgenerating.
<pre>
      ApposCN : CN -> NP -> CN ;    -- city Paris (, numbers x and y)
  
  }
</pre>

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