Sample write-up

Here is an example of what I'd like the descriptions of phenomena and choices files in the write-ups to look like for Labs 2-4. It begins by describing the phenomenon, which is illustrated with examples in IGT format from the test suite. Then it describes how the analysis was implemented via the customization system.

Future tense in Wambaya is marked with an affix on the auxiliary and an optional affix on the verb. That is, if the future tense marker is on the auxiliary, the sentence is interpreted in future tense. The verb can also have a future tense marker, but it is not required. The future tense marker on the verb is not compatible with non-future-tense marked auxiliaries, except when it is used instead as the imperative form.

Here are some examples:

Source: a
Vetted: t
Judgment: g
Phenomena: tense
Gurinymi ngu gulugba.
Guriny-mi ng-u gulug-ba.
good-FAC 1.SG.S-FUT sleep-FUT
I will sleep well.
Source: a
Vetted: t
Judgment: g
Phenomena: tense
Yabu ny-u nganga angarri-nka.
have 2.SG.A-FUT 2.SG.OBL corroboree.IV-DAT
You'll keep it for yourself for a corroboree.
Source: author
Vetted: f
Judgment: u
Phenomena: tense
Gurinymi ngu gulugba.
Guriny-mi ngi-ma gulug-ba.
good-FAC 1.SG.S-PAST sleep-FUT
intended: I will sleep well.

In order to model this, I defined a tense inflection slot that takes auxiliary verbs as input. In this slot, one of the morphemes is the future marker ma. This marker constrains the TENSE to be "future" on the verb. I've also defined a tense inflection slot on the main verbs. It has only one morpheme: the future marker ba. Just like ma, ba constraints TENSE on the verb to be "future". This slot is optional, so verbs without ba are unmarked. Because the other things in the auxiliary tense slot specify TENSE values that inconsistent with "future", ba-marked verbs should only co-occur with ma-marked auxiliaries.


Bibliographical note: The two grammatical examples above are from Nordliner, Rachel. 1998. A Grammar of Wambaya, Northern Australia. Canberra: Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, The Australian National University.


Last modified: Thu Jan 22 21:40:21 PST 2009